Brain training: does it work? by Nature Video

[daniel93382]

In a way he has a point. You can't be better at the trumpet by practicing violin, however, you can be better at other string-based instruments by practicing only the violin. Same rational line of thought applies to other aspects of life.

[agapitoflores001]

To optimize the functions of our brain we really should train it, because if not, according to studies only about 25% of it is utilized.

[davidhubball]

This whole video by the BBC is a conspiracy!!!!

Brain training games do help your mental ability and sharpen up your mind. For example I've not been playing these games for the last 12 months and my concentration and mental ability a definitely weaker - I should know as my wife keeps shouting at me when I'm driving and when I lose concentration when people are talking - especially in a morning!!!

[zajec11]

Ahhh this is total bullshiiitt... Logically everyone knows that if people become good at many things then they are very likely to be good at new things they will start doing

[fastcashproducts]

bit.ly / lY0LsO

Check out the link above—it's a brain training program called the ZOX Pro System, developed by Richard Welsh. With this system, there is so much potential that your brain is able to unlock!

[TwistedMind6969]

Wow, this is not right. Brain training works (at least it did 4 me). I had a tough time during my life where I lost my job and my mother had a heart attack shortly after. My mind went upside down and I couldn’t think straight. I started with Lumosity. Then began playing chess, reading & writing more than ever. On top of that, I increased my vocabulary in the 5 languages I’m fluent in. I’m sharper than a butcher knife now. It’s a slow process, it doesn’t happen in a few weeks.

[Molhedim]

After so many years i spend playing games , i must to be an motherfuker rocket scientist.Lets put me to the test : 1+1=3 .....nope , still a retard.

[SatanicFuneral]

what the fuck is this retarded piece of shit

[iBlindGame]

People really ought to spend time learning how to spot logical fallacies if they want to be better thinkers.

We Have the Results and Only We Have the Results

watch?v=iQdJuQLNFCk

[DynamicMentalFitness]

One more note on the skepticism regarding the time-frame involved: in the Dual N-Back (Susanne M. Jaeggi et. al.) study, subjects practiced the dual n-back test for about 20 minutes a day for up to 19 days - and BASED ON THAT MEAGER TIME FRAME, brain game proponents hit the airwaves and webwaves to promote that brain games are the holy grail. So, it's hypocritical for those same people to complain that the study featured on BBC is too short. Heck, it included 12,000 people just about.

[DynamicMentalFitness]

The fact that DualNBack appears to do the job is fantastic, but brain games can't take credit for the fact. What CAN be done is that providers might look at the reasons behind the benefits of such activities as DualNBack and creatively PRODUCE brain games that have a similar or even better effect. EVERYBODY WINS in this scenario, and the fact that this study was conducted and popularized is GREAT for the industry.

[DynamicMentalFitness]

Yes, there are reasons to complain about the study - length of time, lack of intensity, etc. - but the truth is that this a GOOD THING for the brain training industrial complex. It is GOOD because it forces the pros and researchers to get their act together in order to present better measured and replicable RESULTS. Overwhelming PROOF is the answer to this study. If proof isn't doable, then brain training games can be re-purposed for the benefits they DO bring. If proof is doable, then good.

[mandolinroad]

Lord in heaven, please send me a woman like Liz. Intelligent AND hot, can it get any better?

[shanesworld5]

Its about keeping your brain elastic, hence healthy, young and vibrant. Not just improving your IQ. 

[BreachedWall]

The conclusion is way too dramatic. All this shows is that brain training for a short period of time using those specific brain training applications provides a negligible benefit to cognitive function. The test was not carried out for a long enough time period nor did it use a sufficient range of brain tests for the conclusions posited to be justified.

Then again, this is tv where a pretty woman making big conclusions is the name of the game - even at the cost of the preciseness of science.

[rickyale]

i never trusted this rating machines, most when they have this growing up animation

[mattarattat]

even if they did train more, and still weren't better at the other tests, isn't it true that the training helped their overall brain health?

