Residents of Coastal Heights Senior Living in Costa Mesa gather round the activity table as UC Irvine junior Kaitlin To passes out packets filled with math and reading exercises. These brain games have become a popular way to pass the time among the older adults, who eagerly await the start of the session. When the timer begins, silence fills the room – save for the sound of pencils on paper as participants race to solve math equations.

“Thank goodness I haven’t lost my brain yet,” one resident comments jokingly to To’s partner, UC Irvine junior Neha Gujjula, before returning to the list of basic addition and subtraction problems.

Gujjula and To are co-presidents of the Brain Exercise Initiative at UC Irvine. Founded in 2019, BEI is a nonprofit dedicated to improving cognitive function in individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease. The UC Irvine chapter emerged in August 2023, reviving its pre-COVID-19 pandemic predecessor.

“We were initially interested in cognitive research. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading type of dementia in the United States, and as our population ages, cognitive decline becomes a more salient issue,” To says. “But post-pandemic, the rise of loneliness – especially in older people – was also a motivating factor to create this organization and reconnect with others.”

Gujjula, a neurobiology major, and To, an ecology and evolutionary biology major, say that bringing BEI’s mission to UC Irvine allows them to shed light on the prevalence of all memory impairments – not just Alzheimer’s – within the geriatric population.

“Unlike other pre-health clubs offering clinical experience, we’re connecting on an individual level, working one on one with these residents to strengthen their minds,” Gujjula says. “With memory retention, engaging with the residents and getting to know them are important – we want to build a relationship with each person we work with.”

Members of the Brain Exercise Initiative at UC Irvine volunteer at various memory care and assisted living facilities in Orange County, such as The Groves in Tustin, Pacifica Senior Living South Coast and Coastal Heights Senior Living in Costa Mesa, and Regents Point and Atria Golden Creek in Irvine.

At each location, the student-led club holds weekly activity sessions based on the research of neuroscientist Ryuta Kawashima, who found that reading aloud and completing basic math exercises for 10 to 30 minutes a day resulted in marked improvements in cognition and quality of life for patients with mild to moderate dementia.

Applying this research to their mission of diminishing cognitive decline, the students train the brain with simple math, writing and reading tasks. They also host trivia competitions, puzzle games and craft activities to enhance memory and problem-solving skills.

Although some residents initially harbored doubts about BEI, the co-presidents say, their increasing willingness to participate is encouraging. Some of the older adults now invite their visiting family members to take part in the sessions as well.

“A lot of times, we’re decades apart from the residents we’re working with,” To says. “But as we engage with them, the brain exercises become a lighthearted activity that bridges the generations.”

When asked what they envision for the future of the Brain Exercise Initiative at UC Irvine, the co-presidents say they hope to expand their outreach – strengthening current partnerships and forging new ones – to better serve elderly populations. They also welcome the idea of creating a high school division of BEI to familiarize younger audiences with the organization’s goal of enhancing cognition.

“The more we can educate others about Alzheimer’s and memory-related disorders in general, the better,” Gujjula says. “It’s rewarding to spend time with these residents and know that our work is helping to improve the lives of others.”