Learning and keeping a sharp mind

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1. 1

   Reading and associations with brain health, cognition, well-being, and mental health.

   Psychological medicine (Sahakian et al.)Published Sep 15, 2026Checked Sep 30, 2026

   “Survey data in adults suggested that reading was associated with reduced stress, greater empathy, enhanced well-being, and decreased loneliness. Longitudinal cohort studies further indicate that cognitively stimulating activities, particularly reading, are associated with a lower risk of dementia and slower cognitive decline, even among individuals with lower educational attainment. In childhood and adolescence, early reading for pleasure has been linked to better attention, memory, executive function, academic achievement, and fewer mental health problems. Neuroimaging findings suggest that reading is associated with structural and functional differences in brain regions supporting executive control, emotional regulation, and social cognition. Importantly, these benefits appear independent of socioeconomic background. Book club studies may suggest additional social benefits of reading in groups. Together, the evidence supports reading for pleasure and engaging in book clubs as scalable interventions, which may promote cognitive reserve, resilience, and lifelong mental well-being.”

2. 2

   Midlife Vascular and Lifestyle Determinants of Late-Life Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Life-Course Prevention Framework with a Gulf (GCC) Perspective.

   Life (Basel, Switzerland) (Qadi et al.)Published Aug 5, 2026Checked Sep 30, 2026

   “This narrative review synthesizes evidence linking midlife vascular and lifestyle exposures to late-life cognitive impairment and dementia. The most consistent data support a life-course model in which cumulative vascular, metabolic, inflammatory, and behavioral risks interact with neurodegenerative pathology and cognitive reserve. Vascular and metabolic factors act largely through small-vessel disease, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation, whereas physical activity, healthy diet, sleep, and social engagement may strengthen resilience. Although observational evidence is vulnerable to confounding and single-risk trials may underestimate cumulative benefit, multidomain prevention remains biologically plausible and clinically actionable, as recent trials reaffirm. These priorities are especially salient in the rapidly transitioning Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where midlife cardiometabolic risk is high and local evidence is limited. Dementia prevention should be embedded in routine midlife care, with vascular risk management and sustained lifestyle support treated as core elements of lifelong brain health.”

3. 3

   Prevention of cognitive decline and dementia: Current evidence on lifestyle factors and dietary patterns.

   EXCLI journal (Dominguez et al.)Published May 27, 2026Checked Sep 30, 2026

   “In particular, adherence to healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets has been associated with better cognitive outcomes, while unhealthy dietary patterns may increase risk. However, findings across studies remain heterogeneous, and uncertainties persist regarding causality, optimal exposure timing, and specific lifestyle components. Recent large prospective cohorts, meta-analyses, umbrella reviews, and multidomain intervention trials have advanced understanding of these associations but have also highlighted important gaps, including limited randomized evidence and underrepresentation of diverse populations. This narrative review critically synthesizes current evidence on lifestyle factors and dietary patterns associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk, focusing on recent high-quality studies. By integrating findings across domains, it aims to clarify areas of consensus and uncertainty, inform prevention strategies, and identify priorities for future research and public health action. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).”

4. 4

   Exercise-only interventions and exercise-based multidomain lifestyle interventions to promote cognitive function in older adults without dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

   British journal of sports medicine (Hernández-Gamboa et al.)Published Sep 21, 2026Checked Sep 30, 2026

   “arched four databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL) between database inception and March 2026.Eligibility criteriaWe included randomised controlled trials that examined the effects of exercise training as a single domain or multidomain intervention on cognitive function of adults aged over 60 living without dementia.ResultsWe included 227 studies in the pairwise meta-analyses (Exercise-Only=178, Exercise-Plus=67) and 105 studies in the subset for the network meta-analysis (Exercise-Only=76, Exercise-Plus=36). Cognitive training and cognitively engaging activities were the most common Plus component in the included studies. Exercise-Only produced statistically significant improvements across all three cognitive domains compared with Control. Exercise-Plus was only significantly better than Control for memory. Exercise-Plus was also significantly better than Exercise-Only for executive functions and processing speed but not for memory.ConclusionWe recommend the promotion of exercise training to improve cognitive outcomes of older adults. Further research is needed to determine the added benefit of multidomain exercise interventions.Prospero registration numberCRD42022322199.”

5. 5

   Domain-specific effects of exercise types on cognitive function in healthy older adults: A systematic review with pairwise and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

   Maturitas (Li et al.)Published Sep 3, 2026Checked Sep 30, 2026

   “Eligible studies included healthy older adults without cognitive impairment (≥60 years). Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Random-effects models were used to perform pairwise and Bayesian network meta-analyses.ResultsThe network meta-analysis included 110 randomized controlled trials involving 8130 participants. Mind-body exercise was the most effective exercise type for executive function (SMD 0.54; 95% CrI 0.35, 0.73), processing speed (SMD 0.83; 95% CrI 0.45, 1.26), and attention (SMD 0.97; 95% CrI 0.40, 1.59). Aerobic exercise was most effective in improving global cognition (SMD 1.11; 95% CrI 0.58, 1.65) and language function (SMD 0.31; 95% CrI 0.10, 0.53). For memory function, high-intensity interval training ranked highest (SMD 0.58; 95% CrI 0.21, 0.96).ConclusionsThe most effective exercise types varied across cognitive domains: aerobic exercise for global cognition and language function, mind-body exercise for executive function, processing speed, and attention, and high-intensity interval training for memory function. These findings may inform exercise-based strategies for cognitive health and healthy ageing.”

