Play Chess

Past research has clearly shown the relationship between dementia prevention and cognitive engagement. Likewise, a research team in Spain has been discovering the interesting possibilities of chess as a preventative measure against dementia. They guided a meta-analysis surveying past cohort studies, literature-based reviews, prospective population-based studies, and case-control studies, finding that effortful mental activity strengthens brain activity, improves cognitive function, and reduces short-term and long-term cognitive decline. Furthermore, they found that mentally engaging activities like chess, board games, cross-word puzzles, GO-game (Chinese chess), and Baduk (Korean chess) promoted biological changes in the brain that account for strengthened synaptic connections and stimulated neurogenesis and ultimately resulted in a 33% reduction in cognitive decline. There was also significant evidence demonstrating that leisure activities like traveling, knitting, and gardening showed superior improvements in cognitive performance and an overall delay in dementia onset.

Welcome to the group! You can connect with other members, get updates and share photos.