Chess and the Brain - report by Luciano Panini

A large audience at the “Età Libera” Social Centre in Vignola to attend the conference entitled “…if the bishop moves, the brain lights up”. After an introduction by Prof. Dunnia Berveglieri (the host, being the Director of the Technical-Scientific Committee of the “N. Ginzburg” Università Libera Età of Vignola) and by Dr Giovanni Malferrari (Head of the Stroke Unit, ASMN-IRCCS, RE), Honorary Chess Master Carlo Alberto Cavazzoni took the floor to illustrate the subject of the conference. After a brief account of his long activity teaching the game of chess to young people, he had recently taken up teaching in the world of the elderly, observing the beneficial effects that chess brings to those who play this game in old age. In this way he had had the opportunity to meet and appreciate Prof. Paolo Nichelli, Director of the Integrated Department of Neurosciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Prof. Nichelli then took the floor, explaining in a mainly technical way the shape of the human brain and how it works, pointing out how science had always favoured ways of keeping our body in perfect physical shape while always forgetting how to keep our mind in shape. This has led to a lengthening of the life of the physical body that has not, however, been accompanied by a lengthening of our mental faculties too, with the consequences unfortunately known to us.
In recent times, therefore, science has also turned its attention to human brain activity in order to allow life to be extended while keeping the mind in equally good condition. The numerous experiments carried out by having people practise different activities, mainly in research centres in the United States, have shown that playing chess, more than any other activity, produces positive effects on the mind of the elderly. Obviously this does not guarantee immunity from the diseases of old age, but it certainly delays their most devastating effects.
In the subsequent debate there were many contributions to which Prof. Nichelli was able to reply, providing the appropriate clarifications and thus confirming that the game of chess is not only a recreational activity but also a therapeutic one for physical well-being in both the young and the elderly.

• Locandina
• Galleria fotografica
• Articolo in formato PDF (dalla sezione soci - reportage e articoli)