

Johns Hopkins Frailty Science #FrailtyFighter
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@FrailtyScience
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New findings from a large, national clinical trial found that research volunteers aged 65 and older who participated in speed of processing training, together with follow-up “booster” sessions, were 25% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia up to 20 years later, compared with the control group. In the computer-based speed training, participants completed visual search challenges that split their attention between identifying an object in the center of the screen and simultaneously the location of another object on the outer portion of the screen. The training adapted in difficulty, becoming harder if the person performed well. This study, known as the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study, is the first and largest of its kind in the US, and includes multiple research centers throughout the nation, including the Johns Hopkins University. JHADRC Director Dr. Marilyn Albert observed: “Seeing that boosted speed training was linked to lower dementia risk over two decades later is remarkable because it suggests that a fairly modest nonpharmacological intervention can have long-term effects. Even small delays in the onset of dementia may have a large impact on public health and help reduce rising health care costs.” The NIH-funded ACTIVE study originally enrolled 2,802 diverse older adults in 1998–1999. Participants were randomized to three different types of cognitive training—memory, reasoning, and speed of processing—and a control group. This 20-year follow-up study compared the three training groups to the control group, who received no training, and examined the likelihood of a diagnosis of dementia in Medicare claims. Notably, only those who received speed training with booster sessions showed a meaningful difference in 20-year dementia risk compared to the control group. To read more about the study, visit: alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tr…












