Brain Games

The evidence goes back and forth but the intuition feels right: Engaging your brain with word puzzles, riddles, problem-solving scenarios, or even computer games seems like it should sharpen your mind, support your memory, or strengthen your cognitive abilities. Well, new evidence just published in the New England Journal of…

If you’re a person growing older, you’ve no doubt had occasions to wonder whether you are beginning to lose some of your memory. While dementia is not a normal part of aging, occasional bouts of forgetfulness are. So, whether you occasionally forget where you put your keys- or, on a…

Despite the popularity of word games, crossword puzzles, and other brain challenges, we’ve reported that the scientific evidence that such games boost and improve cognitive function and memory is mixed. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of support for “exercising” your mind just as you undertake physical activity in order to support…

Have you become obsessed? Do you wake up every morning and immediately head to your computer to start playing? Well, if you’re part of the groundswell of people who are committed to playing Wordle every day, you know what the hysteria is about. Started during the pandemic as a simple…

So it’s been several months since the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm was introduced, in a hopeful sign that a treatment for Alzheimer’s might finally be available. As you may recall, in June we reported on the FDA approval of Aduhelm, a medication that targets the build-up of amyloid plaques in…

Many of us expect the worst: as we get older, we presume that our brainpower will diminish, our cognition will decline and our brains will be vulnerable to the ravages of dementia. That’s certainly the prevailing imagery we see in the mainstream media. But in fact, there’s something not quite…