WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- The Brain Fitness in Older Adults study will determine if a brain exercise program can improve healthy older U.S. adults' cognitive abilities.
Research suggests that some training programs -- crossword puzzles, Sudoku and computer games -- can actually improve memory and cognition. But it remains unclear just what is happening in the brain to elicit these increases in brain power.
Using magnetic resonance imaging to visualize blood flow and brain activity, the study will determine how training alters brain function when someone is asked to focus on what they see and ignore what they hear.
Initial results suggest that after completing the training program, there is increased activity in areas of the brain that process relevant visual information and decreased activity in areas of the brain that respond to distracting sounds.
