Studies Confirm Brain Games Don't Work. Here's What To Do Instead.
Skip the games and try these proven strategies for genuine cognitive enhancement
Worried about your memory? You're not alone.
Millions of people are playing brain training games, hoping to stay sharp and prevent cognitive decline. Companies promise these games will improve your memory, boost your IQ, and even prevent Alzheimer's disease.
But here's what the science actually says: they probably don't work.
The Problem: Task-Specific vs. General Improvement
Most people imagine that brain training works exactly like physical exercise. Lift weights, get stronger. Train your brain, think better at everything.
But what actually happens is you get good at the game with very little carryover to the ways your brain tackles real life problems: remembering where you parked, finding your keys, and recalling why you walked into a room.
This has been shown in three recent studies:
University of Illinois (2016): Reviewed 130 brain training studies. Found people improved at the games they played but showed no improvement in unrelated tasks or daily cognitive performance.
Western University (2018): Tested 8,563 people who used brain training for up to 5 years. They performed no better than non-users on standard cognitive tests measuring memory, reasoning, and concentration.
Meta-analysis (2019): Examined 233 studies with 21,465 participants. Found zero improvement in general intelligence from brain training. The effect size for “far transfer” (improvement in different abilities) was 0.00.
There’s often not much in science where the verdict is clear. But on brain training games, it is: they don’t improve general cognitive function.
So What Actually Increases Neuroplasticity:
The good news is that neuroscience has identified multiple evidence-based ways to enhance brain plasticity and cognitive function.
Unlike brain training games that isolate specific tasks, these approaches engage your brain in complex, interconnected ways that translate to real-world benefits.
Aerobic exercise - 30 minutes of cardio increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which promotes new neural connections
Learn a new skill - Musical instruments, languages, or crafts create new neural pathways through complex, real-world challenges
Quality sleep - 7-9 hours allows your brain to consolidate memories and clear metabolic waste
Social connection - Regular interaction with others engages multiple brain regions simultaneously
Novel experiences - Travel, new routes to work, or unfamiliar activities force your brain to adapt and form new connections
Mediterranean diet - Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and reduced inflammation support brain health
Meditation - Regular practice increases gray matter density and strengthens neural networks
Reduce chronic stress - Prolonged cortisol exposure damages neurons; stress management protects brain plasticity
Great list! Brain health is so much more straightforward than we're lead to believe.
Exercising even a portion of your advice will boost anyone's mental ability, linking directly with their quality of life.
That said, I need to ask, have you ever heard of or researched BrainHQ before? It's the only brain training app from my understanding that's backed by hard neuroscience, founded by Michael M. Merzenich, PhD. I myself am not certified in the field, and have therefore generally kept it to myself as an experiment. But I've used it for years, and have trusted it on the fact that compared with similar apps, it's super tiring after only a few minutes, and I have noticed improvements in certain cognitive abilities (memory, focus, reaction time) outside using the app... though these could be incidental as I also follow many good habits as the ones outlined in your article.
From their webpage:
"BrainHQ is the result of years of effort by leading scientists from around the world, who have given their input and energy to create a distinctive, rigorous approach to brain training. Perhaps even more importantly, many exercises in BrainHQ have been proven to change cognitive function in hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific papers. These changes include better memory, faster processing, and sharper attention—but they also include more confidence, safer driving, happier mood, better health outcomes, and other benefits for everyday life."
I haven't used it in recent months since my routine is off kilter, seeing my grandmother at the hospital every other day while she's treated for cancer, and I believe not to feel as mentally sharp... but then there's been a lot of stress, which would also change everything.
It certainly wouldn't replace proper habits and behaviours as you've shared in this article today, but does it stand out against the slew of apps promising similar claims? If someone had absolutely no other options, would they be benefited by its use? Your thoughts on this matter I'd find incredibly interesting!
*helpful and interesting