Cognitive Training Tasks, Or Brain Games - 1706 Words

There is no conclusive evidence as to whether or not cognitive training tasks, or brain games, are effective. Companies like Lumosity offer their users different games that target specific cognitive functions: memory, spatial awareness, problem solving, attention, reasoning, and more. Over time, the continued use of the games are supposed to improve cognition, and there are studies that show the effectiveness of the training; however, there are also studies that show how the training is not effective at all. With brain games being a new field of study, there are not many studies available, so there are many discontinuities among results. The purpose of this paper is to explore the different findings from various studies of brain games and their efficacy, and offer insight as to why the discrepancies exist. Brain games are a form of cognitive training and are specifically designed to train the brain by taking advantage of a phenomenon called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is defined on MedicineNet as the â€Å"brain s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life,† and it â€Å"allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment† (Neuroplasticity). Cognitive training is anything the works out the muscles of the brain: reading is a form of cognitive training. For this reason, not all games should be considered brain games because mostShow MoreRelatedHow Can Society Assist Successful Aging?1586 Words   |  7 Pagesassist successful aging? This question or quest has been a topic of great interest within the last decade. Brain-training is an approach that has risen out of this interest in helping people age ‘well’. Brain training consists of specific activities and simulations that aim to maintain or improve a specific cognitive function. The following essay will address the question, how ca n brain training programs assist in successful aging? In particular, this essay will address this question with a specificRead MoreThe Effect Of Video Training On Brain Training Essay1521 Words   |  7 Pagesrecent years, brain training games have become a topic of interest among both researchers and common people alike. Researchers are interested in the healing properties of brain training while normal people are looking towards brain training as a way to improve their performance and get a leg up on the competition in school, work, and life. Up until recently, it was believed that the brain was unchangeable in terms of memory capacity. Researchers were well aware of the fact that the brain is capableRead MoreAging Is Often Associated With Gradual Cognitive Decline1289 Words   |  6 PagesAging is often associated with gradual cognitive decline which can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life. In Australia, 110, 000 people identified as suffering from demen tia (ABS, 2012). A relatively new intervention that aims to combat this cognitive decline, involves the use of computerised brain training programs. Many studies have shown that cognitive training can improve cognitive function in older adults (Peretz, et al., 2011, p. 91). Having said that, there here have been mixedRead MoreThe Effects Of Training On Brain Training Essay1478 Words   |  6 Pagesrecent years brain training games have become a topic of interest among both researchers and common people alike. Researchers are interested in the healing properties of brain training while normal people are looking to brain training as a way to improve their performance and get a leg up on the competition in school, work, and life. Up until recently, it was believed that the brain was unchangeable in terms of memory capacity. 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However, in 2016, US Federal Trade Commission hadRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Video Games On The Brain1212 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of video games on the brain Video games are a enormous part in the world today. â€Å"More than 150 million people in the United States play video games regularly or for at least three hours per week. The number of sales has increased and in 2016, 24.5 billion games were sold, up from 23.2 billion in 2015.† â€Å"This Type of Video Game May Actually Harm Your Brain.† written by Mahita Gajanan is my positive article and â€Å"How Video Games Affect the Brain.† written by Hannah Nichols is my negative articleRead MoreHow Exercise Is Improved By Executing Aerobic Exercise1356 Words   |  6 Pagesidea is that exercise is associated with increased cognitive performance (Hogan, Mata, Carstensen, 2013). Different aspects of exercise and memory have been studied. One study showed that running had a positive effect on vocabulary learning (Griffin, Mullally, Foley, Warmington, O Mara, Kelly, 2011). Another illustrated how working memory is improved by executing aerobic exercise (Quelhas Martins , Kavussanu , Willoughby , Ring , 2013). Cognitive performance on the Stroop test was also increasedRead MoreComputerized Brain Training Programs Improve Cognitive Function1982 Words   |  8 Pages Do the brain games give the benefit they are said to provide? (Word Count: 1528) Yagna Patel 1001588524 BIO152, 9/27/2014 Prof. F. Rawle TA: Christy Simbeya Rough Essay: I. Introduction: There is a widely held belief that commercially available computerized brain-training programs improve cognitive function. 2 Although society has accepted this correlation of â€Å"brain games† and increased cognitive ability, it has yet to be proven.1 Regardless of this, there has