Brain training sessions found to reduce dementia risk in decades-long study

Participants who received cognitive speed training, in addition to booster sessions several years later, were 25% less likely to receive a dementia diagnosis in the next two decades.(iStock)

This is one of the first results from the trial to demonstrate that “any intervention, whether it is cognitive training, brain games, physical exercise, diet or drugs, can lower the incidence ofAlzheimer’s diseaseand related dementias,” according to principal researchers at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions.

The findings were published in the journal Alzheimer’s &Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions.

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Participants who had the “greatest advantage” underwent a maximum of 18 training sessions over three years, according to researcher Michael Marsiske, PhD, a professor and interim co-chair of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at UF Health.

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�absolutely surprised” by these findings.

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“Our initial findings had shown benefits of several training arms up to 10 years after training, with participants reporting less impairment in tasks of daily living and fewer motor vehicle crashes,” the researcher said.“These 20-year findings strongly suggest that engagement in cognitive training does no harm and may confersubstantial benefit.”

The ACTIVE trial randomly placed participants in groups for 10 training sessions in memory, reasoning, or speed of processing.(iStock)

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Speed training requires the participants to process visual information on a computer screen and “make quick decisions.”

“As participants’ speed and accuracy improved, the training got progressively more difficult,” the UF Health press release stated.“Speed training may cause physical changes to the brain, leading to new and stronger connections betweenbrain networks.”

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Participants reported benefits after five years, including less difficulty performing tasks like cooking, taking medication and managing finances.After 10 years, those who were trained in reasoning and speed of processing “maintained cognitive improvement,” the researchers shared.

“Speed training may cause physical changes to the brain, leading to new and stronger connections between brain networks.”

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Based on the latest 20-year results, the team plans to launch follow-up trials to explore how older adults can benefit from pairing cognitive training with lifestyle habits like physical activity,diet improvementsand blood pressure management.

Keeping the mind active and learning new skills can protect the brain, experts agree.(iStock)

“I’m most excited about the ability to merge real-world data, like Medicare records, with a clinical trial like ours,�

This study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Nursing Research.

on a smartphonecan improve attention and memory.

Playing challenging games on a smartphone can be helpful for brain stimulation, says a brain health expert.(iStock)

“If you can be disciplined, word games, for example, or Sudoku games … can be helpful and have been shown to increase memory,�

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“New learning is a very important, critical strategy to decrease aging,” Amen went on.“You should be spending 15 minutes a day learning something new that you don’t know … whether it’s a language, a musical instrument, a new gardening technique or a new technique in cooking.”