2026-09-17 · paper-digest
Williams et al.: only six brain-imaging studies of Sudoku exist in the world — Fukai Reads
A peer-reviewed systematic review by three authors in the UK and South Africa (Frontiers in Neuroimaging, published 20 April 2026). Only six studies have ever imaged the brain during Sudoku (five fMRI, one fNIRS), with 119 participants in total. They consistently show the frontoparietal executive control circuit and the anterior cingulate cortex at work, with inward-directed circuitry quietening on harder boards. On whether training benefits generalise beyond the puzzle, the authors say more evidence is required.
