Crossword brain training for people with mild memory problems
COGNITIVE TRAINING AND NEUROPLASTICITY IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
This project compares whether doing more crossword puzzles versus fewer puzzles or health education helps people with mild cognitive impairment keep thinking skills and everyday functioning longer over 78 weeks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11305977 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to join one of three groups: high-dose crosswords (four puzzles per week), low-dose crosswords (one puzzle per week), or a health education program for an initial 12-week period with booster sessions up to 78 weeks. The trial will include about 240 participants across four U.S. academic sites and uses blinded assessments at baseline and weeks 12, 32, 52, and 78. Outcomes include standardized cognitive tests, measures of daily functioning, and brain MRI changes. This builds on a prior two-site trial that suggested crossword puzzles improved cognition and slowed brain atrophy compared with computerized games.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment who can complete puzzles and attend regular study visits at a participating site.
Not a fit: People without MCI, those with more advanced dementia, or those unable to use a computer or travel for visits are unlikely to gain benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a simple, low-cost activity to slow thinking decline and help people maintain daily independence.
How similar studies have performed: A previous two-site randomized trial by these investigators found crossword puzzles outperformed computerized cognitive training on cognition, function, and MRI measures, supporting this larger confirmatory trial.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devanand, Davangere P — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Devanand, Davangere P
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.