Elderly people can reduce the risk of dementia by exercising brain training on a computer, a study by researchers from the University of South Florida in Tampa has shown.

The team led by Jerri Edwards launched their long-term experiment, Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), in 1999 to find out whether a training method called "useful field of view," or UFOV, actually helps reduce the risk of dementia.

And as it turns out, it apparently does: 2,802 healthy adults between the ages of 74 and 84 participated in the experiment. They were randomly put into either a control group or one of three other groups that received different types of cognitive training.

Not every type of cognitive training works

The first group received instruction on memory strategies, the second group on reasoning strategies and the third group received individualized computerized speed of processing training or UFOV.

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The participants had their cognitive and functional capabilities tested during the first six weeks of the study and then again after one, two, three, five and finally 10 years. The researchers published their results in the scientific journal "Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions" on November 14, 2017.

While the researchers did not find a significant difference in "risk of dementia" between the control group (where the risk was detected in 10.8 percent of participants) and the first two groups that participated in strategy-based memory (9.7 percent) or reasoning (10.1 percent) exercises, there was a significant change in those participants who took the computerized speed training. They only showed a 5.9 percent risk of dementia.

Prevention - not a cure

The exercise was developed by Karlene Ball of the University of Alabama Birmingham and Dan Roenker of Western Kentucky University. It it now available as the "Double Decision" exercise of the BrainHQ.com training program.

"We need to further delineate what makes some computerized cognitive training effective, while other types are not," Edward says. "We also need to investigate what is the appropriate amount of training to get the best results." What is clear, however: Cognitive training can be a preventive measure, but it is not a cure or treatment for dementia.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain Chess: King of games The word chess is derived from the Persian "shah," which means king. The board was developed between the third and sixth centuries in India and is comprised of 64 small squares. Only two players can play against each other, using 16 pieces each. The aim is to checkmate your opponent by threatening their king in such a way that it cannot escape or be freed by another piece in the next move.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain Go: Made in Asia Go originated in China, but was largely developed in Korea and Japan. It's played with black and white stones on a board crisscrossed by 19 horizontal and 19 vertical lines. Stones are placed on the intersections of the lines, with the aim being not to eliminate your opponent but to capture a majority of the board.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain Shogi: Japanese chess This Japanese variation of chess is played on a board divided into nine fields, though smaller or larger boards are also common. There's one important difference between shogi and chess: In the Japanese version, pieces are not assigned to a particular player, but can be used by both. Checkmate, however, is still the aim of the game.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain Checkers: Jump and steal A checkers board looks like a chessboard, but the rules differ greatly. In this case, players can only move their pieces diagonally across the darker squares, one square at a time, until they are able to capture their opponent's piece by jumping over it. The winner is the first to steal all of the other player's pieces. Checkers is also known as draughts and is called "Dame" ("lady") in German.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain Nine Men's Morris: Mill's the game The board consists of three squares of gradually smaller size drawn within each other. Two players participate with nine tiles each. The aim is to get three of the tiles in a row, known as a mill, which allows you to remove one of your opponent's tiles. The winner is the first to reduce his opponent to two tiles, thereby hindering a three-tile mill.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain Tic-tac-toe: Circle or square? It's perhaps the best game for long car trips, because all you need is a pencil and piece of paper. Tic-tac-toe dates back to the 12th century. Two players alternate in drawing an X or an O on a nine-square grid. The first player to create a row - horizontally, vertically or diagonally - wins. Tic-tac-toe was one of the first strategy games played on computers.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain 'Connect Four': The vertical board It's also considered a board game - but it's played vertically. "Connect Four" was introduced in 1974 and is a game for two players. The first to get four tiles of their color in a row - vertically, horizontally or diagonally - wins. It's similar to tic-tac-toe, except there are 42 open squares instead of just nine.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain 'Civilization': From the board to the screen Initially conceived as a board game, "Civilization" was introduced in 1980. The idea was complex: A civilization must survive hardships from antiquity to the Iron Age. Seven players can play simultaneously and one game can last up to 10 hours. In 1991, "Civilization" was launched as a computer game and became an international hit.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain 'Anno': Playing with people and resources Another favorite resource-related game is "Anno," introduced in 1998. The idea behind it is to discover and populate fictional islands and then meet the needs of the new island residents. It's also possible for players to compete against each other - simulating attacks and trade.

10 strategy games that are good for your brain 'StarCraft': A national pastime For some it may be a simple diversion, but in South Korea "StarCraft" is a national pastime. The real-time strategy game was introduced in 1998 and has remained one of the most popular computer games on the market. Player build a base, collect resources and acquire soldiers to fight their opponents. Online tournaments are of national importance in South Korea - and even open to spectators. Author: Aaron Skiba / kbm

