A growing body of evidence indicates that only specific types of training provide significant advantages for brain health. These benefits appear to vary between men and women.
(Illustration by Tilde Oyster/The Washington Post)
Bookstores once offered expansive sections on brain fitness, even if the term wasn’t commonly used. Customers found shelves filled with crossword puzzles, Sudoku collections, and memory games. Later, adult coloring books joined the lineup. Each aimed to enhance mental acuity in its own way.