01:00 AM EDT on Monday, June 13, 2011
After purchasing my first book of crossword puzzles to improve my memory, I went into a panic. I knew only about 20 of the answers off the top of my head. With one parent who has had Alzheimer’s for 10 years, I was determined to find the ultimate in preventive health.
I put my trust in Dr. Majid Fotuhi, M.D., Ph.D., head of LifeBridge Health, Brain, and Spine Institute, and bought his book “Crosswords to Keep Your Brain Young: A 6-Step Age-Defying Program” with Will Shortz, the New York Times crossword puzzle guru.
Dr. Fotuhi’s explanations about learning and training seemed so logical. Nonetheless, I did lack the patience to make note of missed words, which inevitably waited for me in other crosswords. Was this the answer? “One is an opinion. Two is a consensus. Three is the overwhelming majority.” I continued questioning.
Dr. James M. Ellisonof Harvard Medical School and chief of geriatric psychiatry, told me: “The most authoritative evidence to date suggests that cognitive skills such as information processing speed and problem solving can sharpen memory through training and practice.”
“Training and practice,” resonated. I opened the crosswords book again.
At Mayo Clinic, Dr. Joseph I. Sirven, professor of neurology, talked to me about recommendations for early dementia — important because of that early gray-line stage. “I always tell patients to exercise, keep active, and to learn new things.”
Never having been an exercise fan, I stuck with the crosswords.
However, Ellison also pointed out that “Persistent gains have been demonstrated. But the gains achieved in one area have not been shown to generalize to other cognitive faculties. It seems plausible that cognitive challenges throughout life will support cognitive speed and flexibility, especially when they are experienced as enjoyable and pursued in moderation,” he added. The words “enjoyable and pursued in moderation” struck a chord. I took a puzzle break.
Next onto Dr. J. Craig Nelson, University of California San Francisco, professor in residence, geriatric psychiatry. He said, “Puzzles are fine. I’m not sure it’s clear how much they help once one has dementia versus staying sharp before. The other thing I would add is physical exercise. It may be more helpful and have more general cognitive effects than specific mental exercises.”
The “exercise” word again. And, yes, Fotuhi cites research indicating that even “a simple walking program . . . resulted in larger brain capacity and sharper memories.”
Can we really keep our brains young? According to the whelming majority, the answer is yes, but we must keep learning and keep walking.
Rita Watson is one of The Journal’s relationship columnists. She holds a master’s degree in public health from Yale.