[MrDementedbaboon]

DualNback. Bingo. Aerobic exercise. Creatine. Reading out loud as fast as you can. Juggling. Using different body parts than what you normally use to carry out the same task. Finally, study and learn deeply fundamental truths about reality, ie. stimulus/response in nature and general/ special relativity.

[tetsuo173]

pause at 0:37

[JUNKGEE83]

I still think it would have worked on kids.

[RaikenXion]

OMG! Am I the only person here who couldn't give a stuff bout Brain Training, but is more Interested in how terribly attractive Liz Bonin is????

[newt888]

great idea - research 2.0 - many fantastic possibilities

[CambridgeBrainSci]

In the paper we state that people were asked to log in for approximately 10 mins per day several times per week, but (importantly) the range (as stated in the paper) was 2-188 sessions over 6 weeks. People could train for as much or as little as they wanted. The 10 mins per day several times per week was simply the guide they were given.

[CambridgeBrainSci]

In fact, several hundred people did upwards of 180 sessions - that's equivalent to 30 hours training, yet these people did not improve either (in fact, there was no difference between these 'super trainers' and people who trained only once in 6 weeks!).

[DarkKnightBob1o1]

@CambridgeBrainSci COD6 'veterans' have no major advantage over the non-heroin addicts :)

[CambridgeBrainSci]

The point is, if you have thousands of participants, 'the average' ceases to become important because you have excellent sampling from across the entire range - Adrian Owen

[celinesbt]

To be specific, the study proved simply that the specific brain games they used in the test were not more efficient than the task they use in their control group. This result is not at all surprising when you consider their tools and their method.

[celinesbt]

With so many willing subjects involved, it is unfortunate that it was a wasted opportunity to apply depth and rigor and do a serious and responsible job. The ill founded experiment attempts to through the scientific baby out with the brain game bath water, and while, can be hyped for the benefit of promoting a TV show, in our sound-bite world detracts from serious scientific work.

[celinesbt]

Designing efficient brain training is a complex task that requires many important and essential elements you cannot get simply by compiling basic games (e.g. copying Nintendos game - task 1 with weight relationships) and expecting positive results with minimal training time. This is what makes the difference between gaming activity and a properly designed brain training program

[lunchboxxxxxxxxx]

By the way, the study was 6 weeks long, 3 days a week, 10 minutes a day. The total amount of time that these people did brain training is ONLY 3 HOURS TOTAL!

[lunchboxxxxxxxxx]

I am glad a study has been done on this but it simply wasn't conducted over a long enough period of time. If you look at the before and after graphs, there was actually a 6.5% increase in brain power. If the study had been for a year instead of 6 weeks, the increase in brain power would be 56.5% (although probably less, due to a plateau effect, but still a very significant difference.) The brain takes time to improve. There is a reason why we don't only go to school for only 6 weeks.

[LightJehuety]

@lunchboxxxxxxxxx How do you know it would be 56.5%? Also do you know of any other studies similar to this?

[AtomicAbility]

I just laugh at this "study" its so stupid. Six months is nothing to increase someone's brain power, it would likely take many types of activities, dedication and years from a young age.

[grumbel45]

@AtomicAbility It weren't even six month, but just six weeks.

[omiolo]

I find it interesting that they used the computer as the control.

[rjmehra]

RaikenXion, please do our gender a favour and keep your generalisations to yourself. Thanks.

[RaikenXion]

@rjmehra Whats wrong with what I said?? Are You not that good looking and Clever??

[spyxter]

Dual N back, peeps.

[RaikenXion]

OMG! shes is a very attractive woman, and shes like intelligent and into science?

[hmahncke]

The interpretation of this study is astonishingly over-reaching. They designed their own program, applied it at a low intensity in young people, and then saw no effect on cognitive function. To then claim that their data shows that other programs don't improve cognitive function is like saying "sugar doesn't help with a headache, and sugar and aspirin are both molecules, so aspirin must not help with headaches either."

Henry Mahncke

I am a researcher at Posit Science

[Terrencje]

sucks for all those moms with brin training for the ds,oh well they milked that cow dry long ago anyway :P