10 Weeks to a Younger Brain

Turn Back The Clock: Humans spend an incalculable amount of money to stay ahead of the aging process, from skincare and supplements to cryotherapy and cosmetic surgery. But our brains also age. New research shows there may be a way to turn back the clock on age-related cognitive decline: mental exercise.  

The Study: Researchers studied 92 healthy adults aged 65 and over for 10 weeks. Half of the participants played computer games like Candy Crush and Solitaire for 30 minutes a day, while the other half spent 30 minutes doing more rigorous mental exercises in the cognitive-training program BrainHQ. After 10 weeks, levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) increased by 2.3% in the BrainHQ group. Researchers found no change in ACh levels in the other group.

The Takeaway: ACh is important for memory, learning, attention, and communication between neurons. Low ACh levels are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. People naturally lose about 2.5% of their ACh each decade. So, a 2.3% increase rolls back roughly 10 years of cognitive decline. 

Keep in Mind: Brain games on only one platform were examined, so it’s unclear if similar exercises would produce the same results. Still, even experts who weren’t involved in the research were excited about the potential of this simple, non-invasive intervention.