The Alzheimer’s Society (UK) has launched an innovative research trial with the BBC looking at the benefits of brain training and wants to encourage people over the age of 60 to get involved and sign up online to help the Society learn whether brain training can help maintain cognitive function.
Millions of people play Brain Training games or puzzle over crosswords to keep their brains active. There are claims that practicing mental exercises like these will improve or maintain mental performance as we get older. However, as yet there is very little scientific evidence to support these claims.
Brain Test Britain is the first ever large-scale clinical trial into the effects of Brain Training. It aims to discover whether there are any measurable beneficial effects of performing Brain Training exercises.
The trial is open to anyone over the age of 18, although Alzheimer’s Society is particularly interested in recruiting people over 60. These people will help answer important questions about whether Brain Training could help improve or stabilize brain function in older adults. This will inform research and development of potential treatments in the future.
It is hoped that the trial will begin to show whether Brain Training might be developed as a preventative treatment against the onset of dementia. .
There is more information about the trial on the Alzheimer’s Society website.