An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what if you can't remember to eat one? Do a crossword. Play Scrabble. Draw a picture. It's still not completely clear to what degree mental exercises keep the brain and memory sharp, but the experts agree that "brain games" can't hurt. According to Jennifer avis-Berman, Ph.D., a professor of social work at the University of Dayton, the jury is still out on the role of mental exercise in cognitive fnction. "Some studies have sug gested that you either use it or lose it," she said "This has led to some headlines that say that one might prevent Alzheimer's by keeping a active mind ... If only if were that simple!!!!" In their book, "Keep Your Brain Young: The Complete Guide to Physial and Emotional Health and Longevity," Guy McKhann and Marilyn Albert cite three factors in maintaining a well-functioning brain: physical activity, mental activity and the ability to play a positive role in life.

McKhann, a professor in the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute at J ohns Hopkins University, said, "People who ar e mentally active are challenging their brain. They're doing crossword puzzles, they're goig to lectures, they're stimulating their brain."

Pamela Tsang, a psychology professor at Wright State University, says different exercises target different parts of our gray matter.

"Our brain is indeed like a muscle that benefits from regular workouts," she said. "It's a bit of bad news if you do not like to work out, but it's very good news if you do, especially because the brain can benefit from all sorts of exercise. The type of exercise you do can target different cognitive skills.

"For example, doing sudoku puzzles will help exercise your abstract reasoning skills and doing crosswords will help exercise your verbal skills. Any activities that nvolve some cognitive challenge such as reading, playing chess or dominoes, playing table tennis, searching specific information on the W eb or in the library, socializing, would all be beneficial. In general, any activities that require acquiring some new knowledge and some prolem solving in a novel situation will help keep our mind sharp."

Marwan Sabbagh, physician and author of "The Alzheimer's Answer," writes that study after study supports the theory that stimulating cognitive activities somehow protect people from the symptoms of Alzheimer's, while acknowledging the "big casual questions" that remain unanswered.

"Does engaging in mental and social activities, such as taking classes, playing a musical instrument, or doing the New York Times crossword every Friday, help prevent the development of dementia and keep cognitive function high?" he writes. "Or do those with preexisting high cognitive function or intelligence choose to engage in these activities in old age, whereas those in the subclinical stages of dementia self-select away from such cognitively challenging activities, withdrawing as a conscious or unconscious response to the onset of cognitive impairment?"

Whichever the case may be, a crossword puzzle won't hurt; learning to knit can only keep you thinking; taking a class in geology will keep at least some of your synapse snapping.

"Examples might be to learn a new language, to learn how to master a new technology, to learn a sport, to learn a new sewing technique, to learn a new card game, or simply to learn how to tie a knot," said Wright State's Tsang. "In addition, recent studies have shown that aerobic exercises not only benefit the heart and the muscles, but also the brain. After a modest period of aerobic exercises, previously sedentary people were able to improve their response times to a number of cognitive tasks."

So keep busy, keep moving, and keep yourself involved in the world -- it can't help but help.

"We do know that staying mentally active through reading, crosswords, etc., seems to be a good thing, as it keeps people connected with the world and interacting," said UD's Davis-Berman. "This seems to be related to positive mental health and perhaps life satisfaction. Will it prevent dementia? I don't want to go that far!"

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2403 or ldempsey@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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Last updated: 04/24/2008 - 09:26 AM