Computerized Brain-Fitness Program Boosts Cognitive Skills in Older Adults

A new finding by UCLA researchers has discovered that older adults who used computerized brain fitness programs on a regular basis showed significantly improved memory and language skills.

To prove the hypothesis, a team of researchers examined 69 participants with no history of dementia. The average age of the participants was 82 years and they were recruited from various retirement communities of Southern California.

In this study, the participants were made to play a computerized brain fitness program known as Dakim BrainFitness. This program trains the individuals through  more than 400 exercise in the short and long term memory areas, visual spatial processing, problem solving, reasoning and calculating skills.

The researchers noticed that out of 69 participants,  52 participants who completed 40 sessions of the program over a six month period displayed an improvement in immediate as well as delayed memory and language skills.

This shows that older adults can boost their cognitive skills by participating in computerized brain training programs.

The study's findings add to a body of research on whether brain fitness tools are helpful in developing language and memory and eventually protecting individuals from the cognitive decline linked with aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Nearly 40 percent of the older adults are affected with age related declines. Prior to this, other studies have shown that engaging in stimulating mental programs helps older adults boost their memory, but little research has been done to check whether the  computerized brain-fitness games available in the market help in improving cognitive skills.

The study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry is the first study to assess the cognitive effects of a computerized memory training program.