Brain Training Reduces Dementia Risk by 25%

A new randomized controlled trial, considered the gold standard for medical research, suggests that a simple speed-training exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by 25 percent over two decades. The study, which began in the late 1990s with over 2,800 participants aged 65 or older, found that speed training, unlike memory or reasoning training, was disproportionately beneficial. Marilyn Albert of Johns Hopkins University, a co-author, highlighted the significance of this finding for dementia prevention. However, outside researchers like Rachel Richardson from the Cochrane and Baptiste Leurent from University College London expressed caution, citing margins of error and study limitations, and calling for further research. The World Health Organization notes that dementia affects 57 million people globally, underscoring the potential impact of such a breakthrough.