Brain Training Game Improves Executive Functions and Processing Speed in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Akitsuki, Yuko; Shigemune, Yayoi; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Kotozaki, Yuka; Tsukiura, Takashi; Yomogida, Yukihito; Kawashima, Ryuta · 2012 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029676

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Summary

This randomized controlled trial investigated whether playing the brain training game *Brain Age* improves cognitive functions in healthy elderly individuals, specifically examining the "transfer effect" where training enhances untrained cognitive skills. The study was motivated by the widespread popularity of brain training games and the lack of scientific evidence regarding their efficacy in improving broader cognitive domains beyond the specific tasks trained. The researchers aimed to determine if short-term training could mitigate age-related declines in executive function and processing speed, which are critical for daily living. The study recruited 32 elderly volunteers who were non-gamers, randomly assigning them to either a *Brain Age* group or an active control group playing *Tetris*. Participants played their assigned game for approximately 15 minutes per day, at least five days a week, over a four-week period. The design was double-blinded, with participants and testers unaware of the specific group hypotheses. Cognitive assessments were conducted before and after the intervention, covering four categories: global cognitive status (Mini-Mental State Examination), executive functions (Frontal Assessment Battery and Trail Making Test-B), attention (Digit Cancellation Task and Digit Span), and processing speed (Digit Symbol Coding and Symbol Search). Statistical analysis used multivariate analyses of covariance to compare change scores between groups, controlling for baseline differences. The results demonstrated that playing *Brain Age* significantly improved executive functions and processing speed compared to the *Tetris* control group. Specifically, the *Brain Age* group showed superior improvements in the Frontal Assessment Battery, Trail Making Test-B, Symbol Search, and Digit Symbol Coding. However, no significant transfer effects were observed for global cognitive status or attention measures. Both groups showed significant improvement in their respective game performances, confirming engagement with the training. The authors suggest that the transfer effect may be mediated by the prefrontal cortex, as both the training tasks (arithmetic and reading) and the improved cognitive domains rely on similar neural regions. The study concludes that short-term training with *Brain Age* can effectively enhance executive functions and processing speed in the elderly, supporting the potential of video games as a cognitive intervention tool. However, the authors note that the effects did not generalize to all cognitive domains, such as attention or global status. They emphasize that these findings require replication in larger samples and that the long-term effects and relevance to everyday functioning remain uncertain. The study provides preliminary evidence that specific brain training games can yield measurable cognitive benefits in older adults, distinct from the general effects of playing video games.

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• cognitive aging