Evidence for age-associated cognitive decline from Internet game scores

INTRODUCTION: Lumosity's Memory Match (LMM) is an online game requiring visual working memory. Change in LMM scores may be associated with individual differences in age-related changes in working memory. METHODS: Effects of age and time on LMM learning and forgetting rates were estimated using data from 1890 game sessions for users aged 40 to 79 years. RESULTS: There were significant effects of age on baseline LMM scores (β = −.31, standard error or SE = .02, P < .0001) and lower learning rates (β = −.0066, SE = .0008, P < .0001). A sample size of 202 subjects/arm was estimated for a 1-year study for subjects in the lower quartile of game performance. DISCUSSION: Online memory games have the potential to identify age-related decline in cognition and to identify subjects at risk for cognitive decline with smaller sample sizes and lower cost than traditional recruitment methods.