Brain fitness is a controversial topic. Can you really prevent or slow memory loss by "training your brain?" Do improved scores on brain fitness programs translate to improved functionality in everyday life?
There's not enough evidence to answer these questions. But scientists will have some data to analyze when the results of Brain Test Britain are announced next March. The study aims to test whether a specific program of brain training can improve performance on unrelated tests of brain function.
The study is being conducted online, so anyone can participate. I signed up, but have had a hard time finding the 10 minutes, three times per week that is required. My inbox is full of messages like this one: "You haven't done a Brain Test Britain training session for ages. This is your last reminder!"
Each 10 minute session has three exercises, which require you to look up information online (the length of a particular river, for example) and then put the information you find in order from highest to lowest. The first few sessions were easy for me, but now they've gotten a bit "tricky." Today, the program timed out as I was trying to compare the number of months the Spanish Civil War lasted to the number of months it takes the average London cabbie to learn "The Knowledge." A low score for me today!
But my score isn't the point - it's whether participants as a group do better on the brain function tests after the six week training period.
You can sign up to take part in this study on the Brain Test Britain home page.
I wanted to comment about “brain fitness” being a controversial topic. There is no doubt that learning and challenging your brain re-wires your neurons to improve brain performance – that’s the way we learn and you can do so at any age. There is also no doubt that many activities don’t challenge your brain enough or in the right way to create improvements in brain performance. The question and where controversy enters the picture is figuring what can you do that will work.
There is high-quality research that backs-up the claims we make about helping consumers think faster, focus better and remember more. The IMPACT study (read more about it here http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=195 or here http://www.scribd.com/doc/17888028/Smith-2009-IMPACT-Study) conducted by Glenn Smith from Mayo Clinic and Liz Zelinksi at USC used Posit Science’s Brain Fitness Program. In fact, there are now over 30 published clinical studies from institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins showing that our technology can have a range of benefits from improved memory to lowered health care costs. We work with partners like the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Allstate, public television, and others to get the products into the hands of people who need it.
Posit Science puts the time and energy into delivering products for those demanding people. I am CEO and Dr. Mike Merzenich is founder and chief scientist and we make scientifically-validated software programs that can help you think faster, focus better and remember more. I invite you to try free exercises and learn more at www.positscience.com
Posted by: Steven Aldrich | October 31, 2009 at 08:22 PM