A new study shows that in older people with mild cognitive impairment, doing crossword games has an advantage over computer video games in improving memory function. The study was conducted by scientists from Columbia University and Duke University . The study was published on October 27 in the journal NEJM Evidence.
In a randomized controlled trial , the researchers determined that participants who received online crossword training (average age 71 years old) had greater cognitive improvements than those who received cognitive video game training. The study was led by Dr. D.P. Devanand, Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at Columbia University, and Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at Duke University. "This is the first study to document the short-term and long-term benefits of family-based crossword training compared to other interventions. These results are important given that interventions with mild cognitive impairment are difficult to show improvements," said Devanand, Ph.D., who is responsible for brain aging and mental health research at Columbia University. "These results are important, given that interventions with mild cognitive impairment are widely used, but no systematic study of mild cognitive impairment has been conducted, and mild cognitive impairment is associated with high risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease .
To conduct the study, researchers from Columbia University and Duke University randomly assigned 107 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from two different locations to crossword training or cognitive play training for a 12-week intensive training followed by up to 78-week intensive training. Both interventions were conducted through computer platforms, with compliance monitoring weekly.
The most eye-catching finding of this trial is:
Among the main cognitive outcome measurements of 12 and 78 weeks, crossword games were better than cognitive games, ADAS-Cog. At 78 weeks, crossword puzzles are better at measuring FAQ for everyday functions.
crossword puzzles are more advantageous for participants in late stages of the disease, but both forms of training are equally effective in the early stages.
At 78 weeks, the brain atrophy of crosswords (measured with MRI) is smaller. "It is not only cognitively beneficial, but also in daily activities, and the signs of brain atrophy on MRI suggest that these effects are clinically significant," said Dr. Devanand. "The study also highlights the importance of participation." Depending on the remote electronic monitoring of computer use, participants in late-stage injury may be better at engaging in more familiar crosswords than computer cognitive games.
Two advantages of this trial are that individual participation rates from ethnic and minority groups are 28%, and that for such a long family trial, the exit rate is very low (15%). The limitation of the study is that there is no control group that does not receive cognitive training.
Although these results are very encouraging, the authors emphasize the need for replication in larger controlled trials and that there is an inactive control group.
Doraiswamy said: "The three elements of improving cognition, function and neuroprotection are the holy grails in the field. Further research on expanding the scale of brain training as a family digital treatment for delaying Alzheimer's disease should be a priority in the field."
