Puzzles won’t slow brain decline as we get old

DOING crosswords or sudoku puzzles all your life does not protect against mental decline in old age, researchers say.

But the activities do boost mental ability, so when the brain does start deteriorating it is from a higher point.

Experts had believed in ‘use it or lose it’, which suggests people who have complex jobs or do intellectual puzzles that tax the brain are protected against mental decline.

They argued that exercising the brain throughout a lifetime slows the speed at which the brain deteriorates in old age.

But scientists from the University of Aberdeen who tracked 498 people from the age of 64 for 15 years found that while those who regularly engaged in intellectually stimulating activities had higher mental ability at the start of the study, there was no difference in the rate at which they declined.

The scientists write in the British Medical Journal that this supports the theory of ‘cognitive reserve’ – the ability some have to maintain their memory and IQ as they age.

This is because regularly using the brain for complex tasks creates a greater number of connections between brain cells. So when the brain starts to age, or is hit by the onset of dementia, it has ‘back-up’ networks to use instead.

‘Intellectually stimulating’