• "There appears to be benefits with ping pong in particular due to the required hand eye coordination, the balance control, posterior control, the motor planning that goes into being able to use the paddle to hit the ball," said Dr. Leone. "As well as the visual spatial skills that are needed to participate with that activity as well.”

Dr. Michael Leone, Neurologist, Allegheny Health Systems

• “Ping-pong has clearly been shown to have a positive impact on the progression of the disease and in a way that the medication alone is not doing,”

• “While all forms of exercise are beneficial, the thing that makes ping-pong unique is that it incorporates a focus on balance, hand-eye coordination, and the rhythm or pace of reciprocal play,” Clar said. “So it really hits the trifecta of

Elizabeth Kera, Neurologist, Hackensack University Medical Center

• Table tennis is popular throughout the world because it can be played for recreation or competition by the majority of the population regardless of age, gender, or skill level. Regular play not only provides safe moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, but also induces neuroplastic changes in multiple brain networks underlying cognition. Therefore, table tennis is beneficial for both physical and brain health.

Dr. Takao Yamasaki Kumagai Institute of Health Policy