Jigsaw puzzles were invented in the late 18th century by London mapmaker John Spilsbury. Initially developed as an educational tool, jigsaw puzzles have survived two hundred and fifty years of consumer recognition as a hobby unforeseen by their inventor. Puzzles range in piece size from 10 gigantic pieces for little hands up to 20000 pieces for experienced puzzle hobbyists which can take up to a full year to complete.

Today, images are printed rather than hand painted onto the board surface. The puzzles are made of cardboard as opposed to wood and are cut by precision machines rather than hand sawn with a jigsaw as in Spilsburys day. As a gesture to their origins, some manufacturers still produce a few titles (especially for children) from wooden boards. Used as an early teaching tool, world maps would be painted on the board, be cut up using a jigsaw into the various countries and put together again by young geography students.

It is this act of recognizing a shape (and color) and inserting the piece into the correct empty space that has been accepted as an aid to those whose cognitive powers are not as acute as they once were. Senior citizens immediately come to mind as obvious beneficiaries of using jigsaw puzzles to re-establish a level of mental dexterity (as well as small motors skills) which are usually lost due to the passage of time.

Exercise and diet as well as mental stimulation have recently been documented as the best methods to avoid the onset of dementia. Pastimes such as reading, mind teasers such as Sudoku or crosswords come to mind as beneficial. Card games have the added benefit of socialization as well as deductive reasoning. Essentially any form of gentle therapy that is fun is to be encouraged.

Nevertheless it is the unexpected benefit of assembling a jigsaw puzzle that carries unique observational, cognition and motor skills making the pastime distinct. Puzzle manufacturers have seen the median age of the puzzle consumer advancing and (not through any act of altruism) have been developing more puzzles with extra large pieces. Typically such a puzzle will have 500 pieces but will have the same dimensions as a regular 1000 piece puzzle. The images tend to be brightly colored with well defined sections.

Learning, consolidation, storage and recall are the four components of memory. Without recall the viability of other three functions cannot easily be observed. All four occur in a specific sequence and the ability to learn depends on the linear flow of information. Many activities (including puzzle making) will stimulate each of the functions. Competitive puzzle hobbyists regularly assemble a 1000 piece puzzle in about an hour. A seniors ability to deny the loss of mental dexterity will be enhanced by practicing a similar skill set.

Promises of chemical discoveries as well as gene therapies appear reassuring and may even offer treatment today. As an attempt to address the problems of the aging brain it may be possible to mitigate the occurrence or severity of a negative episode through the repeated activities such as discussed above. Combined with diet and exercise, mental activities are the sure ways to provide stimulating challenges whose benefits could last decades.

The greatest fear is that we lose our uniquely individual memories and thus our true self. Not much effort would be required of those who can reawaken once healthy skills and prolong the pleasure of a healthy mind and body by simple exercises such as jigsaw puzzles.