Playing Scrabble gives the brain a workout

Scrabble may just seem like a fun board game to play with the family, but for seniors it can be an important part of maintaining and strengthening cognitive function. For most people, playing word games stimulates the part of the brain that deals with language; however, research has shown that for more seasoned Scrabble players a completely different part of the brain is utilized.

A study done by the University of Calgary found that expert Scrabble players are more likely to use the areas of their brains associated with working memory and visual processing. This distinction is important when t...