Marilyn Albert

The fact that it's lasted and had an impact over 20 years is astonishing.

The study used Medicare records to track more than 2,800 people who took part in a brain training experiment that started in 1998.

Marilyn Albert of Johns Hopkins University says participants who did something called cognitive speed training were about 25% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia.

The people who got long-term protection completed about 10 hours of speed training, then got booster sessions many months later.

Speed training is designed to help people acquire automatic skills, like riding a bike.

John Hamilton, NPR News.