Can learning new motor skills imporve intelligence or declaritive memory?

Question

I am wanting an opinion whether learning new motor skills (for example learning to use the left hand improve intelligence or declarative memory.

Answer 1

It can improve intelligence depending on what you call intelligence. It is probably not going to give you a higher grade on the WISC, the WAIS, the Stanford-Binet, the CTONI, or the Leiter, just to name a few.
It will increase declarative memory in that you now have more to remember and another skill.
Learning new skills can exercise and energize other parts of the brain that can help you to learn other things, but the closer those "skills" are to other skills, the more influence they will have on improving learning.
An interesting fact: learning music and about music can have much influence over mathematics skills.

Answer 2

Absolutely. I heard a few years ago about how learning new things, especially developing new motor skills, was the best prevention for Alzheimer's.

In the past 4 years I have mastered advanced Spanish and for the past year I have been learning to play the Guitar. I am 67 and I was fortunate to find a teacher who can help me overcome the arthritis and poor motor skills as well as being a bit more patient with helping me understand and master various intricacies of that instrument... (he says I'm a better student than the kids because I actually PRACTICE and I try so hard).

Anyway, the hardest time I have is getting the brain to make the fingers do exactly what it wants them to do... sometimes there seems to be a disconnect... but I work through it and eventually get it.

Answer 3

no