Rutgers Researchers Test How Older Adults Master Multitasking

For adults older than 60, the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously is essential for maintaining independence and quality of life. 

To learn more about the efficacy of multitasking and how people can protect these skills as they age, Rutgers Health researchers have launched the MUltitasking STrategy Training Study (MUST Study), which is funded by the National Institutes of Health – National Institute on Aging. They are seeking participants for the research.

The researchers seek to understand how targeted online cognitive training can improve people’s ability to multitask – a skill that is essential for independence but naturally declines as we age. 

“While we are often told to avoid multitasking, life frequently demands it,” said Sharon Sanz Simon, neuropsychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and core faculty member of the Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center within the Rutgers Brain Health Institute. “Whether you are preparing a complex meal while managing a conversation or navigating a busy street while following directions, multitasking is unavoidable.”

We aim to move beyond the debate of whether multitasking is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and instead provide evidence-based tools for when it is necessary.

Sharon Sanz Simon

Principal Investigator

Through mid-2027, researchers are recruiting cognitively healthy participants ages 60 to 75. The randomized controlled trial, conducted over five to six months, investigates whether a specially designed online cognitive training program can strengthen attention control and multitasking abilities in cognitively healthy older adults – critical skills that naturally decline with age.

For the study, researchers have developed “The Breakfast Game,” a specialized online game designed to simulate real-life situations, providing a practical tool to sharpen executive functions. In the game, participants are asked to set tables for guests according to specific rules while simultaneously cooking different food items under timed demands. 

Following a successful pilot trial that demonstrated the benefits of this training, researchers are expanding the program to investigate how cognitive outcomes interact with biological metrics, including cardiovascular risk factors and Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers.

“We aim to move beyond the debate of whether multitasking is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and instead provide evidence-based tools for when it is necessary,” said Simon, the principal investigator of the study. “By the conclusion of this study, we hope to offer health providers and the public an innovative, digital training program and a tool that integrates neuroscience with practical brain health education to foster long-term cognitive resilience.”

For more information, visit ClinicalTrials.gov or email researchers at engaging.lab@rutgers.edu.