A specific type of brain training appears to prevent or delay dementia by 25% in people older than age 65, according to new research. Surprisingly, the benefit came not from memory or problem-solving training, but from an interactive computerized game called Double Decision that tests the ability to recognize separate images in increasingly faster sequences.
The game presents players with one of two vehicles in a desert, town, or farmland setting, then briefly shows a Route 66 sign among distracting road signs. Players must click on the correct vehicle and the location of the Route 66 sign. As players improve, images disappear more quickly. The game is described as a “task of divided attention” using implicit learning—automatic acquisition of knowledge without conscious awareness—similar to riding a bike or tying shoelaces.
The research comes from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) trial, initiated in 1998, which tested three types of cognitive training on more than 2,800 volunteers with an average age of 74 living independently in six communities around the United States. One group trained on memory, another on reasoning, and a third on the speed game. A fourth group received no training. The study found that the 25% reduction in dementia diagnoses was only observed in participants who received the original training on the speed game plus booster sessions. Without booster sessions, volunteers saw no benefit. Memory and reasoning training did not lower dementia risk, though earlier data showed they improved memory and executive reasoning.
The study had limitations: dementia diagnoses were identified through health records rather than clinical testing, so researchers could not determine whether training affected underlying disease or specific dementia types. Experts suggest cognitive training is one of many factors in brain health. According to dementia prevention researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, comprehensive brain health requires “eating a brain-healthy diet, exercising regularly, modifying blood pressure, getting quality sleep, reducing stress, positive relationships—all of these are necessary for brain health.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://theatlantavoice.com/brain-training-game-delays-dementia/