Long-term study shows lasting protective effects
A large, long-term study has found that playing a specific type of brain training video game may help protect against dementia for decades. Researchers say the findings provide the strongest evidence so far that targeted cognitive training can create durable changes in the brain and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
The research, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, followed participants from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) trial for up to 20 years. Participants who completed up to 23 hours of a cognitive exercise known as speed training over a three-year period had a 25% lower risk of developing dementia compared with those who received no training.
Details of the ACTIVE trial
The ACTIVE study is a large randomized controlled trial funded by the National Institutes of Health that enrolled nearly 3,000 adults aged 65 and older who had no significant cognitive impairment at the start. Participants were drawn from six geographic regions, with women making up the majority and roughly a quarter of the group representing minority populations.
Study volunteers were assigned to one of three cognitive training programs, speed training, memory training, or reasoning training, or to a control group that received no training. Initial training consisted of up to 10 sessions over five weeks, with about half of participants in each group later receiving booster sessions over three years.
Only those who completed speed training with booster sessions showed a significant reduction in dementia risk. Memory and reasoning training did not demonstrate a protective effect.
Why speed training may work
Speed training focuses on improving how quickly and accurately the brain processes visual information. Participants were asked to rapidly identify objects on a screen and make decisions, a process similar to the visual demands of driving. Researchers believe this type of training relies on implicit learning, which builds unconscious skills and habits and may lead to long-lasting neural changes.
Experts say this form of training may enhance neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve, the brain’s ability to resist damage from aging or disease. Unlike other training types, speed training is adaptive, meaning the difficulty increases as performance improves, which may further strengthen its impact.
Implications for brain health
The speed training used in the study is now available through the BrainHQ platform as an exercise called “Double Decision.” Researchers currently recommend it primarily for adults over 65, though it is possible that starting earlier in life could also provide benefits. More research is needed to determine its effectiveness in younger age groups.
While the findings are encouraging, experts stress that dementia prevention requires a multifaceted approach. Lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, managing blood pressure and blood sugar, addressing hearing and vision loss, staying mentally and socially engaged, and keeping up with vaccinations may all contribute to long-term brain health.