6. 6

   Cognitive reserve (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaPublished Sep 29, 2026Checked Sep 30, 2026

   “Cognitive reserve is a property of the brain that allows for cognitive performance that is better than expected given the degree of life-course–related brain changes and brain injury or disease. In this context, cognitive reserve can be understood as a key contributor to cognitive resilience, reflecting the brain's capacity to withstand or adapt to neuropathological burden. The conceptualization of cognitive reserve as a property of the brain encompasses multiple potential mechanisms operating at molecular, cellular, and network levels. The working hypothesis is that these mechanisms enable coping with or compensation for brain changes and the consequences of brain injury or disease.”

7. 7

   Positive change in lifestyle behaviors improve cognitive health in older adults: a 10-year cohort study.

   Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique (Hu et al.)Published Jul 6, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Three distinct lifestyle behavior trajectory classes were identified: "Low- Declining" (n = 4342, 64.2%), "Moderate-Improving" (n = 1777, 26.3%), and "High-Declining" (n = 646, 9.5%). Compared with the Low- Declining group, the Moderate-Improving group was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment (HR = 0.368, 95% CI: 0.269-0.396), a longer time to cognitive impairment onset (mean = 6.433 years) and a slower rate of annual cognitive decline (0.806 points per year). Similarly, the High-Declining group showed a reduced risk (HR = 0.629, 95% CI: 0.507-0.779), delayed onset (mean = 4.969 years) and a slower decline rate (0.543 points per year) compared with the Low- Declining group.ConclusionsAn upward trajectory of moderate lifestyle engagement, as well as a high but declining class, was associated with better cognitive outcomes compared with persistently low or declining engagement. These findings highlight that the direction of lifestyle change, rather than intensity alone, may be critical for cognitive health, supporting preventive strategies that emphasize gradual and sustainable improvements in lifestyle behaviors.”

8. 8

   Comparative efficacy of digital cognitive training regimens on verbal fluency in older adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

   International psychogeriatrics (Hu et al.)Published Jul 31, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “We conducted pairwise meta-analysis and frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA), with Bayesian model validation, subgroup analysis and meta-regression. Risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2.0, and evidence quality with GRADE.Findings20 RCTs with 1358 participants were included. Compared with passive control, computerized cognitive training (CCT) combined with social/language activities had the optimal efficacy (SMD=0.47, 95%CI [0.02, 0.93], SUCRA=0.84), with greater benefits in older adults with cognitive impairment and lower education level. Furthermore, optimal therapeutic gains were observed following an initial acclimation period (i.e., >20 h of intervention duration).ConclusionsCCT combined with social/language activities is the most effective DCT regimen to improve verbal fluency in older adults, especially for those with cognitive impairment and lower education level.The research protocol has been pre-registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF)( Registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/UGR7Y).This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF) of China under Grant Nos. 32371132.”

9. 9

   Cognitive impacts of learning and using digital technology in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

   Psychology and aging (Zhang et al.)Published Sep 14, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 12 provided sufficient data to calculate effect sizes. All included studies focused on older adults (over age 60). Results of the random-effects models showed that providing digital technologies or digital technology training to older adults benefits their cognition (g = 0.11, 95% CI [0.03, 0.19]) compared with control conditions. These results suggest that digital exposure leads to cognitive benefits. However, the evidence is preliminary because the magnitude of the effect is small with substantial heterogeneity (95% Prediction interval [-0.31, 0.53]), and the underlying mechanism is unclear. Therefore, the practical implications of relying on digital exposure to prevent cognitive decline in the absence of structured programs or targeted interventions are limited. Future research needs to include granular, objectively quantified use metrics and incorporate psychosocial mediators to uncover the underlying mechanism of the observed benefit. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).”

10. 10

    Effects of Resistance Training on Executive Functions in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis.

    Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (Jorquera-Cáceres et al.)Published Aug 20, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

    “The meta-analysis, which ultimately included 17 studies, revealed that RT significantly improved working memory compared with control conditions (standardized mean difference, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.02-0.59; P = .04) and cognitive flexibility (standardized mean difference, -0.50; 95% CI, -0.88 to -0.12; P = .009), whereas no significant effects were observed for inhibitory control. However, when RT was compared with other exercise interventions, no significant between-group differences were identified for working memory, inhibitory control, or cognitive flexibility.Conclusions and implicationsRT may contribute to improvements in some domains of EF in older adults, particularly working memory and cognitive flexibility. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the heterogeneity of intervention protocols, the overall low certainty of evidence, and the high RoB across studies. Further high-quality trials with standardized training parameters are required to clarify the potential cognitive effects of RT and its comparative effectiveness relative to other exercise modalities.”