Brain games, like crosswords and math puzzles, are often recommended for boosting memory. However, neurologists caution that these general exercises may not effectively address the specific causes of mental fog. Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a neurology professor at UCLA and co-founder of Cleopatra RX in Los Angeles, explains that cognitive exercises must target the particular mental function that’s lagging. “Random cognitive exercises don’t cut it,” Voskuhl said during the Livelong Women’s Health Summit in New York City last month. “They need to fit the problem.”
According to her, the key issue for many is verbal memory. “Math exercises aren’t going to help… You need something focused on words.” Generic brain games like Sudoku or similar number puzzles often miss the mark, failing to engage the brain areas responsible for the specific issues.
Mental fog, particularly that spurred by hormonal changes in midlife, affects very individual aspects of the brain, Voskuhl notes. When estrogen levels decrease, basic intelligence and logic typically remain intact, but there’s a noticeable impact on two crucial areas: verbal memory (like remembering names) and processing speed—essentially, how quickly one can think under pressure.
This isn’t about global brain decline; rather, studies suggest that certain brain regions, notably the hippocampus, show variations in atrophy and connectivity issues. Neurologists emphasize that cognitive training needs to align closely with one’s individual weaknesses.
Experts point out that memory has two critical phases. Firstly, there’s encoding, which refers to how the brain receives and stores new information. Secondly, there’s retrieval, which is how the brain accesses that stored information. Typically, brain fog hinders retrieval while leaving encoding intact, meaning the information is stored but hard to access.
To combat brain fog effectively, Voskuhl suggests that exercises should hone in on two things: finding words and speed. “It’s all about processing speed,” she notes. Exercises that push for quick responses are ideal.
There are several types of exercises recommended to boost both processing speed and active verbal recall. For example:
– Timed word games where participants list as many words as possible in a single category within a minute.
– Speed reading followed by quick summaries. After reading a short article, one might summarize it aloud in just a couple of sentences.
– Rapid recall drills using flashcards or visual prompts to identify objects or people swiftly.
Rather than relying on standard puzzle apps, Voskuhl encourages individuals to be mindful of their personal stumbling blocks and select games that target those challenges. “People know themselves,” she says. “They understand what they struggle with or what they used to excel at but don’t anymore. Once that’s clear, you can explore different games to see what challenges you.”
