After 20 Years Of Tracking, One Type Of Brain Training Seemed To Lower Dementia Risk

Some scientists think that expert birdwatchers might have a higher cognitive reserve, which may act as a buffer against dementia, because of the type of activity the hobby creates in their brains. 

And now, research has found that “speed of processing training” is linked to a 25% lower dementia risk, while memory and reasoning training resulted in no such benefit.

In a recent study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, researchers followed over 2,000 people aged 65 and over from six areas over 20 years.

They were assigned to different groups, each of which took part in different brain training sessions at various times in the study. 

The scientists then tracked participants’ cognitive health through their medical records. They found that of the groups in their research, only those who did “speed of processing training” seemed to see a significant drop in dementia risk (25%). 

These benefits seemed to hold for years after initial and booster training sessions.

Which types of brain training were studied?

The three types of brain training tested in this study were: 

• Memory – teaching ways to remember specific information, like mnemonic devices.
• Reasoning – focusing on pattern recognition and logical sequences to help your brain predict what will happen next, geriatric psychiatrist Dr Barbara Sparacino told Prevention.
• Speed of processing training – designed to help people’s brains process, and react to, information faster. Joel Salinas, neurologist and chief medical officer at Isaac Health, described how participants practice identifying and locating visual targets under increasing time pressure, usually while dividing attention between different stimuli. “It can feel a bit like playing a fast-paced shooting game with distractions,” he noted.

Why did speed of processing training seem to help lower dementia risk? 

This study only showed a link and not a causal relationship. But the researchers think that speed of processing training could be especially useful at protecting the brain because it can be adapted and personalised.

Dr Michael Marsiske, who was involved in the research, said: “Participants who had the greatest advantage had a maximum of 18 training sessions over three years. It seemed implausible that we might still see benefits two decades later. 

“Our initial findings had shown benefits of several training arms up to 10 years after training, with participants reporting fewer impairment in tasks of daily living and experiencing fewer motor vehicle crashes.

“Adding in these 20-year findings strongly suggests that engagement in cognitive training does no harm and may confer substantial benefit.” 

Some good news, too: this data suggests you might never be too old to get your brain in shape. 

“At enrollment, our participants ranged in age from 65 to 94 years. We found no substantial reduction of training benefit with age, suggesting that training can be started at any time,” Dr Marsiske shared.