Brain Games Support Memory & Thinking as We Age

Normal Aging vs. Meaningful Cognitive Change: As people get older, it’s normal to forget why they walked into a room or struggle to recall someone’s name. These occasional slips happen to almost everyone, but for some adults, concerns about memory and thinking become more frequent.

Scientists now know that aging does not have to mean steady cognitive decline. Research shows that certain types of brain games—especially those designed to challenge processing speed and attention—can strengthen critical brain systems involved in memory and thinking.

Why the Cholinergic System Matters

One of the key systems affected by aging is the cholinergic system, which relies on the chemical messenger acetylcholine. This system helps the brain adapt, learn, and store new information. As we age, acetylcholine activity slowly decreases, especially in brain areas that support focus and decision-making.

How Speed Training Strengthens the Brain

These findings build on earlier research showing that speed-of-processing training (SOPT) not only improves how quickly the brain handles information but also produces benefits that can last for years.

Booster sessions have been shown to help maintain these gains and even offset months of normal age-related decline.

A larger body of evidence demonstrates that this type of training improves neural efficiency, processing speed, attention, and everyday functioning in older adults.

The Brain Games That Make a Real Difference

Not all games deliver these benefits.

Speed-based, adaptive training exercises—like Double Decision—force the brain to react quickly, stay focused, and constantly work at its upper limits. This seems to be why they create measurable changes in brain function, while games like Solitaire generally do not.

Because of this growing body of evidence, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine list cognitive training, along with healthy blood pressure and regular physical activity, as one of the top strategies for protecting long-term brain health.

Integrating targeted cognitive training into a wellness routine offers older adults a practical and effective way to support cognitive resilience as they age.

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