Against Alzheimer’s, train your brain in video games

If playing video games on the computer has never been your cup of tea, a new study could change your outlook. Academics in Sidney, Australia have found how the brain training offered in certain computer games can help stave off dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Many experts are seeing red with overuse of screens—associated with health harms like a risk of overweight, depression, poor bone health, etc But Australians are proving that screens can have benefits for the brain. Their conviction: playing in moderation on the computer can stimulate cognitive abilitiesthrough a subtle maintenance of memory, learning and attention.

To support their claims, the scientists studied the effects of computer brain games on a panel of 700 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (but not dementia) from 20 years of study. A total of 17 publications were scanned before reaching these conclusions. Subjects with mild cognitive impairment had a risk in 10 of developing dementia in the following year, explains the meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Brain exercise in video games has resulted in improved memory but also better mood.

No effect of brain games when Alzheimer is already installed

In contrast, brain games had no effect on seniors who developed Alzheimer’s disease.

These findings confirm that brain training is a card to play in preventing dementia, according to Dr. Amit Lampit, director of the study. “Our work shows that brain exercise can maintain or even improve faculties among older people at high risk of cognitive decline. And it’s an inexpensive treatment.”

The incorrigible resistant to screens can always “muscle” their brain in other ways such as reading, playing Sudoku or board games that work on memory.

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