Joanne Pike, president of the Alzheimer’s Association, emphasizes that challenging the mind through novel activities like strategy games, learning new skills, and maintaining social connections can build cognitive reserve and help reduce the risk of dementia. The “Rethink Your Brain Challenge” encourages continuous mental stimulation and social engagement as key lifestyle choices for maintaining brain health.
The video is part of a series titled “Brain Health: From Awareness to Action,” presented in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association. It focuses on science-backed lifestyle choices that may help reduce the risk of dementia. The final conversation features Joanne Pike, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, discussing the organization’s “Rethink Your Brain Challenge” and emphasizing the importance of challenging the mind to maintain brain health.
Joanne Pike explains that decades of research by the Alzheimer’s Association have shown that simple lifestyle actions—such as proper nutrition, physical activity, and mental challenges—can positively impact brain health. Challenging the mind involves stimulating the brain by learning new things, which helps build a cognitive reserve. This reserve acts as a bank of brain health that individuals can rely on as they age, potentially delaying cognitive decline.
When asked about what it means to challenge the mind, Pike clarifies that it goes beyond routine puzzles like crosswords or sudoku. She highlights the value of engaging in strategy games, such as chess, which require thinking ahead and responding to an opponent’s moves. Learning new skills, like playing a musical instrument, also counts as a mental challenge. The key is to engage in novel activities that require active learning and mental engagement.
Social connection is another critical factor in brain health, according to Pike. Scientific research indicates that social isolation increases the risk of cognitive decline by 70%. The “Rethink Your Brain Challenge” encourages not only mental stimulation but also fostering social interactions, which activate the brain and contribute to overall cognitive well-being.
Finally, Pike shares her personal approach to keeping her brain sharp, which includes learning conversational Spanish and reading books outside her usual areas of expertise. She emphasizes that continuous learning, especially in new and enjoyable ways, is essential for brain health. Viewers are encouraged to participate in the six-step “Rethink Your Brain Challenge” by signing up at rethinkyourbrain.org.