PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jean François Dartigues
AU  - Alexandra Foubert-Samier
AU  - Mélanie Le Goff
AU  - Mélanie Viltard
AU  - Hélène Amieva
AU  - Jean Marc Orgogozo
AU  - Pascale Barberger-Gateau
AU  - Catherine Helmer
TI  - Playing board games, cognitive decline and dementia: a French population-based cohort study
AID  - 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002998
DP  - 2013 Aug 01
TA  - BMJ Open
PG  - e002998
VI  - 3
IP  - 8
4099  - http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/8/e002998.short
4100  - http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/8/e002998.full
SO  - BMJ Open2013 Aug 01; 3
AB  - Objectives To study the relationship between board game playing and risk of subsequent dementia in the Paquid cohort. Design A prospective population-based study. Setting In the Bordeaux area in South Western France. Participants 3675 non-demented participants at baseline. Primary outcome measure The risk of dementia during the 20 years of follow-up. Results Among 3675 non-demented participants at baseline, 32.2% reported regular board game playing. Eight-hundred and forty participants developed dementia during the 20 years of follow-up. The risk of dementia was 15% lower in board game players than in non-players (HR=0.85, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.99; p=0.04) after adjustment on age, gender, education and other confounders. The statistical significance disappeared after supplementary adjustment on baseline mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and depression (HR=0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.12; p=0.61). However, board game players had less decline in their MMSE score during the follow-up of the cohort (β=0.011, p=0.03) and less incident depression than non-players (HR=0.84; 95% CI 0.72 to 0.98; p<0.03). Conclusions A possible beneficial effect of board game playing on the risk of dementia could be mediated by less cognitive decline and less depression in elderly board game players.