The association between playing Ma-jong, chess, and card games and cognitive function improvement in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: cross-sectional evidence from CHARLS

IF 3.4 3区医学 Q2 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Pub Date : 2025-09-04 DOI:10.1007/s40520-025-03103-7

Yingshi Du, Gejing Liu, Jing Wang, Jinli Chen, Jinggang Yang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The relationship between participation in Ma-jong, chess, and card games (PMCC) and cognitive function improvement among middle-aged and elderly adults in China is not well-established. This study aims to investigate the potential association between PMCC participation and cognitive function improvement in this demographic, using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

Methods

Data from the 2018 wave of CHARLS were analyzed. Participants aged 45 and above who met the inclusion criteria were categorized based on their participation in PMCC activities. Cognitive function was assessed using a composite score incorporating episodic memory and mental status, alongside CESD-10 and CSI-D measures. Cross-sectional associations between PMCC engagement and cognitive function were examined using t-tests, chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA. Group differences were assessed to evaluate the relationship between activity frequency and cognitive outcomes.

Results

A total of 19,816 participants (47.13% male; mean age 61.7 ± 10.3 years) were included in the study. The cognitive function related scores were significantly higher in the PMCC group (16.45%) compared to the non-PMCC group (83.55%) (P < 0.001). Moreover, the findings revealed significant associations between PMCC frequency and overall cognitive function scores (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

PMCC activities are associated with cognitive function improvement in middle-aged and elderly adults in China. These findings suggest that engaging in PMCC activities could serve as a potential protective factor for enhancing cognitive health in this population, providing a basis for incorporating PMCC into strategies aimed at promoting cognitive well-being and healthy aging.

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中国中老年人打麻将、下棋和打牌与认知功能改善的关系：来自CHARLS的横断面证据

在中国中老年人中，参与麻将、象棋和纸牌游戏（PMCC）与认知功能改善之间的关系尚不明确。本研究旨在利用中国健康与退休纵向研究（CHARLS）的数据，探讨PMCC参与与该人群认知功能改善之间的潜在关联。方法对2018年CHARLS数据进行分析。45岁及以上符合入选标准的参与者根据其参与PMCC活动的情况进行分类。认知功能的评估采用综合评分，包括情景记忆和精神状态，以及csd -10和CSI-D测量。使用t检验、卡方检验和单因素方差分析检验PMCC参与与认知功能之间的横断面关联。评估组间差异以评估活动频率与认知结果之间的关系。结果共纳入研究对象19816人，其中男性47.13%，平均年龄61.7±10.3岁。PMCC组认知功能相关评分（16.45%）显著高于非PMCC组（83.55%）（P < 0.001）。此外，研究结果显示PMCC频率与总体认知功能评分之间存在显著关联（P < 0.001）。结论spmcc活动与中国中老年人认知功能改善有关。这些发现表明，参与PMCC活动可能是增强该人群认知健康的潜在保护因素，为将PMCC纳入旨在促进认知健康和健康老龄化的策略提供了基础。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

7.90

自引率

5.00%

发文量

283

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： Aging clinical and experimental research offers a multidisciplinary forum on the progressing field of gerontology and geriatrics. The areas covered by the journal include: biogerontology, neurosciences, epidemiology, clinical gerontology and geriatric assessment, social, economical and behavioral gerontology. “Aging clinical and experimental research” appears bimonthly and publishes review articles, original papers and case reports.