Why researchers are interested
Mahjong exercises memory, attention, pattern recognition and quick arithmetic, and it is played socially. Those features make it an interesting subject for studies of healthy ageing.
What studies suggest
Some studies, mostly in China and Hong Kong, have linked regular mahjong playing with better cognitive test results or mental wellbeing in older adults. Others have explored mahjong as an activity in dementia care.
Limits of the evidence
Many studies are small or observational, which means they cannot prove that mahjong itself causes the benefits. People who stay socially and mentally active may differ in many ways. Mahjong is not a medical treatment.
Healthy mahjong programmes
Community programmes such as Taiwan's healthy mahjong halls and senior-centre clubs worldwide promote mahjong without gambling as a social activity. Whatever the research eventually shows, the social benefits are clear to the people who take part.
