Health experts are celebrating an age-old Chinese game, favored by celebrities, for its potential to enhance brain function.

Mahjong, which translates to ‘sparrow’ in Chinese, likely alludes to the bird-like clattering sound of the tiles during play. Originating in China in the mid-to-late 1800s, it has been enjoyed for over 150 years.

After arriving in the United States in the 1920s, mahjong’s charm spread globally, gaining a steady following. Celebrities like Julia Roberts and Meghan Markle have endorsed the game for its mental sharpening capabilities.

Research has increasingly focused on the game’s potential benefits in preventing dementia among older adults. Played with four participants, the objective is to win by arranging tiles into specific sets.

A notable 2020 study by North Sichuan Medical University researchers showed that elderly participants with mild cognitive impairment experienced cognitive improvements after playing mahjong for 12 weeks.

The study revealed that their executive functions, crucial for decision-making, planning, and problem-solving, improved by an average of nine percent. Overall cognitive test scores saw a five to ten percent increase from their baseline measurements.

Dr Raj Dasgupta, an internal medicine physician, told Daily Mail that he is a big advocate of the game and ‘it is great for keeping your brain sharp.’

Mahjong, which roughly translates to ‘sparrow’ in Chinese (a name that may refer to the clicking sound the tiles make when shuffled, like bird chatter) has been played for more than 150 years, since its creation in China during the mid-to-late 1800s

He said: ‘It helps with memory, focus, and problem-solving, and because it’s usually played with others, it also helps reduce stress and boost mood. 

‘Staying mentally and socially active like this can support overall brain and body health.’

Dr Dasgupta says mahjong could be more beneficial than other games, especially ones played solo such as solitaire and sudoku, as there is a strong social aspect to it. 

He added: ‘Mahjong stands out because it mixes thinking and socializing. You need to remember patterns, plan moves, and interact with others, all at the same time. 

‘That combination works more parts of the brain than games you play alone.’

While the average age of mahjong players is generally middle-aged to elderly, with a mean age around the mid-70s in studies, Texas-based entrepreneur Megan Trottier is vying to popularize it among younger generations. 

Her mahjong brand, Oh My Mahjong, offers travel-friendly sets weighing under three pounds and they feature colorful tiles, with intricate artwork. 

Trottier told this website that studies have shown that people can benefit from mahjong from playing it around two to three times a week. 

She revealed: ‘This makes sense, as it is just enough to keep your brain actively engaged, but not so much that it becomes a chore. 

‘That said, even once a week, if it’s consistent and you’re really mentally present when you play, can make a difference.’

Although Trottier’s luxury mahjong sets start at around $300, the game itself can be found for as little as $20, which health experts say make it accessible to most people.  

Meghan Markle, 44, (left) shared in her Netflix series that she and her friends have recently started playing the game together. Meanwhile, Julia Roberts stated in a 2018 interview that playing mahjong with her friends helped her relax and calm down

Markle shared this photo of her playing mahjong with friends to her Instagram stories 

In 2018, Roberts shared a photo of her playing mahjong with niece Emma Roberts to Instagram, with the caption reading ‘she won’

Dr Castel Santana, a board-certified family medicine doctor, told the Daily Mail that while most studies around the cognitive boosting benefits of mahjong have focused on older populations, he says younger generations could also benefit.

He explained: ‘The bulk of the evidence is in older adults, often aged 65 and over. 

‘That suggests older adults, especially those at risk of cognitive decline, social isolation or inactivity, could derive significant benefit.

‘However, it is plausible younger adults could also benefit both cognitively and socially from mahjong, though direct scientific evidence is lacking.’

Scientific evidence now confirms that dementia doesn’t suddenly appear later in life; its underlying processes often begin 20 to 30 years before diagnosis. 

Trottier said many of her customers are also younger than the archetypical mahjong player, and this makes her hopeful of it catching on. 

She added: ‘There’s a whole new wave of younger players discovering mahjong, and I think it’s partly because they’re craving more offline connection.’ 

While the average age of mahjong players is generally middle-aged to elderly, with a mean age around the mid-70s in studies, Texas-based entrepreneur Megan Trottier is vying to popularize it among younger generations

Trottier’s mahjong brand, Oh My Mahjong, offers travel-friendly sets weighing under 3lbs and they feature colorful tiles, with intricate art work

Mahjong recently gained renewed attention after Meghan Markle shared in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan that she and her friends have started playing the game together. 

The 44-year-old said in one episode: ‘[My girlfriends and I] play a version called American mahjong. 

‘What I’ve come to really love about mahjong is that the game itself is really fun, but what was so great was the idea of learning something new with your friends together.’

Meanwhile, Julia Roberts stated in a 2018 interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that playing mahjong with her friends helped her relax and calm down. 

She described the game as a metaphor for life, explaining it as a process of ‘creating order out of chaos’ by transforming randomly drawn tiles into something meaningful.