How can brain training help older adults?

Brain training exercises can strengthen key brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, which is linked to attention, learning, and memory. This may help delay or reduce age-related cognitive decline and the risk of developing dementia.

What did the recent study on brain training find?

The study found that older adults who completed a 10-week online brain training program showed brain activity equivalent to being 10 years younger, compared to a control group.

Can brain training prevent Alzheimer's disease?

While the study suggests brain training can have positive effects on brain health, more research is needed to determine if it can directly prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Brain training is likely just one part of a broader approach to supporting cognitive function as we age.

Home / Health / Brain Training Turns Back the Clock for Older Adults

Brain Training Turns Back the Clock for Older Adults

11 Nov

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Summary

10-week online brain training program helped older adults' brains act 10 years younger
Brain training can improve older adults' cognitive performance
Strengthening brain region linked to attention, learning, and memory may delay cognitive decline

Brain Training Turns Back the Clock for Older Adults

According to a study conducted in 2025, a 10-week online brain training program has helped older adults' brains function as if they were a decade younger. The study involved 92 healthy adults aged 65 and older from Canada. Half of the participants completed daily 30-minute brain training exercises using the BrainHQ app, while the other half played entertainment-focused games.

Specialized brain scans revealed that those who completed the brain training showed stronger activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, a region crucial for attention, learning, and memory. Researchers describe this change as equivalent to shaving 10 years off the participants' biological age. In contrast, the comparison group did not exhibit the same level of brain activity improvement.

Experts say that just as physical exercise keeps the body in shape, regular mental workouts can help maintain brain health as we age. Cognitive decline and conditions like Alzheimer's are often linked to reduced activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Strengthening this brain region through training may therefore help delay or reduce the risk of developing dementia later in life.

While the results are promising, the researchers caution that this was a small study and the findings may not apply to people with existing memory problems or other brain training programs. Longer-term studies are needed to determine if these biological changes translate into lasting improvements in cognitive function. Nonetheless, the study suggests that brain training could be a valuable tool in a broader approach to supporting brain health and preventing age-related cognitive decline.

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