Your brain slows down as early as age 24! This is the disturbing finding of a study of Starcraft 2 players published by Canadian scientists in April 2014.
Computer games as a research method
Computer games as a research method? A truly useful tool, as computer games offer several advantages for research. Firstly, players must make complex, highly realistic decisions. Thus, the speed of the decisions made can be compared to real-life decisions. Furthermore, motor skills are put to the test. Playing games trains hand-eye coordination and can be tested. Strictly speaking, the speed of decisions made can be studied in a very comprehensible way. Furthermore, the game is played online, so the data is easily accessible, and recordings of entire game sessions can be easily saved and analyzed.
The research team at Simon Fraser University in Canada, led by Joseph Thompson, wanted to investigate the age at which the brain's reaction speed (looking-doing latency) declines in a complex, realistic task. The study examined 3,305 players between the ages of 16 and 44, each of whom played against an opponent of similar skill level. To examine brain activity, the study participants were asked to play the computer game Starcraft 2. This game was chosen because of its highly complex structure, with players commanding their own armies and attacking those of other players. All of these "chess moves" take place in parallel, and the player must assess the situation in real time and react accordingly. Thus, players are constantly on the move, never having a complete overview of the situation, but only small sections of the playing field. It's important to concentrate on the essentials, operate in detail, and not lose track of the bigger picture. Extremely complex!
The most important research criteria
1. Does reaction time increase with age?
2. When exactly does this increase begin?
3. Can experience compensate for this increase?
The study showed these shocking results!
The researchers came to the surprising conclusion that a significantly measurable increase in reaction time was observed starting at age 24. "Beyond the age of about 24, players show a decline in an area of cognitive speed that is important for in-game performance," reports study leader Joseph Thompson. This decline is evident even in good players. Some performance declines can be compensated for through training and alternative skills or strategies, but not reaction speed. This means that no matter how good a player they are, players' performance declines with age because they become slower. This is clearly evident in the various Starcraft 2 leagues: Hardly any player in the two top divisions was over 35. Thompson said he was surprised at how early this decline begins and how large the effect is, even among participants over 30. This may seem surprising and alarming, but in normal life, you hardly notice it. Your brain adapts without you noticing. We've often observed older players playing at a higher level than would be expected based on their speed. Apparently, they compensate for their longer reaction time by playing more efficiently and using simpler strategies." The study's conclusion: While your brain slows down after age 24, older people can develop strategies with increasing experience to at least partially compensate for their declining thinking speed.
And this is what happens in your brain...
It is now clear that mental performance declines from the age of 24. But what is the reason for this? The main reason for this decline is that your brain is constantly changing. From the age of 24, the myelin structures in your brain change and an important substance, the nutrient choline, is produced in reduced quantities. Choline ensures that a sufficient amount of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is produced in your brain. This is essential for the transmission of stimuli and information in your brain. If this substance is missing, mental deficits occur, such as a slowed reaction speed. So the lower the concentration of choline in the brain becomes with age, the less acetylcholine is produced.
BRAINEFFECT FOCUS contains a sophisticated mix of nutrients to support the brain in thinking and reacting.
The study impressively demonstrates that it makes sense to do something for your brain at a young age, and not just when the choline deficiency becomes so severe in old age that memory lapses or concentration difficulties occur. But what are the options for stopping the decline in your mental responsiveness? Citicoline is contained in numerous dietary supplements and is a precursor for the important building block of nerve cells in the brain. Citicoline is therefore the best means of improving mental performance because it reaches the brain quickly and directly. Citicoline can cross the blood-brain barrier without undergoing lengthy conversion processes. Once in the brain, citicoline supplies you with the important neurotransmitter acetylcholine and can thus exert its positive effect on your mental performance!
study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3981764/
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