Brain training gets a cramp

Study published in Nature shows minuscule improvement to memory

Our ability to think, remember and problem-solve are among our most precious assets, so it's not surprising that brain training, especially through hand-held computers and online games, has given rise to a multimillion-dollar industry. But do these activities offer any return beyond entertainment value?
Brain training involves mental exercises designed to improve cognitive function, based on the hypothesis that the right type of brain workout will improve your grey matter's performance and agility.

Sudoku and crossword puzzles are popular low-tech ways to sharpen your brain's logic and problem-solving skills, but online game-playing has now become all the rage. Proponents tout such benefits as slowing and even reversing the cognitive decline associated with aging, and staving off Alzheimer's disease by improving information processing, verbal fluency, thinking and reaction times, as well as visual memory, or the ability to recall patterns.

While unproven, the suggestion is that the more synapses, or connections, you can develop between brain cells, the greater your chance of maintaining brain function.

Not surprisingly, much of the scientific interest in brain training has been in the healthy elderly or those with early Alzheimer's disease.

More than 10 studies of healthy elderly subjects found little improvement in cognitive functioning resulted from anti-brain-aging exercises.

In patients with early Alzheimer's, the results are a bit more promising, but the quality of the research so far is more problematic and thus unreliable. There is, however, a suggestion that when training focuses on what is lost in early Alzheimer's -- the ability to remember recent events, for instance -- some short-term recovery is seen.

In one large-scale study reported in Nature last month, Putting Brain Training to the Test, investigators in Britain recruited 11,430 participants aged 18 to 60 from the viewing audience of a popular BBC science program. They were asked to train at least 10 minutes a day, three times a week, for a minimum of six weeks.

They were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the first was to perform cognitive tasks that could improve memory, planning and reasoning; the second had tasks focused on concentration as well as visual and spatial skills; and a control group was assigned to answer obscure questions by surfing the Internet. All subjects were tested with IQ-type tests before and after the study period.

Despite a fair amount of effort, all this training resulted in only the most minuscule improvement in cognitive skills. Using memory as an example, the authors pointed out that while brain training improved subjects' ability to remember a string of numbers, it would take four years of this level of training to score a significant improvement.

What's the take-home message? If you're interested in sharpening your mind and potentially staving off the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, trade in that hour in front of a computer playing brain games for a brisk walk, bike ride or swim. Your brain will thank you for it.

Physical exercise, particularly endurance activities such as brisk walking, has been shown to be an effective way to improve mental function.

In one study, seniors who walked regularly showed significant improvement in memory, learning ability and concentration compared with their sedentary counterparts.

Social interaction is also an important way to stay sharp, be it bridge clubs or other venues that foster discussion.