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Cognitively Stimulating Leisure Activity Protects From Further Cognitive Decline

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 19, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 19, 2024 -- High levels of cognitively stimulating leisure activity (CSLA) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can slow further decline, according to a study recently published online in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.

Jungjoo Lee, from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, and colleagues examined the longitudinal relationship between participation in different levels of CSLA and three cognitive functions (i.e., memory, working memory, and attention and processing speed) among 5,932 older adults with MCI participating in the Health and Retirement Study (2012 to 2020).

The researchers found that those with high-level CSLA participation had higher levels of memory, working memory, and attention and processing speed than those with mid- and low-level participation. Older adults with mid-CSLA participation had higher levels of working memory and attention and processing speed than those with low-level CSLA. Additionally, there were significant differences in all three cognitive functions between years, with a declining slope. However, the differences between 2014 and the other years of the dataset were not significant. The high-level CSLA participation group consistently showed higher cognitive function levels during the study period than the other groups and also maintained a similar level of cognitive functions.

"By incorporating the findings of this study into clinical guidelines, health care providers will be able to offer an optimal level of CSLA programming at least three to four times a week," the authors write.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted September 2024

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