A groundbreaking study found that older adults who challenged their brains with BrainHQ’s online games showed brain chemistry that looked about 10 years younger. Turns out there’s finally real science behind brain-training games — and it might just be the mental tune-up we all need. (Note: BrainHQ is not endorsed by, or a sponsor of, this podcast.)
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Hey there, Beautiful People. Hey, it’s Rally Preston here.
So, let me ask you this: When was the last time you actually challenged your brain? You know, really pushed it?
Mine was when I can’t remember which streaming service I was just watching a movie on a little while ago. That’s challenging for me. Which tells me two things: one, we’ve got too many streaming services. And the other thing is: I probably need what we’re going to talk about today.
So I found a study the other day that kinda has a “wow” factor to it.
Alright, listen to this…
So researchers at McGill University – up in Canada – ran a clinical trial with adults 65 and older. For 10 weeks. They had them use one of those online brain-training apps. Have you heard of those? These are online programs filled with a bunch of different games – they’re fun, you click your mouse or the keyboard and interact with them. They’re more like puzzles I guess. Anyway, they’re supposed to challenge you mentally, like your thinking skills. So you have to use your memory, attention, and problem-solving skills to figure these out.
So in this study, the participants spent 30 minutes a day playing these brain games. On a mobile tablet like an iPad or something.
Anyway, here’s the crazy part…
The researchers scanned each participant’s brain before and after they played these games. And they used a specialized P-E-T scan …so not your regular MRI scan. This one traced chemical changes in the brain – very high-tech stuff.
So here’s what the brain scans found: The folks playing the online brain games for 10 weeks showed brain chemistry that looked… younger. About 10 years younger, in fact – and this was related to memory and focus.
So you know, no one’s saying brain games can make your brain act like it’s 25 again. This study measured one improvement in older adults – but it was a key one. Tied to attention and memory. But you know that’s still pretty amazing, I think…to have a brain acting 10 years younger? Yeah, I’ll take it.
It’s actually the first time any kind of brain training — or any drug for that matter — showed this kind of positive change in, you know, real people’s brains. First time ever.
And this wasn’t some tiny little study either. Ninety-two adults, all older adults. Split into two groups. One group did the real brain training. The other group just played regular computer games so they could, you know, compare the two.
Only the real brain-training group showed the chemical change in the brain. The other group? Pretty much nothing.
So I think what this tells us is it’s how you challenge your brain that matters.
By the way, the app they used is called BrainHQ. Now, anybody can sign up online and use it. But it’s not free. I think they have some freebies to try first. But it’s like 14 bucks a month, and cheaper if you sign up for it for a year. Anyway, this particular brain games app has been studied more than just about anything else out there.
And the lead researcher actually said something like: Well, a lot of us think crosswords and reading keep the brain sharp. But not every activity really builds new connections up there. Okay.
So it looks like the best brain training keeps getting harder as you get better at it. Kind of like a personal trainer in the gym who keeps pushing you.
You know, and I think, back in the day, we had to challenge ourselves – our brains – more, right? More than now. I mean we had to look up stuff in encyclopedias, write essays, remember phone numbers, read paper maps – things like that. Now we’ve got smartphones that remember everything for us, right? And you know that’s nice. I wouldn’t want to go back to the Stone Age there. But I think our brains miss out on the workouts these days.
Okay, so here’s a good question… do you have to subscribe to BrainHQ to get anything out of this?
Nah, I don’t think so. A lot of us have gotta watch our budgets these days for sure, right?
There’s some free options out there though. Lumosity is another brain-game company that has a free version. Elevate is one more. I know some local libraries might have brain-training resources, yeah, believe it or not. And that might be worth checking out.
Are the free ones exactly the same as the one in this study? Well, probably not. Maybe they will be. But you know you gotta think something is always better than nothing here.
And hey, if apps just aren’t your thing, that’s okay too. Learning anything new and challenging has to count too. Like picking up a new card game. Bridge maybe – there’s a challenge! Or even a tricky jigsaw puzzle, if it’s really a tough one. The keyword again here is “new.” Something your brain hasn’t already mastered.
And I think the real takeaway here is your brain can keep growing, making new connections – that’s been documented. Again and again.
And you know, retirement is great for a lot of us, I’m sure. We like the free time, less pressure, less stress. No deadlines, no boss to deal with. It’s all nice, right? But that can also mean the brain stops getting pushed as much as it used to. And I do think we need a little more going on upstairs at our age. Not everybody, not all of you maybe, but I bet most of us could use the cognitive challenge. Something new, a little more demanding to wrap our heads around.
And puzzles, crossword puzzles, are good. Reading is fine. You get some mental stimulation going on for sure.
But the thing this McGill University found, what might be missing is a challenge that keeps getting harder as you get better at it. That’s the real key here. Something that keeps you moving the goalpost further out so you have to try harder.
So maybe you give one of the online brain training apps a try. I mean, what have you got to lose? It’s fun if nothing else.
And look, I get it. Starting something new at our age can make you feel stupid – I can relate to that. Some things really do feel harder to me these days.
But look, your brain doesn’t care how old you are. It just wants a reason to keep building new connections – making itself healthier.
I think this is something you can absolutely handle. I mean, you’ve done way harder things right than playing goofy games on a screen? You probably raised kids. Changed careers, maybe. You might even have survived disco, like me. That’s not nothing.
Alright, let’s get to your Silver Beast Action Steps for this one.
Number one. Pick one brain-training app and try it for one week. BrainHQ if you want to try the one they used in this study. Or there’s Lumosity or Elevate are a couple of others. There might be more, but those are the big ones.
Number two. Set a timer. Just do 10 minutes a day – 10 or 15 minutes. That’s it. Don’t overdo it out of the gate. You can burn out if you go too long.
Number three. Track how you’re feeling, not just your score. Are you sharper in conversations? Quicker recalling names, maybe? You might notice the difference over time.
Alright, number four. Pair it with something you already do well. Maybe brain training right after your morning coffee. Stack it onto a habit you’ve already got, and it gets kind of locked in there.
Alright, number five. Give it some time. Ten weeks, like the study. This brain training stuff is more like a marathon than a sprint. You just need to give it some time.
So alright, to wrap up, maybe give one of these brain-training apps a try. Paid or free, give it a few months and see what you think. Might be something you like and you really get into it.
And of course, none of this is medical advice. If you suspect any cognitive problems, the best place to start, of course, is in your doctor’s office.
Alright, this is Rally Preston.
This McGill University study shows – a younger working brain might be possible, just from playing brain-training games. And again, BrainHQ is the one in the study – easy to find online.
Alright, thanks so much for dropping by, and I will catch you next time on the Silver Beast Podcast. Take care!