Study Shows Crossword Puzzles Benefit Memory in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

In a groundbreaking study published in NEJM Evidence, researchers have found that crossword puzzles may hold the key to improving memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Led by Murali Doraiswamy, director of the Neurocognitive Disorders Program at Duke University School of Medicine, and D.P. Devenand, professor of psychiatry and neurology at Columbia University, the study compared the effects of computerized crossword puzzle training to cognitive games training on cognitive improvement.

The study, which included 107 participants with mild cognitive impairment, revealed that those who trained in doing crossword puzzles showed greater cognitive improvement compared to those who trained on cognitive games. The crossword puzzles, designed to be of medium difficulty, were found to be superior in improving daily functioning and slowing brain shrinkage, particularly in participants at a later disease stage.

Doraiswamy, a renowned expert in Alzheimer’s disease research, emphasized the significance of these findings in the quest to reduce the risk of dementia. He highlighted the potential of crossword puzzle training as a scalable and home-based cognitive enhancement tool for individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

While the study had strengths such as a diverse participant pool and a low drop-out rate, a limitation was the lack of a control group that did not undergo cognitive training. Moving forward, Doraiswamy hopes to replicate and expand these findings in larger studies to potentially delay the diagnosis of dementia.

The study, funded by the NIH National Institute on Aging, involved collaboration with Lumos Labs for the computerized platform. Despite potential conflicts of interest, the study was overseen by an independent data safety monitoring board to ensure the integrity of the results.

Overall, the study sheds light on the potential benefits of crossword puzzles in improving memory and cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, offering a glimmer of hope in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.