There has been a great deal of interest in strategies to stay mentally sharp. A new study suggests that seniors who learn new, mentally challenging skills can improve their cognitive function. The research included more than 200 volunteers between 60 and 90 years old. They were assigned to one of six groups: one group learned digital photography, while a second used computer-controlled sewing machines and learned quilting. A third group did both of these activities. One of the remaining groups participated in social gatherings, in which people got together for games, story-telling or outings, while another group completed simple tasks at home. The control group took the same tests at the beginning and end of the three-month study, but had no assigned tasks.
Those seniors who mastered the complex skills of digital photography improved their cognitive performance, while those who participated in social time did not. The scientists conclude that it is not enough for boomers and their elders just to get out and do something; to maintain brain power, it is important to do something that is mentally challenging.
[Psychological Science, 2013]
We discussed how to ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease recently with expert Murali Doraiswamy, MD.
