Khaberni - Can a simple mental exercise in front of a computer screen reduce the risk of dementia? This is what a recent study attempted to prove, indicating that a specific type of brain training could reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 25% after 20 years, but independent experts confirm that the results require cautious interpretation.
The study, which was among the randomized controlled trials (the gold standard in medical research), began in the late 1990s and involved more than 2,800 people aged 65 and over. The participants were randomly divided into four groups:
- Training on mental processing speed.
- Memory training.
- Training on logical reasoning.
- A control group without specific training.
Participants underwent training sessions for one hour twice a week over five weeks, then received booster sessions after one and three years. The total training did not exceed 24 hours.
After follow-ups that lasted 5, 10, and 20 years, it was found that training on processing speed alone was "clearly the most beneficial," according to researchers.
Health insurance data (Medicare) after 20 years showed that those who adhered to this type of training had a 25% lower risk of developing dementia compared to the control group. However, memory and reasoning training did not show statistically significant differences.
What is "speed" training?
It involves quickly clicking on symbols like cars or traffic signs that appear in various locations on the screen, which requires rapid focus and fast visual processing.
Researchers believe that this type of training may influence the "connectivity of neural networks" within the brain, but the exact mechanism is still not understood.
Despite the encouraging results, independent researchers pointed out several important points: first, that the statistical error margin is relatively wide, as the actual reduction in risk could range between 5% and 41%. Second, the study excluded individuals with vision or hearing impairments, which could make the sample not entirely representative of the elderly in general. Additionally, the positive result came from only one subgroup analysis, which some experts consider insufficient to prove definitive effectiveness.
In other words, the results are promising, but they do not imply that all "brain training" applications are effective or that this exercise is a miraculous solution.
Researchers themselves confirmed that the results apply only to this particular exercise and cannot be used to evaluate the various brain training games and applications available in the market.
Why is this important?
These studies are important because dementia affects about 57 million people worldwide and is the seventh leading cause of death globally. If it is proven that a relatively simple intervention can reduce the risk even modestly, it could affect millions of people and significantly reduce healthcare costs.
However, until the picture becomes clearer, it remains certain that dementia prevention depends on a combination of known factors, such as regular physical activity, healthy nutrition, managing blood pressure and diabetes, good sleep, and mental and social activity... Mental processing speed training may be one potential element in this equation; but it is not the only one.
