Brain Training Game Linked to 25% Lower Dementia Risk

A recent study has indicated that engaging in brain training games may be associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia. Participants who trained using a particular cognitive game experienced a 25% decrease in the likelihood of dementia onset.

The game, called "Double Decision," focuses on enhancing the brain's information processing speed—an ability that allows individuals to quickly absorb and respond to information. This capacity tends to decline gradually with age and serves as an early indicator of cognitive deterioration linked to dementia.

During the game, a car briefly appears on the screen alongside a road sign positioned on one side, surrounded by distracting images. Players are required to identify both elements rapidly and accurately.

Originating in the 1990s, this game was developed by American researchers aiming to improve processing speed among elderly drivers. A prior study involving 908 drivers showed that just 10 hours of training with the game halved accident rates over the following six years.

Study on Cognitive Training and Dementia Risk

In a recent investigation involving approximately 3,000 individuals aged over 65, participants were divided into three groups, each training different mental skills: memory, logical reasoning, and processing speed through the "Double Decision" game. Training sessions lasted about one hour twice weekly over five to six weeks, with booster sessions at 11 and 35 months for half of the participants.

After a 20-year follow-up, researchers analyzed medical records and found that the group engaging in the "Double Decision" training with booster sessions exhibited a 25% lower risk of developing dementia compared to the other groups.

How the Training Enhances Brain Function

Professor Marlene Albert from Johns Hopkins University, who led the study, explained that the game progressively becomes more challenging as players improve, compelling the brain to operate under increasing pressure. Over time, images appear more rapidly with additional distractions, continuously stimulating the brain.

She added that this form of training may boost "brain plasticity," which is the brain's capacity to adapt and reorganize itself by strengthening neural connections, forming new links, and increasing myelin thickness that accelerates nerve signal transmission.

Furthermore, the training might help maintain acetylcholine levels, a neurotransmitter essential for attention, memory, and learning, which notably declines in early Alzheimer's disease stages.

Other Perspectives on Brain Training Games

Other researchers emphasize that the benefits are not exclusive to the "Double Decision" game. Professor Barbara Sahakian from Cambridge University noted that any activity stimulating the brain could help reduce cognitive decline risk.

She cited additional games such as "Wizard" and "Decode," designed to train memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. Small-scale studies have demonstrated cognitive performance improvements following short training periods with these games.

Jill Livingston from University College London remarked that brain training games might be beneficial as part of a comprehensive healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity, blood pressure control, and sensory health checks, but they do not constitute a definitive treatment or preventive measure on their own.

Livingston also pointed out that the number of participants who completed the extended training sessions in the study was relatively small, making it difficult to exclude the possibility that those more committed to training were also more health-conscious, potentially influencing the results.