According to a report in Online Information, citing the journal Science, a small trial in Switzerland has found that video games designed to train the mind and body may help older adults preserve parts of the brain that are commonly damaged by Alzheimer’s.

Encourage adults to play video games to ward off Alzheimer’s.

The study involved 30 people with an average age of 72. Half of them received standard medical care, while the other half used the Brain-IT game system at home in addition to their usual treatment.

The game was a combination of physical movements, puzzle-solving and breathing exercises that the participants did about six times a week for an average of 12 weeks.

Brain scans after three months showed that the group that played the game had increased gray matter in areas such as the hippocampus (the central memory center), the thalamus, and the anterior cingulate cortex. This is important, because the hippocampus typically shrinks in Alzheimer’s disease. There were also signs of protection in the brain’s white matter (the pathways that connect the brain).

These brain changes were associated with improvements in poor memory. Although a direct link has not been proven, the researchers say the findings open up new perspectives for combating memory loss.

Another positive aspect of the method was its appeal and sustainability. Participants completed a total of more than 1,700 minutes of exercise over the three months without experiencing fatigue or boredom.

However, limitations of the study include the small number of subjects, the short duration of the study, and the fact that the participants were mostly men. Therefore, larger, longer-term research is needed.

Despite these limitations, experts say that if the results are confirmed, this type of interactive game could be an accessible, low-cost, home-based approach that could be part of support programs for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. An approach that could not only slow the progression of the disease but also potentially partially restore memory and brain structure.