Neuroplasticity Study in the US Shows Promise for the Elderly
Announcement posted by Tall Trees Care Communities 16 Jul 2014
Owner of alternative to aged care facilities serving Brisbane and Gold Coast believes study may change how we view the abilities of the elderly.
Australia, 16 July 2014 - A ten year study in the US that concluded recently demonstrated that cognitive and processing exercises can help increase brain efficiency and that those who perform the exercises still experience improved function ten years later.
The study, called the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), was conducted by the US National Institute on Ageing Division of Behavioural and Social Research. The report was authored by Jonathan King, a project scientist for the Institute. 2,832 subjects with an average age of 74 were chosen to receive ten hours of training over periods of five to six weeks. All of the subjects were living independently in their communities.
There were four groups: a control group that received no training, one that received cognitive training, one that received speed of processing training and one that received memory training. The areas of cognition, speed of processing and memory were chosen because they represent qualities and skills that are important in the elderly for continued ability to perform everyday tasks as they age.
Those who took training all showed improvement in the areas in which they were trained, with no crossover “benefits.” In other words, those who took cognitive training improved in cognitive function but not memory or speed of processing, those who received memory training improved in memory but not in cognitive function and speed of processing, while those who took speed of processing training improved in speed of processing but not cognition or memory.
Five years later, all were tested again and all were still showing improvement. At the ten year mark, the cognition and speed of processing were still testing higher than the control group, but memory no longer showed improvement.
Why This Study is Important
Phil Usher, one of the founders of Tall Trees Care Communities, an alternative to aged care serving the Gold Coast and Brisbane, believes that this study shows great reason for the elderly to be optimistic. According to Mr Usher, “I personally keep up on all issues involving ageing and have seen a lot of theory and data concerning neuroplasticity, but the results of this study surprised even me.”
Mr Usher continued, “I was very surprised to see ten hours of exercises still providing improved cognition and speed of processing ten years after the fact. This is great news for all of us who are worried about losing mental capacity as we get older and great news for those who are worried about their parents.”
Mr Usher added further, “We have known about websites such as Luminosity for awhile now. While I can’t really give them any kind of commercial endorsement, I believe that they are a great example of the kind of programs and exercises that many of us will soon do routinely as a deterrent to mental decline as we age.”
Tall Trees Care Communities offer an alternative to aged care facilities. They currently serve the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas with five different locations. For a trial stay or to learn more about Tall Trees, please call (07) 3442 9378 or check out their website: http://www.talltrees.net.au/.
The study, called the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), was conducted by the US National Institute on Ageing Division of Behavioural and Social Research. The report was authored by Jonathan King, a project scientist for the Institute. 2,832 subjects with an average age of 74 were chosen to receive ten hours of training over periods of five to six weeks. All of the subjects were living independently in their communities.
There were four groups: a control group that received no training, one that received cognitive training, one that received speed of processing training and one that received memory training. The areas of cognition, speed of processing and memory were chosen because they represent qualities and skills that are important in the elderly for continued ability to perform everyday tasks as they age.
Those who took training all showed improvement in the areas in which they were trained, with no crossover “benefits.” In other words, those who took cognitive training improved in cognitive function but not memory or speed of processing, those who received memory training improved in memory but not in cognitive function and speed of processing, while those who took speed of processing training improved in speed of processing but not cognition or memory.
Five years later, all were tested again and all were still showing improvement. At the ten year mark, the cognition and speed of processing were still testing higher than the control group, but memory no longer showed improvement.
Why This Study is Important
Phil Usher, one of the founders of Tall Trees Care Communities, an alternative to aged care serving the Gold Coast and Brisbane, believes that this study shows great reason for the elderly to be optimistic. According to Mr Usher, “I personally keep up on all issues involving ageing and have seen a lot of theory and data concerning neuroplasticity, but the results of this study surprised even me.”
Mr Usher continued, “I was very surprised to see ten hours of exercises still providing improved cognition and speed of processing ten years after the fact. This is great news for all of us who are worried about losing mental capacity as we get older and great news for those who are worried about their parents.”
Mr Usher added further, “We have known about websites such as Luminosity for awhile now. While I can’t really give them any kind of commercial endorsement, I believe that they are a great example of the kind of programs and exercises that many of us will soon do routinely as a deterrent to mental decline as we age.”
Tall Trees Care Communities offer an alternative to aged care facilities. They currently serve the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas with five different locations. For a trial stay or to learn more about Tall Trees, please call (07) 3442 9378 or check out their website: http://www.talltrees.net.au/.