Does a Sudoku a day really keep the doctor away? According to reports, tackling a puzzle such as a crossword often can actually help keep your brain younger. The study claims a puzzle a day can boost your memory and stave off dementia in later life, reports Perspecs. However, health experts say the evidence about the benefits of brain training so far is “not strong”. The Claim Crosswords and Sudoku may keep your brain a decade younger in middle age, the Daily Mail reports. They say that doing a puzzle once a day can have a “dramatic effect” on memory, and help ward off dementia in later life. The Mail reports on joint studies by the University of Exeter and King’s College London, involving 19,000 participants, aged between 50 and 93. The participants completed an online survey, reporting how frequently they engaged in puzzles, as well as undertaking a series of tests to measure changes in brain function. It found that those who did daily word puzzles – such as crosswords – performed as well as people 10 years younger. Those who did daily number puzzles – such as Sudoku – performed as well as people eight years younger. Dr Anne Corbett, senior author of the two linked studies, said: “Most of the people involved in the research did crosswords or Sudoku, which exercise the memory and improve problem-solving abilities and focus. “The working theory behind this is that the brain is a muscle just like any other in the… [Read full story]
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