One type of brain training may lower dementia risk by 25% in a 20-year study.

A randomized controlled trial that began in the late 1990s followed more than 2,800 adults aged 65 and older and reports that one specific type of cognitive training was associated with an approximately 25% lower risk of developing dementia over about 20 years; participants received fewer than 24 hours of training with booster sessions at one and three years.

Researchers ran a randomized controlled trial that began enrolling participants in the late 1990s and followed them for about 20 years. More than 2,800 adults aged 65 and older were randomly assigned to one of three cognitive training programs—speed, memory, or reasoning—or to a control group. Training sessions lasted one hour and were held twice a week for five weeks, with four booster sessions at one year and three years. In total, each participant received fewer than 24 hours of training, and the report indicates one specific type of training was associated with a lower dementia risk. Key findings: - The study was a randomized controlled trial that began enrolling participants in the late 1990s. - More than 2,800 adults aged 65 and older were randomly assigned to speed, memory, or reasoning training, or to a control group. - Training consisted of one-hour sessions twice weekly for five weeks, plus four booster sessions at year 1 and year 3. - Each participant received fewer than 24 hours of total training. - One specific type of training was associated with an approximately 25% lower risk of developing dementia over the follow-up period. Summary: The trial's long follow-up data show an association between a particular form of cognitive training and a roughly 25% lower incidence of dementia among participants. Undetermined at this time.