Zapping brain with electricity boosts working memory in older adults, study finds

Shooting electrical current into the brain of older adults reversed the decline in working memory that comes with aging, a new study finds. Researchers tested the approach in two groups of 42 people, one with people ages 20-29 and the other with people ages 60-76. The older group correctly answered questions in a memory test roughly 80% of the time — compared to the younger groups’ 90% — but quickly caught up to the younger groups’ rate after getting 25 minutes of alternating current that was delivered through a cap embedded with electrodes. The results are still preliminary, and additional research will be needed to determine how often stimulation would have to be given, and whether the artificial lab task translates into real-world benefits.