Cognitive exercises may keep aging brains sharp
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 09:44 AM

The older individuals get, the more likely they may be to misplace their keys or forget directions to a destination they visit regularly. According to the American Psychological Association, this phenomenon is known as episodic memory, which can decline over time.

However, there are ways to strengthen adults' memory in old age, at least, based on findings from a recent University of California, Los Angeles study. Researchers from the institution found that using a computer-based brain-fitness program has the potential to improve their memory and language skills.

The study, which appears in the "American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry," had 69 participants without dementia and an average age of 82 play Dakim BrainFitness. The program features more than 400 exercises related to language, calculation, problem-solving and other skills older adults have trouble with.

Over a six-month period, 52 of the 69 participants completed at least 40 sessions, which enhanced their immediate and delayed memory skills, along with their language abilities.

Based on the results of this study, older adults may want to first take an IQ test. If their cognitive abilities appear to have diminished with age, they should consider how exercises like the ones offered through Dakim BrainFitness could help give their brainpower a boost.