A recent study found a certain kind of cognitive “speed training” that may minimise the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease by up to 25%, as per the results from a long-term randomized controlled trial.
A researcher, Maryland Marilyn Albert, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore stated, “There was a lot of scepticism about whether or not brain training interventions were beneficial, and to me, [our study] answers the question that they are.”
For the study, researchers followed 2,832 adults aged 65 and older for 20 years to test how different brain-training exercises increased the risks of dementia.
Participants were required to complete some tasks related to memory, speed, reasoning, and control groups.
The speed-training group were assigned a computer-based task that needed to instantly recall visual details.
After 20 years, Medicare data suggested that individuals who completed speed training with booster sessions were at a 25% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s or related dementia in contrast to the control group.
No significant risk minimisation was seen in the other training groups or in speed training without receiving shots.
Rachel Richardson, a researcher at the Cochrane Collaboration not involved in the study, cautioned that "while statistically significant, the result may not be as impressive" as a 25-percent reduction.
Baptiste Leurent, an expert in medical statistics at University College London, stated the study had "substantial limitations".
Scientists further stressed the need for more research to determine whether cognitive training can minimise the risk of dementia.
Brain training may strengthen brain reserve, enhance attention, and improve connectivity in ways that assist individuals function better with age, as per researchers.
While scientists do not advise depending on computer-based brain games, they suggest creative activities such as learning new skills, sports, or crafts may similarly support long-term brain health and potentially delay dementia symptoms.
