Brain games a scam?

[rexbeccarox]

Scam or not, exercising your brain couldn't hurt, right? I love anything that makes me think, whether it's actually improving my cognitive ability or not.

[Ryantology]

I think pretty much any video game will, in one way or another, make you exercise your cognitive functions. Even a simple game like Mario requires that you grasp the physics of his movement before you have any chance of success. A specific combination of timing and precision gets you results, and those are skills that can translate into many other applications.

In that spirit, yeah, games advertised for this specific purpose aren't necessarily being untruthful, but they are being very disingenuous.



It's fat free, so it's okay to eat the whole box!

[Losty]

Sudoku I meant, apparently. it's what grandma likes, but she's the only person who's ever said the word to me.

:o

I love sudoku!

---

I think pretty much any video game will, in one way or another, make you exercise your cognitive functions. Even a simple game like Mario requires that you grasp the physics of his movement before you have any chance of success. A specific combination of timing and precision gets you results, and those are skills that can translate into many other applications.

In that spirit, yeah, games advertised for this specific purpose aren't necessarily being untruthful, but they are being very disingenuous.



It's fat free, so it's okay to eat the whole box!

Oh no, now I want Swedish fish!

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I did read a study looking at those brain games on the Nintendo DS a couple of years back (brain training and the like).

It concluded that the claims of the manufacturer that they helped your 'brain age' were irresolvable or suspect.

I'll try and dig it out if I can remember where I saw it.

I found this article dated October 30, 2013 on the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft website.

How video gaming can be beneficial for the brain

Video gaming causes increases in the brain regions responsible for spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning as well as fine motor skills. This has been shown in a new study conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Charité University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus.

In order to investigate how video games affect the brain, scientists in Berlin have asked adults to play the video game “Super Mario 64” over a period of two months for 30 minutes a day. A control group did not play video games. Brain volume was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In comparison to the control group the video gaming group showed increases of grey matter, in which the cell bodies of the nerve cells of the brain are situated. These plasticity effects were observed in the right hippocampus, right prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum. These brain regions are involved in functions such as spatial navigation, memory formation, strategic planning and fine motor skills of the hands. Most interestingly, these changes were more pronounced the more desire the participants reported to play the video game.

Thanks.

However I think the issues were with the way the creator's of the brain training game(s) claimed that it could make your brain younger (???) or something similar to that.

I remember playing it once and it said I had the brain of a 30 year old or something. The way it quantified this I think was where the article I read found it to be completely bogus.

[vorlon13]

Doesn't mean another group of poobahs won't come up with a completely different prayer format, and it will become a new 'thing' to instigate violence.

[pocaracas]

I play sudoku on my phone and have been looking for a good slide puzzle game for my phone but can't find them, as well as "kakuro" puzzles (math crosswords that are deceptively fun but I'm not positive that's what they're called...)

My new addiction: https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai...poweroftwo
I'm sure there's something similar for any platform...
Even online!
http://poweroftwo.nemoidstudio.com/32768

[Clueless Morgan]

I play sudoku on my phone and have been looking for a good slide puzzle game for my phone but can't find them, as well as "kakuro" puzzles (math crosswords that are deceptively fun but I'm not positive that's what they're called...)

My new addiction: https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai...poweroftwo
I'm sure there's something similar for any platform...
Even online!
http://poweroftwo.nemoidstudio.com/32768

o0o0o0o, it's like a combination of math crosswords and minesweeper!! At least from how I assume it's played. I'd definitely check out the online version and then see if there's a compatible app for my iphone!

Thanks for the recommendation!

EDIT: HOLY SHIT THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!

[Bittersmart]

Are these brain game companies like Lumosity just a scam? They promise that playing these computer games everyday will improve overall cognitive ability. Or are you just improving your ability to beat the games?

I don't know for sure, but as soon as I was getting into the games, a screen popped up saying I needed to pay a shitload of money to continue.

No thanks. I'll just stick to my Sudoku books, then.

[Clueless Morgan]

My new addiction: https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai...poweroftwo
I'm sure there's something similar for any platform...
Even online!
http://poweroftwo.nemoidstudio.com/32768

Check out my high score!!! 23960, YEAH!!



Also, I got my mom addicted to this game.

[pocaracas]

My new addiction: https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai...poweroftwo
I'm sure there's something similar for any platform...
Even online!
http://poweroftwo.nemoidstudio.com/32768

Check out my high score!!! 23960, YEAH!!

---

---

Also, I got my mom addicted to this game.

oh, what have I done!!?!?!?


My personal record on my android is 29052... but my usual score is in the 8000 ~ 14000 range. I think I only went above 20000 twice.