Doing crossword puzzles, reading, and playing cards daily may delay the rapid memory decline that occurs if people develop dementia, according to a U.S. study.

    Researchers from New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine spent five years following 488 people aged 75 to 85 who did not have dementia at the start of the study.

    During the study period, 101 of these people developed dementia.

    At the start of the study the participants reported how often they participated in six leisure mind activities - reading, writing, doing crossword puzzles, playing board or card games, having group discussions, and playing music.

    For each activity, daily participation was rated at seven points, several days a week was rated at four points, and weekly participation was rated at one point.

    The average score for those who later developed dementia was seven points, meaning they took part in one of the six activities each day on average.

    Ten people reported no activities, and 11 reported only one activity per week.

    The researchers then looked at the point when memory loss started accelerating rapidly and found that for every additional activity a person participated in, the onset of rapid memory loss was delayed by 0.18 years.

    "The point of accelerated decline was delayed by 1.29 years for the person who participated in 11 activities per week compared to the person who participated in only four activities per week," said researcher Charles Hall in a statement.

    He said that the results remained valid after researchers factored in the education level of the participants.

    "These activities might help maintain brain vitality. Further studies are needed to determine if increasing participation in these activities could prevent or delay dementia," said Hall.

    The study, published in the journal Neurology, was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

    美國一項研究結果表明： 每天做縱橫填字游戲， 閱讀和打牌有助于延緩智力衰退患者的記憶力下降速度。

    紐約愛因斯坦醫學院研究人員對488名75至85歲的健康老年人（初期未患智力衰退癥）開展了為期5年的研究，

    研究過程中發現，其中101位老人后來逐漸患上了智力衰退癥。

    研究初期，這些老年人都各自匯報了其參加六項大腦放松活動的活動頻率，這六項活動分別是-閱讀，書寫，做縱橫填字游戲，下棋或打牌，開小組會，以及玩音樂。

    每項活動的參與給分標準如下：每天進行一次的打7分，一周進行幾次的打4分，每周進行一次的打1分。

    研究發現，后來患上智力衰退癥的被研究對象平均得分為7分，也就是說，他們平均每天都進行一項活動（上述6項活動之一）.

    據報告，研究對象中的10人未參加任何活動，而11人每周僅進行一次活動。

    研究人員對記憶力衰退開始加劇時段的得分情況進行分析后發現：人們每多參加一項活動，其記憶力可延緩衰退0.18年。

    研究員Charles Hall表示： "每周進行11項活動可比每周僅進行4項活動使腦力衰退延緩1.29年".

    被研究對象的教育背景并未對研究結果造成影響。

    Hall說： "這些活動有助于保持大腦活力。有關加強參與這些活動是否可防止或延緩智力衰退癥，還有待于進一步研究".

    該項研究由美國國家老年研究所協辦，并被刊登于Neurology雜志。