Researchers say that playing board games, reading, and other brain-focused activities can help prevent the onset of dementia, including Alzheimer's Disease. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one activity once a week reduced the risk of dementia by 7 percent.

Researchers aren't entirely certain why activities like playing board games help fight dementia, but they believe that engaging the brain keeps brain cells healthier.

UPDATE: About two months after this item was originally published, an article in the Florida Sun-Sentinel indicated that research was being conducted to see if game-playing could be used to treat those who already have Alzheimer's and other neurological disorders.