Brain Games for Cognitive Health

Exercise is a beneficial way for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to manage motor symptoms, but did you know that it is also important to keep your brain active? People with PD often experience cognitive changes, including difficulties with attention, focus, memory, problem solving, and language. These changes are associated with a drop in the level of dopamine, along with several other chemical messengers in the brain, known as neurotransmitters. There are certain activities that you can do to maintain and improve cognitive health, such as brain games, socialization, and creative hobbies, which can all boost the production of neurotransmitters and hormones important for healthy brain function. Whether you are a person with PD, or a carepartner, these mental stimuli can help you flex your ‘thinking muscles’ and support your overall wellbeing.

Play Brain Games

Brain games are an easy, accessible, and fun way to exercise your brain. These games include any activity that stimulates your thinking, such as word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, chess, sudoku, riddles, trivia, and computer games. Research has shown that these types of activities help sharpen brain skills that can often be affected by Parkinson’s, such as focus, decision making, and memory. Alongside regular physical exercise, these brain activities can also help build the “cognitive reserves” in your brain, which contribute to resilience and quick-thinking (Harvard Health, 2019).

Check out the following brain games:

• SuperBetter is an online and mobile game that uses game play to build resilience. www.superbetter.com
• Luminosity is an online and mobile platform that takes scientifically-validated tasks and turns them into fun games. www.luminosity.com
• Brain Yoga Brain Training Game is a mobile app featuring puzzles that train memory, vocabulary, numeracy, and spatial awareness. Find it on the App Store on iPhone or iPad, or the Google Play Store for Android devices.
• Games for the Brain is an online platform with quizzes and memory games to help train your thinking. www.gamesforthebrain.com

Engage Socially

Socializing is another key way to maintain your cognitive health and avoid feelings of loneliness or isolation. It makes us strong and resilient in the face of adversity, and generates dopamine which can help boost happiness and improve cognition (Cohut, 2018). Research has shown that when we interact with others, we train our brains — social contact and close relationships are associated with better memory and mental agility (Cohut, 2018). While the way we communicate may look a little different during COVID-19, you can stay connected to family and peers through phone or video calls, online support groups, or online activity classes.

Visit www.parkinson.bc.ca to find information on support groups and online workshops, like drumming or singing classes, that can help you stay connected and improve your communication skills and brain health.

Get Creative

Creative activities are not only fun, but they have also been shown to benefit mental and physical health. Like socialization, creative engagement produces the neurotransmitter dopamine, reducing stress and promoting happiness (Stahl, 2018). Furthermore, studies have shown that getting creative helps individuals find purpose and sharpen their senses. Things like painting, gardening, woodworking, and other activities can strengthen problem-solving and critical thinking skills often affected by Parkinson’s (Stahl, 2018). Playing an instrument can improve cognitive function by increasing communication between your left and right brain (Stahl, 2018). Regardless of what you choose to do, being creative is a notable way to reduce stress, find purpose, and improve brain health.

Sources

Cohut, M. (2018). Socialization: How does it benefit mental and physical health? Retrieved from https://bit.ly/32WjIEA

Harvard Health Publishing. (2019). The thinking on brain games. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2EqqBV8 

Stahl, A. (2018). Here’s How Creativity Actually Improves Your Health. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3iXkXcn

This content was published in the Fall 2020 edition of our quarterly magazine, Viewpoints. The content was accurate as of this publication date.