Oxford University researchers worked with EA and Nintendo on a study about video games and wellbeing
Very credible research. I was about to joke with "who funded the reserach" when I read the title. I smiled when I read the first paragraph.
You can stimulate the brain in many ways. I love to make maps for Portal 2 on Steam. Not to play them, but to design puzzles around a theme. I did the same with maps for Door Kickers (an indie tactical top down shooter).
Learning the editor was more fun than playing the game. Becoming fluent was even more rewarding. Design of the maps was awesome. Creating maps was enthralling.
You can do origami, you can learn graphical design, you can learn programming, you can learn web-design, you can play musical instrument, you can learn a language or you can do crosswords.
Funny research. It's like doctors sellouts recommending a drug/medicine (because they were paid to do so).