Can brain games prevent dementia?

Evidence shows an association between brain training activities and improved cognitive abilities, but not a direct cause and effect

- Dana G. Smith and Katie Mogg

NEW YORK - It makes sense in principle. You exercise your muscles to make them stronger and prevent frailty and decline; should your brain not work the same way?

That premise is behind brain training websites and apps, and likely contributed to the sale of Sudoku, crossword and logic puzzle books over the past two decades. It also inspired researchers to explore whether cognitive training can make people smarter and even lower the risk for dementia.

But, as often happens in science, a seemingly straightforward idea is more complicated than it appears. Because the answer to "Is training your brain helpful?" depends on what type of exercises you are doing and what benefits you are seeking.

When psychologists conduct research on whether it is possible to improve cognition, they mostly use computer games developed to enhance a specific aspect of how we think.

Some brain training games teach people strategies to improve a skill or recognize patterns. Others gradually increase speed and difficulty to challenge the brain, said Dr. Lesley Ross, a professor of psychology at Clemson University in South Carolina.

Many studies have shown that playing these games can improve people's cognitive abilities - not just on the specific task they are working on, but related tasks, too.

That "isn't terribly surprising," said Dr. Adrian Owen, a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at Western University in Ontario, Canada, just as someone who memorizes phone numbers would probably get better at remembering dates.