COGNITIVE decline in older age is understandably the subject of a huge amount of current research. Although medicines are available and suitable for some patients, studies have also looked at the evidence for various mental exercises. Research published earlier this year showed a reasonable level of evidence for mental exercises such as computerised training programmes or intensive one-to-one personal cognitive training in memory, reasoning and speed of mental processing. However, such programmes are not likely to be practical for most people and the research points to a need to investigate the possible benefit of more easily accessible activities such as crossword puzzles and sudoku, which have not been rigorously tested.
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