You may already have a Nintendo Brain Age game, or at least
have heard of it. You may also have read recently that
start-up Lumos Labs raised $3m to develop "brain training
games".
From the press release:
- "Lumos Labs is at the center of a booming interest in
cognitive exercise and the emerging science about the
remarkable plasticity of the brain," said Amish Jani of
Pequot Ventures.
This and other developments (such as the success of
Nintendo Brain Age, and the PBS special devoted to brain
plasticity) are signs of growing interest and an incipient
market still in an immature stage--and that has resulted in
much misinformation and confusion.
Consumers, educators and health professionals will be
reading more and more about programs like Posit Science,
Dakim, Cogmed, Fast ForWord, MindFit, Lumosity, Happy
Neuron, FitBrains, MyBrainTrainer, and more.
The good news is that the brain is more flexible than once
thought. It can be improved, no matter our age.
The bad news is that it is difficult to separate marketing
from scientific claims, and to understand which program, if
any, may be a good complement to other healthy lifestyle
choices.
The reality is that, in this emerging field, no single
company or product has an overwhelming amount of efficacy
research behind. There is no General Solution, but useful
tools for specific groups of people with specific goals,
and budgets.
Let me address some typical questions:
- Do these programs cure Alzheimer's? No program can claim
that it specifically delays or prevents Alzheimer's disease
beyond general statements, such as that mental stimulation
together with other lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical
exercise and stress management) can contribute toward
building a cognitive reserve that may reduce the
probability of Alzheimer's-related symptoms.
- What can brain training do? Human cognitive abilities
evolve in a variety of ways with aging. Some improve, such
as pattern recognition and emotional self-regulation; some
decline, for example, speed of processing, working memory
and novel problem-solving. Certain mental abilities have
proved to be trainable, though, and this provides the
opportunity to improve brain performance and quality of
life, potentially prolonging one's independence and
autonomy.
- How do I evaluate whether any program is good for me or
my clients, patients or residents? Ask what cognitive
skills you want trained. Some programs present the benefits
in such a nebulous way that it is impossible to tell
whether or not they will yield any results. The general
wording "Brain training" itself is of limited benefit
because such activities as gardening or learning a new
language "train" the brain, too. One must ask whether an
improvement experienced in a brain training program will
transfer to real life, and usually that happens when a
person trains the cognitive skill or skills that are
specifically relevant-there are no general solutions to all
problems. Assessments are needed that are distinct from the
exercises.
- Is this just a fad that will soon vanish, or a first wave
of many? I believe technology is emerging as a welcome tool
for evaluating and training specific brain functions, and
this will enable the increasingly rapid growth of a
cognitive fitness field that can parallel physical fitness.
Now, what do you think?
----------------------------------------------------
Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of
SharpBrains.com, which reviews resources to test your brain
and improve cognitive ability. SharpBrains has been
recognized by Scientific American Mind, Newsweek, Forbes.
Alvaro holds MA in Education and MBA from Stanford
University, and teaches The Science of Brain Health at
UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute. You can learn more
at http://www.sharpbrains.com/
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