WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Nine-letter word may help keep minds in shape

Nine-letter word may help keep minds in shape

(National-NBC) April 24, 2006 - We've all played a crossword puzzle at one time or another.

For most people, it's a simple, fun activity. But for others, playing the crossword is all about increasing memory.

It's an age-old battle, fighting the forces of time, not just on the body, but on the brain.

Crosswords, long thought to boost the brain, are both puzzling and popular, now even celebrated in "Word Play," an upcoming documentary.

For years, they've mesmerized everyone from celebrities to presidents, and the people covering them. Former LA Times reporter Ed Chen is a fan, "They would say to me, 'Boy, you look like you're really taking a lot of notes.' And I have to laugh because you know, I tell them, 'Yeah, I wasn't really taking notes, I was doing a crossword puzzle.'

But does any of this really help? Researchers report everyone's brain power declines as they get older, and while mental workouts may help keep you sharp in some areas, it's still unclear whether it helps across the board.

Dr. Tim Salthouse of the University of Virginia says, "You may have somebody who gets very good at learning to associate names and faces, but that won't necessarily benefit them when they're trying to remember a list of grocery items."

Still, an entire industry is growing around the idea that we can keep our minds in shape. Among the latest offers, a Nintendo video game for grownups that combines reading, memory games and math.

At 93, Mary Johnston prefers exercising her mind the old-fashioned way, "Your muscles atrophy if you don't do them. So, use your brain. You have to use it and keep it sharp."

Your brain. Use it or lose it? It may not be that simple, but certainly can't hurt.

Playing a crossword puzzle is just one thing you can try to help your memory. Some other suggestions include:

• Try putting down the calculator. Instead, use your head to add up bills.
• Try to keep a pen and paper handy so you can write down fresh ideas when they pop in your head.
• Don't be afraid to talk to yourself. It helps to keep you focused on what's important for the day.
• It never hurts to try new things. So try to take up a new hobby. If you're stumped on what to try, you may want to take up crossword puzzles.

Posted 8:19pm by Chantelle Janelle