| Copyright (c) 2008 SharpBrains | | | | be adjusted to reflect our "new" brain age. |
| | | | And that the evolution of our cognitive |
| Many people have been asking us recently | | | | abilities over the rest of our lives would |
| about whether we all have a "Brain Age" and | | | | reflect our new-found "brain age". |
| how we can reduce our "brain ages". This | | | | |
| concept is a myth, fueled by the (very fun) | | | | Has this been shown? |
| Nintendo game and a recent PBS campaign | | | | |
| promoting a program produced by Posit | | | | Unfortunately, not. The "10 years" claim |
| Science. | | | | seems based on one published study, and |
| | | | several unpublished ones, where individuals |
| The concept of having a "brain age" is, | | | | with an average age of around 70 years take |
| itself, profoundly unscientific, despite the | | | | on a very intense auditory processing |
| radio ads for the PBS program titled Brain | | | | training program that enables them to improve |
| Fitness Program, where listeners of all ages | | | | related auditory cognitive skills by a |
| get the impression (as many friends and | | | | significant percentage. Whereby, on average, |
| colleagues have reported) that, should they | | | | and on those specific skills, they reach a |
| buy the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, | | | | level comparable to people 60 years old. |
| they can expect their brains "rejuvenated" by | | | | |
| 10 years. This, I hear often, must be true, | | | | But this doesn't say anything about other |
| coming from PBS. | | | | cognitive skills. Or Alzheimer's related |
| | | | risks. Or the cognitive trajectories that |
| Unfortunately, it isn't. And it isn't because | | | | will follow. |
| the claim is founded on the same faulty | | | | |
| premise of having a "brain age". | | | | Just think about this: if, by attending an |
| | | | intensive tennis camp, you were able to serve |
| What is going on? | | | | at a level comparable to people 10 years |
| | | | younger than your age...would you say that |
| First, the good news. Today we know today | | | | your body is now 10 years younger? Probably |
| that the brain retains lifelong plasticity | | | | not. You'd say that now you play tennis |
| (the ability to change itself through | | | | better. Which is a significant benefit in |
| experience). Aging does not mean automatic | | | | itself if that's what you are after. |
| decline. | | | | |
| | | | Recent studies have shown a tremendous |
| Furthermore, we know that a variety of | | | | variability in how well people age and how, |
| lifestyle factors, including physical and | | | | to a large extent, our actions influence our |
| mental exercise, can influence how our mental | | | | rate of brain improvement and/or decline. The |
| abilities evolve as we age. We can delay or | | | | earlier we begin the better. And it is never |
| slow down age-related decline. Not only that, | | | | too late. |
| we can improve our abilities, and a number of | | | | |
| computer-based programs have shown how they | | | | What can we do to maintain our brain? Focus |
| can help specific groups of people train and | | | | on four pillars of brain health: physical |
| enhance specific cognitive skills. | | | | exercise, a balanced diet, stress management, |
| | | | and brain exercise. Stress management is |
| Now, what is important to recognize is that | | | | important since stress has been shown to |
| there is not one overall "brain age". We can | | | | actually kill neurons and reduce the rate of |
| view our brain functions or cognitive | | | | creation of new ones. Brain exercises range |
| abilities as a variety of skills, some more | | | | from low-tech (i.e. meditation, mastering new |
| perception-related, some more memory-related, | | | | complex skills, lifelong learning and |
| some more language-related, some more visual, | | | | engagement) to high-tech (i.e. using the |
| some more abstract-thinking and planning | | | | growing number of brain fitness software |
| oriented. All science-based brain fitness | | | | programs). |
| products in the market today target specific | | | | |
| cognitive skills. The research that has been | | | | In summary, the great news is that there are |
| published shows how specific brain functions | | | | more tools available than ever before to |
| can be improved. But there is no general | | | | assess and train a variety of cognitive |
| "brain age" that can be measured or trained | | | | skills, in what is still today a very small, |
| in a meaningful way. | | | | but growing market. Nintendo, Posit Science, |
| | | | and others are offering valuable products and |
| Let's analyze the PBS Posit Science-related | | | | services. |
| message: you can rejuvenate your brain by 10 | | | | |
| years. What would this mean, were it to be | | | | The bad news (is this really news?) is that |
| true? perhaps that ALL cognitive abilities | | | | we shouldn't be expecting magic pills and |
| would go back to where they were 10 years | | | | that "brain age" is a fiction. |
| before. and that this would happen for | | | | |
| individuals of all ages: in our 30s, 40s, | | | | In case you wonder...I do have and enjoy my |
| 50s, 60s, 70s and so on. It would also mean | | | | copy Nintendo Brain Age, and appreciate it as |
| that, given that rejuvenated "brain age", our | | | | a stimulating game. I simply don't outsource |
| risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms would | | | | my brain fitness to Dr. Kawashima... |