The market for brain-training software continues to grow, but evidence of the programs’ ability to boost memory or intelligence in a broadly applicable way (rather than simply making people better at the task they are practicing) remains scarce. New studies offer a tantalizing suggestion that certain programs may work—but the bulk of the research is murky.
Neuroscientist Peter Snyder of Brown University reviewed nearly 20 software studies and concluded that, as a group, they were underwhelming. They are marred by flaws that induce confounding factors, such as a lack of control groups and follow-up, Snyder warns. More than a third of those he reviewed were too shoddy even to include in the analysis he printed early this year in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. “You’d be surprised at what gets published,” he says. Although some products claimed to treat dementia, Snyder did not find any evidence to back such claims.
One paper, however, exceeded expectations: in a new study Snyder called the “most well-designed” of those he evaluated, the Mayo Clinic tested the Brain Fitness Program by Posit Science. [For a review of this and other programs, see “Brain Trainers,” by Kaspar Mossman; Scientific American Mind, April/May/June 2009.] Encouragingly, the researchers found that the software boosted the brain in ways unrelated to the training. Rather than simply learning to parrot back what they had practiced, participants improved their test scores across a range of brain functions, says clinical neuropsychologist Glenn Smith, who led the study.
People who used the program bolstered their working memory—the system that holds information in mind momentarily in tasks such as dialing phone numbers—and processing speed, two assets that deteriorate with age.
Still, the boost was minimal. Subjects who played improved their memory by twice as much as did those in the control group (who spent an equal amount of time watching educational documentaries). After eight weeks of training, that improvement was only about 4 percent. Small effects such as those are a hallmark of brain-training software studies, Snyder says. He adds, however, “This is a good first study to emerge out of a terribly messy literature,” and he would like to see if it can be replicated. Posit Science funded the study, but none of the researchers involved has a financial stake in the company.
Although the magnitude of improvement may be small, training’s effect on the brain is visible, according to another recent study. In February neuroscientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden used PET and functional MRI scans to reveal changes in the number of receptors for dopamine—a chemical messenger involved in learning, among other important functions. Whether volunteers started with a relatively low or relatively high number of dopamine receptors, brain training resulted in a shift closer to the optimum balance.
“We know that the brain is plastic,” says Torkel Klingberg, the lead neuroscientist for the investigation. “But nobody has shown that the biochemistry of the brain is plastic in this way.” He developed the program used in the study, called Cogmed Working Memory Training, and he has shares in the company.
Snyder praised Klingberg’s study but also pointed out that it is a given that the brain will change in response to a variety of interventions. From his perspective, software companies remain hard-pressed to prove their products do much, especially over the long term, and few programs have demonstrated the flexibility to boost skills that were not practiced.
The best memory enhancer is exercise, Snyder says. [For more on exercise and the brain, see “Fit Body, Fit Mind?”] Secondarily, a good diet and an active social life have brain benefits. Does software improve on those standbys, he asks? “Frankly, I have my doubts. The evidence isn’t in.”
See what we're tweeting about
10 Comments
Add CommentI work for Posit Science. If you have questions about how our programs work and the science behind them you can visit positscience.com or call me at 1-415-230-3744.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFrank Contreras
Do the different kind of Games have the same effect on human's mind? or do they sharpen our mind or brain through different angles? For example, playing Counter Terrorist improves people's speed of response. That's what I concern.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo the different kind of Games have the same effect on human's mind? or do they sharpen our mind or brain through different angles? For example, playing Counter Terrorist improves people's speed of response. That's what I concern.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo the different kind of Games have the same effect on human's mind? Except the same effect on human's mind, do they own individual effects on sharpening our mind or brain through different angles? For example, playing Counter Terrorist improves people's speed of response. That's what I concern.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have been working in the brain fitness space since 2001 and we have come along way. There has been significant scientific studies over the last 5 years that illustrate how we can maintain and develop our cognitive skills through our lifespan. Our company has started to launch pilots that provide more efficacy to our software. I truly believe the next 5 years will see a lot of positive developments in this area.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMichael
www.fitbrains.com
There are a lot of brain training games that you can play to improve the fitness of your brain.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSome of them are also free like the one on www.Mind360.com
There is a growing body of scientific evidence that brain games do work, some of which can be found here: http://www.happy-neuron.com/science/brain-science-research
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAn interesting article that addresses the question "Do brain training games work" can be found at <a href="http://realbraintraining.blogspot.com/2012/04/does-lumosity-work.html">here.</a> http://. It sites several recent studies that strongly indicate well designed brain training games can significantally improve memory and fluid intelligence.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTJ.
I think brain games work pretty well. Games like braintraining on the DS, I don't think so. You'll just get better at the games instead of improving your actual cognitive skills. The creators themselves admitted that. It's for entertainment purposes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut, if you take a site like http://braingymmer.com with games all based upon neuroscientific research, or another similar site, I think you can actually achieve some nice results with daily training.
At least I feel like it's helping for me, and I train about 15 minutes a day.
First off, interest review.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFrom my own research (no i'm not a scientist) there are a few programs out there you can buy online that are creditable and do offer follow ups and group discussions. I believe in strengthening the mind with mind exercises 100%.
You can read my review on such a program at http://memorytechniques.org.