Crossword Puzzles for Brain Training in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Given the increasing prevalence and public health impact of dementia, it is imperative that we identify prevention strategies. One approach, broadly termed brain training, can be defined as guided drill-and-practice mental exercises targeting cognitive domains. We have evidence suggesting that brain training may prevent dementia in cognitively intact adults, including the well-validated protective effect of education early in life and the results of the ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly) trial, which showed not only a long-term cognitive benefit of training in processing speed, but also a possible decrease in dementia incidence and transfer of cognitive benefits to performance in everyday functioning (as measured by performance on instrumental activities of daily living).