Do brain training exercises and cognitive training programs work?
A. As a category, it certainly seems so, as long as we ask the right questions: Which programs?, Work For Whom, Work For What?. Brain training can appear very confusing as the media keeps reporting contradictory claims. These claims are often based on press releases, without a deeper evaluation of the scientific evidence. In summary, I’d say that research has shown how brain and cognitive training can help healthy adults improve specific cognitive skills, and improvements seem to last longer than the training itself. Not only that, but cognitive training seems to help adults in the early stages of cognitive impairment and even Alzheimer’s Disease. Now, not all programs do the same, so consumers and professionals must make well-informed decisions. There are no magic pills out there.
