Communication with grandchildren protects the brain from aging.

      The human brain needs complex social interactions, especially those accompanied by bright positive emotions. It is not only about empathy but also about the emotional response to another person's reactions. The ideal environment for this is created by the relationships between the older generation and their grandchildren.

      As explained by Vera Borisovna Nikishina, the director of the Institute of Clinical Psychology and Social Work at Pirogov University, in such relationships, the pressure of expectations and the feeling of "must" significantly decreases. This allows emotions such as surprise and joy to manifest freely. As a result, communication becomes a space of genuine emotional fulfillment.

      How the brain benefits from games and conversations

      Such interactions bring significant benefits both at the level of neurochemistry and in terms of mental activity. The adult brain in such conditions activates and reproduces simple cognitive forms, sometimes relearning or repeating them.

      According to the expert, what is particularly valuable is the joint execution of simple intellectual actions: memorizing poems, telling emotionally rich stories, teaching reading or counting. When all this is accompanied by shared emotions of interest and surprise, unique conditions are created for the adult brain.

      Protection against age-related changes

      It is precisely these moments that help the brain resist involutionary processes associated with aging. Simply put, grandparents who actively participate in their grandchildren's lives—teaching, playing, discussing, and being surprised together with them—receive natural training for their minds. And it works just as well as complex puzzles.

      One should not perceive caring for grandchildren solely as selfless help to children. It is also an investment in one's own cognitive health. Joint reading, memorizing poems, simple games—all of this activates mechanisms that help the brain remain active longer and delay age-related changes.