Brain Training Flawed

Date: 2009 March 01 09:05

Posted by Joe

BBC News are running an interesting article about the popular Brain Training games. The article states the games are marketed as helping improve memory, keep the mind fit and active, and even in some cases starve off dementia.

"None of the claims was supported by peer-reviewed research in a recognised scientific journal and much of it was flawed, they concluded."
The article is based research by Consumer group Which? . Apparently surfing the internet or chatting to friends would have the same effect. They also cite Dr Chris Bird a clinical neuroscientist at University College London:
"There is no evidence that using this product will have any functional impact on your life whatsoever".

Martyn Hocking, editor at Which?, said:
"If people enjoy using these games, then they should continue to do so - that's a no-brainer."

Apparently people can get the same benefit from doing a crossword. Although the article fails to mention that you can't play Chrono Trigger or Mario Kart in a crossword book. ^_-