12-Week StrongerMemory Program Lifts Cognitive Scores in 102 Older Adults
Updated
Updated · PsyPost · Aug 5
12-Week StrongerMemory Program Lifts Cognitive Scores in 102 Older Adults
3 articles · Updated · PsyPost · Aug 5
Summary
A 12-week routine of 10 minutes each of reading aloud, handwriting and simple math raised average Mini Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores to 13.26 from 12.73 among 102 adults aged 59 and older.
The gain came almost entirely from memory recall, and participants also said their memory felt better after completing 30 minutes of daily exercises plus weekly group check-ins.
Community-dwelling participants—whether living alone or with others—improved more than those in continuing care retirement communities after researchers adjusted for starting differences.
The study had no control group, so researchers could not rule out placebo effects or benefits from social contact, and the score increase was small enough that daily-life impact remains unclear.
Still, the low-cost program adds to interest in non-drug approaches to cognitive decline by combining multiple tasks that may strengthen cognitive reserve and neural plasticity.