Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that a computerized cognitive training game called Double Decision reduced dementia risk by 25% over a ten-year period in adults over age 60. The study tracked 2,802 participants who played the game for ten minutes weekly.
Double Decision requires players to identify whether cars or pedestrians appear on screen while simultaneously tracking their location. The task demands divided attention, a cognitive skill that naturally declines with age but appears trainable through repeated practice.
The findings build on earlier work from the same research group. In 2019, Cambridge scientists published results showing that ten minutes of Double Decision gameplay weekly produced measurable improvements in processing speed among older adults. This newer research extends those results, linking the training directly to reduced dementia incidence over a full decade.
The catch: while the game itself is free online, accessing the full evidence-based protocol requires commitment. Participants in the study completed brief, consistent sessions rather than sporadic or extended play. The dementia risk reduction only appeared in people who maintained regular engagement with the training over years, not months.
Cognitive training games occupy a contested space in neuroscience. Some research shows that brain games improve specific skills tested by the games themselves, but benefits don't always transfer to broader cognitive abilities or everyday memory. Double Decision appears different. The divided-attention training seems to affect processing speed in ways that matter for long-term brain health.
For older adults concerned about dementia risk, the evidence here is clearer than for most brain training products. Ten minutes weekly represents a minimal time investment. The game requires no special equipment or subscriptions. Whether the benefit truly stems from the game's mechanics or from the cognitive engagement itself remains an open question. Either way, the research suggests that consistent, structured attention to processing speed training offers protection against cognitive decline.