Did you know that doing brain exercises can help build your cognitive skills?

Improving your cognition early can help fend off memory loss and eventually Alzheimer’s and dementia.  Try to do a few brain training exercises per day for a week, see if you notice a difference in your response and recall time.  There are many places on the web to find bran exercises, try to make sure that whatever games you try have certification from a doctor or scientist.  If you try this out and do notice a difference, please leave a comment and let us know your experience.  Here’s a study we found that backs it up.

Computerized Cognitive Training for Older Persons With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Study Using a Randomised Controlled Trial Design Maurice Finn and Skye McDonald University of New South Wales, Australia. School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia.

The results of a pilot randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive training in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are reported. Participants (N = 25) were randomized into either the treatment or wait list training groups. Sixteen participants completed the 30-session computerized cognitive training program using exercises that target a range of cognitive functions including attention, processing speed, visual memory and executive functions. It was hypothesized that participants would improve with practice on the trained tasks, that the benefits of training would generalize to non-trained neuropsychological measures, and that training would result in improved perceptions of memory and memory functioning when compared with wait list controls. Results indicated that participants were able to improve their performance across a range of tasks with training. There was some evidence of generalization of training to a measure of visual sustained attention. There were no significant effects of training on self-reported everyday memory functioning or mood. The results are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

Luminosity is a good program that keeps track of your progress and which games you play.

Learn More About Memory and Cognitive Health

While brain-training games may help exercise certain thinking skills, they are only one part of understanding memory changes as we age. Senior Care of Sacramento offers several educational resources to help individuals and families better understand normal aging, recognize when memory concerns may need further evaluation, and learn about available support.

If you’ve ever wondered whether occasional forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, read our Is My Memory Normal? article, which explains common age-related memory changes and when it may be time to seek additional evaluation.

If you’re concerned about changes in yourself or a loved one, our Memory Problem Checklist provides practical warning signs that can help guide conversations with your healthcare provider.

You can also try our Mini Mental Test interactive resource to better understand how cognitive screening tools are commonly used as part of an overall memory assessment. These resources are educational and should not replace a professional medical evaluation.

For additional insight into how the brain changes over time, explore our Brain Matures article, which discusses normal cognitive aging and lifelong brain health.

Finally, our interview on Memory Loss versus Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia explains the differences between typical age-related memory changes and symptoms that may require further medical attention.