A double‑blind McGill University–led clinical trial reports that 10 weeks of BrainHQ exercises increased a PET marker of cholinergic function in healthy older adults by an amount the authors say roughly offsets about a decade of age‑related decline. The peer‑reviewed study used a specialized tracer to confirm the biochemical change.
In a randomized, double‑blind clinical trial, researchers at McGill University found that targeted, game‑like cognitive training can measurably strengthen the brain’s cholinergic system in older adults.
Published in JMIR Serious Games, the INHANCE trial enrolled 92 community‑dwelling participants aged 65 and older. Volunteers were randomly assigned to either a speed‑based BrainHQ program or to an active control of recreational computer games. Both groups trained at home for about 30 minutes a day over 10 weeks (approximately 35 hours total) on internet‑connected devices; the McGill release notes that activities were assigned on tablets.
Using [18F]FEOBV PET imaging to index vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) binding, the authors reported a significant increase in cholinergic binding after BrainHQ training in their primary region of interest (anterior cingulate cortex). On average, the gain was about 2.3% over 10 weeks—comparable in magnitude (but opposite in direction) to the ~2.5% decline the literature estimates over a decade of aging, the paper notes. No comparable PET change was seen in the active‑control group. Exploratory analyses showed within‑group increases in the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus among BrainHQ users. Broader neuropsychological measures did not show significant between‑group differences immediately post‑training, while performance improved on the trained tasks, as expected.
“The training restored cholinergic health to levels typically seen in someone 10 years younger,” said senior author Dr. Etienne de Villers‑Sidani, a neurologist at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute‑Hospital). “This is the first time any intervention, drug or non‑drug, has been shown to do that in humans,” he added.
The work drew on The Neuro’s capacity to produce and use the FEOBV tracer, a capability available at relatively few centers worldwide, according to McGill. The study was conducted independently by McGill investigators in collaboration with Posit Science, which provided access to BrainHQ; data collection and analyses were led by McGill. Funding came from the U.S. National Institute on Aging.
The authors say the cholinergic boost observed here may help explain past reports linking this type of speed‑of‑processing training to lower dementia risk, and they plan a follow‑up trial in people with early‑stage dementia. They caution that while the PET signal increased, the trial was not designed to demonstrate disease prevention, and clinical outcomes will require further study.