Cognitive Speed Training Reduces Dementia Risk by 20% in Older Adults
A groundbreaking study reveals that cognitive speed training significantly lowers the risk of dementia in adults aged 65 and above. The research, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, found that participants who completed cognitive speed training sessions and follow-up sessions over a period of one to three years had a 20% reduced risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, up to two decades later. This study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the first of its kind to assess the long-term effects of cognitive training on dementia risk.
The Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study, which began in 1998-99, enrolled 2,802 adults to evaluate the long-term benefits of three different cognitive training types: memory, reasoning, and speed of processing. Participants received up to 10 sessions of cognitive training over five to six weeks, with an additional four booster sessions for half of the participants, held 11 and 35 months after the initial training. The study's findings indicate that the speed-training group with boosters had a 25% lower incidence of dementia compared to the control group, making it the only intervention with a statistically significant difference.
The study's 20-year follow-up revealed that 105 out of 264 (40%) participants in the speed-training group with boosters were diagnosed with dementia, while 239 out of 491 (49%) adults in the control group were diagnosed. These results highlight the potential of cognitive speed training in reducing the risk of dementia.
Dementia, a condition characterized by cognitive decline affecting daily living, is estimated to affect 42% of adults over 55. It incurs significant costs, with the U.S. spending over $600 billion annually. Alzheimer's disease, the most common type, accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases, while vascular dementia makes up 5-10%.
Marilyn Albert, Ph.D., the study's corresponding author, emphasizes the significance of the findings, stating that the link between boosted speed training and lower dementia risk two decades later is remarkable. She suggests that this nonpharmacological intervention can have long-term effects, even with modest efforts. Albert also highlights the potential impact of small delays in dementia onset on public health and healthcare costs.
The ACTIVE trial's previous research found that cognitive training improved everyday thinking, remembering, reasoning, and decision-making for up to five years. Ten years later, all three training types were associated with enhanced everyday function. Speed training participants had a 29% lower incidence of dementia ten years later, with each booster session further reducing risk.
The study's authors attribute the success of speed training to its adaptive nature, tailoring challenges to individual performance levels. This implicit learning approach may contribute to better dementia outcomes. In contrast, memory and reasoning training, which focus on explicit learning, did not yield the same long-term benefits.
George Rebok, Ph.D., the site principal investigator, suggests that cognitive training interventions targeting visual processing and divided attention could delay dementia onset. He also proposes that combining cognitive training with lifestyle changes might further reduce dementia risk, although more research is needed to confirm this.
The study's authors also emphasize the potential synergy between speed training and other lifestyle interventions that strengthen neural connections. Activities like supporting cardiovascular health and regular physical activity have been linked to reduced cognitive decline risk.
The research team includes Norma B. Coe, Chuxuan Sun, and Elizabeth Taggert (University of Pennsylvania), Katherine E. M. Miller and Alden L. Gross (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health), Richard N. Jones (Brown University), Cynthia Felix (University of Pittsburgh), Michael Marsiske (University of Florida), Karlene K. Ball (University of Alabama at Birmingham), and Sherry L. Willis (University of Washington). The study was funded by NIH grants from the National Institute on Aging.
This study highlights the potential of cognitive speed training in reducing dementia risk, offering a promising avenue for further research and intervention development.
