Anti-aging For Your Brain

Predicting What Happens to Your Aging Brain

Can older users be as sharp as younger ones?

As we get older, our brains’ abilities change. Though scientists can predict many of these age-related trends, Lumosity scientists also wanted to know how practice and hard work could change individual performance despite predicted age generalizations.

The question: can an older person do as well as a younger one?

We examined game score data from 132,147 members of all ages who played four different Lumosity games. Dr. Kacey Ballard presented these findings at the 2012 Cognitive Neuroscience Society conference, and now we’d like to share what we learned about typical baseline ability and the amazing effects of regular training.

What are different age groups naturally better at?

16-year-olds performed best at Memory Match and Memory Matrix. For every year older than 16, the average user declined by 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively: the oldest players had average scores about 20% lower than peak players.

Decline happens quickly because such games rely on fluid intelligence, which contributes to learning, problem solving, and the ability to adapt to novel challenges.

But Word Bubbles, our game of verbal fluency and vocabulary, showed a very different trend. Word Bubbles performance peaked in the late 20s and stayed high through the 40s, falling gradually from then on. Why?

Word Bubbles relies more on crystallized intelligence, a type of intelligence that draws on accumulated knowledge and skills from your life experience—and which declines much more slowly.

Our findings support general aging research showing that fluid and crystallized intelligence decline at different rates.

And what can you get better at?

In a word: everything. We found that users of all ages improved at all games. Sound impressive? Then consider this:

After 25 games of Memory Match, older users were just about as good as younger users at baseline performance. In Memory Match, for example, the difference between a 74 year old who trained and a 16 year old who didn’t was reduced to only 7%.

Why it matters

The results that we presented at the 2012 Cognitive Neuroscience Society conference confirmed widely accepted beliefs about aging, but they also showed that age differences can be largely eliminated through training.

Anyone of any age can improve—achieving brain performance comparable to that of a younger person! No matter where you are in life, today is great day to unlock full access and start making your brain feel sharper, faster, and maybe even younger.

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A U T H O R • I N N O V A T O R • E X P E R T Dr. Lisa Christiansen is one of the most sought-after motivational speakers, life coaches, and business consultants worldwide, building an impeccable record of client satisfaction in the process. A best selling author as well, Dr. Lisa Christiansen has written such inspirational titles as My Name Is Lisa; The Two Millimeter Shift; White Sheep, Blue Skies, Green Grass; 101 Great Ways To Enhance Your Career; and others, in which she sheds light on some of the biggest questions of self-empowerment and fulfillment. Among her most recent publications, Dr. Lisa Christiansen contributed to the book 100 Ways to Enhance Your Career, which features wisdom from other well-known figures in the self-help world, including Jack Canfield, John Gray, and Richard Carlson. In 100 Ways to Enhance Your Career, Dr. Lisa Christiansen shares a step-by-step process for increasing job satisfaction, gaining more from one’s career, building wealth, and taking control of one’s destiny. Aside from her numerous books, Dr. Lisa Christiansen hosts a wide variety of seminars and retreats, where she teaches her students the secret to unlocking their inner potential and living their dreams. Some of the popular events held by Dr. Lisa Christiansen include Mastering Your Wealth, Claim Your Future, and Design Your Destiny, all of which feature her intensive coaching and unique strategies of personal transformation. Her website has a wealth of additional information on her conferences, retreats, books, and other endeavors. Join the millions of people who have already revolutionized the quality of their lives. “You already know how to survive global changes in the economy, environment and political arena, now it's time to thrive and prosper at a level beyond what you ever thought was possible,” Christiansen said. “My seminar is about seizing the power within today. Press Summary: Creator of extraordinary lives, Lisa Christiansen has served as an advisor to leaders around the world for the last two decades. A recognized authority on the psychology of leadership, organizational turnaround and peak performance, Lisa has consulted Olympic athletes, world renowned musicians, Fortune 500 CEOs, psychologists, and world-class entertainers. Lisa’s strategies for achieving lasting results and fulfillment are regarded as the platinum standard in the coaching industry. Lisa captured the attention of heads of state and the U.S. Army. Christiansen has impacted the lives of millions of people from 30 countries. Lisa has been honored by Cambridge Society of Who’s Who as one of the Top Business Intellectuals in the World. Lisa has helped millions of people create extraordinary lives globally. Her expertise and guidance has enriched the lives of icons such as pop superstar Kelly Clarkson, Olympian Dara Torres, and superstar Patrick Dempsey.

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Posted on November 22, 2012, in Wealth Creation and tagged Actress: Can’t Buy Me Love. A life coach, and personal empowerment expert, business consultant, climate, Donald Trump, Dr. Lisa Christiansen, gaming, health and wellness, life coach, Lisa Christiansen, Lisa Christine Christiansen, motivational speaker, Patrick Dempsey, science, self empowerment, success coach, super-bowl, technology, videogames. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.