Does brain training work? Not according to an article that has just appeared in Nature.
Paper here, video here
or here.
These results provide no evidence for any generalized improvements in cognitive function following brain training in a large sample of healthy adults. This was true for both the ‘general cognitive training’ group (experimental group 2) who practised tests of memory, attention, visuospatial processing and mathematics similar to many of those found in commercial brain trainers, and for a more focused training group (experimental group 1) who practised tests of reasoning, planning and problem solving. Indeed, both groups provided evidence that training-related improvements may not even generalize to other tasks that use similar cognitive functions.
Note that they were specifically looking for transfer effects. The specific tasks practised did themselves show improvements.
Brain training, for those not following the link, refers to playing games involving particular mental skills (e.g. memory). The study ran six weeks.
I don’t think the experiment looks definite—the control group did not appear as thoroughly distinguished from the test groups as I would have liked—but the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (who were partners in the experiment) is well-regarded enough that I would call the null result major evidence.
Does brain training work? Not according to an article that has just appeared in Nature. Paper here, video here or here.
Note that they were specifically looking for transfer effects. The specific tasks practised did themselves show improvements.
Brain training, for those not following the link, refers to playing games involving particular mental skills (e.g. memory). The study ran six weeks.
I don’t think the experiment looks definite—the control group did not appear as thoroughly distinguished from the test groups as I would have liked—but the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (who were partners in the experiment) is well-regarded enough that I would call the null result major evidence.
The fact that they studied adults rather than children may make a difference.