There are roughly 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day in the United States, and that will continue until about 2030, when seniors are expected to make up more than 20% of the population.
According to data from the National Institutes of Health, about 14% of Americans 71 and older have some type of dementia.
While the medical community continues to look for ways to help reduce the risk of dementia, researchers at University of South Florida in St. Petersburg have been studying whether interacting with certain kinds of specially designed cognitive training exercises — essentially computer games — can reduce the risk of dementia.
And, so far, the research is promising.
A study called Active concluded that certain computerized brain training may reduce risk of dementia by 29-48% across 10 years. Its participants were older adults who showed no signs of cognitive impairment.
In this interview, we learn about another USF study called Active Mind that is similar but is looking for participants who have some degree of mild cognitive impairment.
Jennifer O’Brien, USF associate professor of psychology, is one of the lead investigators in the Active Mind study.
Click on the Listen button above to hear the discussion.
Click here or here to listen to past conversations about USF's Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease with Cognitive Training (PACT) study (from 2019 and 2022).
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