Computer games may help reverse brain aging

WASHINGTON – Senior citizens, put down the crossword puzzles and start playing computer games.

A new government study finds that cognitive-training computer games can reverse aging in the brain.

One game called Double Decision forces users to find matching road sign icons amid a series of increasing distractions on the screen.

While the NIH study showed older people’s memories improved, as did their reasoning and visual processing skills, doctors who work with senior citizens say there isn’t enough research yet to show computer games will help people with their everyday lives, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The study appeared in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

On a related note, The Wall Street Journal says the AARP now offers discounts for certain games based on proven benefits.

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