Do brain-training games help prevent cognitive decline?
Cognitive training has a demonstrable, albeit modest, benefit for people with Alzheimer's disease or mild dementia, but does not work for everyone, and in progressive MS no effect has been found at all. If you or a loved one is already experiencing memory problems, it is worth discussing this with a specialist.
Cognitive training offers modest benefits to people who already have memory problems, but these studies say nothing about healthy individuals who want to prevent decline. In Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), meta-analyses found a medium-sized positive effect on general thinking ability, with a slightly larger effect in people with Alzheimer's than in those with MCI. That improvement remained visible at follow-up.
Cognitive training works most clearly in mild dementia. The more severe the dementia, the less certain the benefit. Cognitive rehabilitation, which teaches people to cope with everyday limitations, also reduces the burden on caregivers. These are meaningful practical gains, even if the cognitive effects are not spectacularly large.
Whether brain stimulation adds anything to cognitive training remains unclear. A well-designed randomised study found no advantage of the combination on the primary outcome measure. A weak positive signal on working memory disappeared as soon as the most rigorous method of analysis was applied. This puts a brake on overly optimistic claims about 'enhanced' training protocols.
In progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a large international study across six countries found that cognitive rehabilitation produced no measurable gain. That is a clear negative result. In Parkinson's disease there are preliminary indications, but it has not yet been demonstrated that training slows the transition to dementia.
Based on two meta-analyses/systematic reviews (PMID 38937842, 39485657), one large international RCT (PMID 36931302/32949546), one double-blind placebo-controlled RCT (PMID 38212815), a review on Parkinson's disease (PMID 28257128), and a consensus article on Alzheimer's treatment (PMID 40442885). All studies concern people with existing cognitive complaints or diseases, not healthy older adults.
Does regular sauna use protect your brain against decline?
There are indications that very frequent sauna use (four to seven times per week) is associated with lower rates of dementia, but the evidence is observational and has not yet been confirmed in women or other groups. It is an interesting lifestyle factor to watch, but not a proven form of protection.
Does olive oil protect your brain against decline?
Extra virgin olive oil as part of the Mediterranean diet has been associated with less cognitive decline in multiple studies, but whether olive oil itself is the protective factor has not been proven. Anyone wishing to support their brain health would do well to follow the complete dietary pattern, not just the olive oil.
Does exercise really help with depression and anxiety?
Yes, exercise genuinely works: for mild to moderate depression it is as effective as medication, for anxiety disorders it is slightly less strong but still clearly effective, and it combines well with other treatments.
Do your brains really shrink as you get older?
Your brain does indeed shrink with age, particularly in areas involved in memory and planning. High blood pressure accelerates that process, while exercise and cognitive effort strengthen your brain's compensatory activity.
Does years of insufficient sleep damage your brain?
Years of insufficient sleep damages the brain through multiple pathways at once, and some of that damage appears difficult or impossible to reverse. Make sure you consistently get enough sleep, and have sleep apnoea treated if you have symptoms of it.
Which lifestyle habits protect your brain health over the long term?
Cognitive activities, a plant-based dietary pattern, and regular exercise, preferably in combination, offer the best-supported protection for your brain over the long term. Hard cause-and-effect evidence is still lacking, but the associations are broad and consistent enough to take seriously.