Brain Exercises Could Protect Against Dementia for 20 Years
Engaging in certain types of mental activities today could help keep Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia at bay for up to two decades. This is the conclusion drawn from a study that observed older adults who took part in a cognitive exercise experiment aimed at enhancing the speed at which the brain processes information.
The Power of Cognitive Speed Training
The experiment involved 2,802 individuals and was funded by the federal government. It discovered that participants who completed eight to ten cognitive speed training sessions, which lasted roughly an hour each, had a 25% lower likelihood of being diagnosed with dementia over the following twenty years. These participants also attended at least one booster session.
"This study is the gold standard. It proves that we can do something to lower our risk of dementia," stated Marilyn Albert, a study author and a neurology professor. Jennifer O'Brien, a psychology associate professor who was not part of the study, added, "It's incredibly exciting to observe these effects still persisting after 20 years."
Personal Testimony
A 74-year-old man named George Kovach is a perfect example of the study's findings. He began cognitive speed training ten years ago to maintain his brain health. Kovach participated in an online program that featured the same speed exercises used in the study.
"I believe I've completed over 1,300 sessions. They're challenging, but you do improve," he says. "I treat it like doing sit-ups." In addition to his mental training, Kovach also follows a heart-healthy diet and participates in high-intensity aerobic workouts on his bike, which are proven to promote healthy brain aging. He credits these practices for his brain's excellent performance.
How it Works
The cognitive speed training in the study appears to activate a form of learning called implicit learning. This type of learning involves the acquisition of unconscious or automatic skills, such as swimming or tying shoelaces. "Implicit learning functions differently in the brain and produces more long-lasting effects," Albert explains.
Participants in the study viewed a computer screen where a car or truck would flash in the center, and a road sign would appear on the periphery. The task was to identify the correct vehicle and remember the road sign's location. The game became increasingly difficult, with the vehicles becoming harder to distinguish and more distractions appearing in the periphery. The exercise also added more visual distractions as users improved.
Further Study and Future Implications
Albert describes the finding that a moderate amount of training could have a significant impact on dementia risk decades later as "astonishing." This raises the question of whether continued speed training could have even more benefits.
A study currently underway, funded by the National Institutes of Health, and involving about 7,500 people aged 65 and older, could provide an answer. This study, known as the Preventing Alzheimer's with Cognitive Training (PACT) study, asks participants to complete 45 sessions over several years, compared to the ten hours of training in the previous study.
Many scientists believe this increased dose of training will provide even greater benefits. However, O'Brien asserts that people shouldn't feel like they need to become mental marathoners to protect their brains. The findings from the previous study suggest that just ten hours of training, with some booster sessions, can make a difference, so some people may want to stop after reaching that point.
The benefits of additional training will become clearer when the first results from the PACT study are released, likely in a few years' time.