Playing chess -and any type of board game- helps to maintain a clear mind in old age, is the main conclusion of the study developed by psychologists at the University of Edinburgh (England) and collected by The Journal of Gerontology , which found that those older who play non-digital games, such as cards and board games, are more likely to score better on memory tests and cognitive tests at age 70 than those who do not. Plus, it’s never too late to start – experts found that a change in behavior in adulthood can still make a difference.
And is that board games are not only fun, they can also keep our minds agile. In fact, previous studies have suggested that just 1 hour of play can improve attention, and, in other cases, cognition.
The starting point of the research was based on whether games such as chess, cards or doing crossword puzzles had a positive impact on the brains of the elderly. To do this, they carried out an experiment to evaluate memory, problem solving, thinking speed and general thinking ability, with more than 1,000 people (specifically 1,091) of 70 years of age – born in 1936 – and repeated the same memory tests every three years until participants were 79 years old. In total, a nine-year follow-up.
Participants were also asked how often they played board games at 70, 73, 76, and 79. And previously, they had the evaluations of the cognitive function of the participants when they were only 11 years old, and then at 70, 73, 76 and 79 years old. In total, they used 14 standardized cognitive tests.
As part of the statistical analysis, the experts took into account potential confounders, such as “early cognitive function, gender, activity levels, education, social class, and health problems.”
Board games to reduce cognitive decline
The results were clear: participants who played more board games in their 70s were more likely to maintain healthy cognitive function with older age.
One of the researchers, Drew Altschul, said the findings add to evidence that being more involved in activities that keep the brain active over the course of life may be associated with better thinking skills in adulthood. “For those in their 70s and older, a good message seems to be that playing non-digital games can be a positive behavior in terms of reducing cognitive decline,” Altschul said.
The expert also believes that it is possible to interpret the results as an extra push to start playing some board games to avoid cognitive decline.
“We and other researchers are focusing on the kinds of activities that can help support the elderly. In our sample, it seems that it is not just a general intellectual and social activity; this small but detectable association with better cognitive aging “, clarifies Ian Deary, co-author of the work.
Referencia: Playing Analog Games Is Associated With Reduced Declines in Cognitive Function: A 68-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study Drew M Altschul, PhD, Ian J Deary, PhD. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, gbz149, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz149 Published: 18 November 2019
