By Ann Kellett

The aging process can lead to diminished cognitive functioning for older adults. In addition, about 10 percent of people previously diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia every year.

Although a few studies have found that activities such as putting together jigsaw puzzles can protect against cognitive aging, the benefits of these activities in preventing or postponing cognitive decline are still largely unknown. Now, findings from a new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health suggest that older people with mild cognitive impairment who engage in high levels of activities such as word games and hobbies have better memory, working memory, attention and processing speed than those who do not.

“Nearly 6 million people in the United States have dementia, and this number is projected to grow to about 14 million by 2060—with minority populations affected the most,” said Dr. Junhyoung Kim, an associate professor of health behavior at Texas A&M. “We sought to help fill the gap in our understanding of cognitive decline.”

For the study, published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, Kim and researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi and Indiana Universit, analyzed 5,932 people who were at least 50 years old in 2012, had mild cognitive impairment, and were part of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from 2012 to 2020. The HRS collects data through self-reported paper-and-pencil surveys and in-depth phone interviews.

“In short, the high-level participation group consistently exhibited higher cognitive function levels during the study period and maintained a similar level of cognitive functions compared to the other groups,” Kim said.

Those in the high-level category had higher levels of memory, working memory, and attention and processing speed than those in the mid and low-level groups. In addition, the mid-level category had higher levels of working memory and attention and processing speed than those in the low-level participation group.

The researchers are hopeful that the findings will lead healthcare providers to recommend that older people with mild cognitive impairment play games, read, or engage in similarly stimulating activities at least three to four times a week.

“In addition, we hope that barriers to doing this, such as inadequate caregiver support and financial constraints, could be overcome through stronger public care services and community support networks,” Kim said.

Source: Texas A&M University School of Public Health