"People often think that the best way to get better at something is to simply practice it over and over again, but robust skill learning is actually supported by variation in practice," says lead investigator Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow, a professor emerita of educational psychology at Illinois.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that varied mental exercises supercharge learning and enhance working memory for those over 60, challenging long-held assumptions about brain training.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of four mental workout regimens focused on working memory. This variety in task engagement showed stronger cognitive benefits than repetition.
Working memory, the cognitive equivalent of a mental juggling act, tends to decline with age, affecting daily tasks and social interactions. Varied exercises help mitigate this decline.
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