Games and puzzles slow cognitive decline (2024 study)
A 2024 study of 5,932 adults: doing puzzles, games and reading 3-4 times a week preserved memory, attention and processing speed.
A large 2024 study delivered some of the strongest evidence yet that mentally stimulating activities like puzzles and games can slow cognitive decline in later life.
Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Public Health followed 5,932 adults aged 50+ with mild cognitive impairment from 2012 to 2020. Those who played games, did puzzles, read and pursued similar activities at least 3-4 times a week performed markedly better on memory, working memory, attention and processing speed than lower-engagement groups.
Lead researcher Dr. Junhyoung Kim recommends 3-4 stimulating sessions per week for people with mild cognitive impairment. The findings are correlational — puzzles are not a standalone cure — but regular mental activity is a consistent part of the brain-protection toolkit.
That is exactly what Heatmap.Chess is built for: a short, regular, progressively harder daily puzzle habit.
Source: Texas A&M University / ScienceDaily, September 2024 — sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240910155904.htm