Speed-Training for the Brain Linked to Lower Dementia Risk Over 20 Years
NIH-funded follow-up of the ACTIVE trial shows that speed-of-processing cognitive training in adults 65+ reduced dementia risk for up to 20 years, with the greatest benefit when booster sessions were included. About 40% of participants who received boosters developed dementia vs 49% in controls, a 25% lower risk; memory and reasoning trainings did not show the same long-term protection. The training’s adaptive, implicit-learning approach—focusing on rapid visual processing—may underlie the effect and could complement other brain-healthy lifestyle strategies, though more research is needed to understand mechanisms and broader public-health impact.
