Engaging in some brain-stimulating activities was associated with a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment in a study of cognitively normal adults 70 and older, according to a new article published online by JAMA Neurology.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the intermediate zone between normal cognitive aging and dementia, so examining potential protective lifestyle-related factors against cognitive decline and dementia is important, according to the article.

The study by Yonas E. Geda, M.D., M.Sc., of the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, and coauthors included 1,929 adults who participated in a study on aging in Minnesota. The participants were followed up to new-onset MCI during a median period of four years, at which point 456 participants had developed MCI.

Playing games, crafting, using a computer and engaging in social activities were associated with decreased risk of MCI, the study reports.

The authors note their study did not investigate possible mechanisms for an association between engaging in mentally stimulating activities and risk of MCI. The population-based study also was observational, which means it cannot establish cause and effect.

"Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms linking mentally stimulating activities and cognition in late life," the study concludes.

The study was supported by grants U01 AG006786 and R01 AG034676 from the National Institute on Aging and by grants K01 MH068351 and K01 AG028573 from the National Institute of Mental Health. Support for this research was also provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Robert H. and Clarice Smith and Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer's Disease Research Program, the European Regional Development Fund–Project FNUSA-ICRC (No. CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0123), the Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, and the Edli Foundation (the Netherlands) (Dr. Geda).