Apr 22
Just a video game, nothing more nothing less
Sorry… but brain training games don’t work. Your IQ is set by genetics.
"Even for the people that trained more than average, there was still no translation to any general improvement in cognitive function," says study researcher Jessica A. Grahn, PhD, also with MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, during the telephone news conference. "Some of things they were practicing, like getting faster at math, may be useful in and of itself. But if you are [brain training] to see a generalized improvement in overall function, the evidence does not support it."
No word on if they help kids with still forming brains.
April 22nd, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Your raw intelligence (what IQ tries to measure) is set by early development, yes. However, mental exercises have been shown to be beneficial for things like preventing Alzheimer’s.
The simple fact is that you get better at things you practice, be it problem solving or physical motion.
April 22nd, 2010 at 9:57 pm
When someone discovers how the brain “thinks” let me know. I’ll make sure all correct moral decisions are catalogued!
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:00 am
Not sure how to comment on this post:
A) Get off my back, dear. I love my Cross Sums and Sudoku. I long ago mastered both Brain Age versions. It isn’t time “wasted” because I wasn’t trying to improve my intelligence.
B) Just like training your body, you have to push your brain to grow/improve.
C) My grandmother knew that word & number puzzles and solitaire were helping her keep focused and sharp when her Lupus treatments were messing with her cognitive abilities. That was 20 years ago.
D) How much money was spent for this research??!! If it was publicly funded, how many cancer treatments could these same dollars have bought?
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:13 am
Didn’t say they didn’t help some things, just not intelligence.
As to the merits of the research… if it had proved that this helped people recover or get smarter, it would have been worth it. You can’t judge research totally on the outcome.
I’ll leave alone the implied opportunity to suggest better uses for the time.
April 23rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
If the research is done using my tax dollars (or in England, pounds) I can judge the research based on its outcome, either partially or totally. It seems, however, that an assessment of what the research was trying to accomplish vs. using those same funds to save an actual life is valid criteria. Especially with limited resources.
April 23rd, 2010 at 1:44 pm
There seems plenty of incentive for privately funded research to see what can help the brain.