Leisure Activities: A Narrative Review of Established Evidence and New Perspectives on the Cognitive Reserve Framework in Healthy Populations Across the Adult Lifespan

Background/Objectives: The concept of Cognitive Reserve (CR) has assumed a central role in research on the prevention of cognitive decline. The term refers to the brain’s capacity to manage age-related changes or pathologies by enhancing neural efficiency and utilizing alternative networks or more efficient cognitive strategies. In human subjects, CR is commonly estimated through indicators such as educational attainment, occupational complexity, and involvement in leisure activities. Leisure activities have been identified as a significant behavioral indicator and can be classified into three main subcomponents: cognitive, physical, and social activities. This narrative review aims to summarize how leisure activities provide cognitive and/or emotional benefits and how these activities help build CR and brain resilience.