October 20, 2014

Computer-based “brain-games” claim a growing share of the marketplace in aging societies. Consumers are told that playing the games will make them smarter, more alert, and able to learn faster and better. The implied and often explicit promise is that adherence to prescribed regimens of cognitive exercise will reduce and potentially reverse creeping cognitive slowing and forgetfulness, improve everyday functioning, and help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

It is customary for advertising to highlight the benefits and overstate potential advantages of their products. In the brain-game market, however, advertisements also assure consumers that claims and promises are based on solid scientific evidence, as the games are “designed by neuroscientists” at top universities and research centers. These claims are reinforced through paid advertising and distributed by trusted news sources. Thus, a group of cognitive scientists and neuroscientists felt obliged to issue a direct statement to the public: The strong consensus of this group is that the scientific literature does not support claims that the use of software-based “brain games” alters neural functioning in ways that improve general cognitive performance in everyday life, or prevent cognitive slowing and brain disease. Much more research is needed before firm conclusions on these issues can be drawn. To quote the summary statement:

“We object to the claim that brain games offer consumers a scientifically grounded avenue to reduce or reverse cognitive decline when there is no compelling scientific evidence to date that they do. The promise of a magic bullet detracts from the best evidence to date, which is that cognitive health in old age reflects the long-term effects of healthy, engaged lifestyles. In the judgment of the signatories below, exaggerated and misleading claims exploit the anxieties of older adults about impending cognitive decline. We encourage continued careful research and validation in this field.”

For more information about views from the scientific community, see the full statement.

Signed: List of participants; *indicates that the signer has a current conflict of interest, defined as having financial interests (research funding, stock options, or stocks) in the brain gaming or competing (e.g., pharmacological) industries.

Jason C. Allaire, Associate Professor of Psychology, North Carolina State University, USA

Lars Bäckman, Professor of Psychology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm University, Sweden

David A. Balota, Professor of Cognitive Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA

Daphné Bavelier, Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, USA; and Professor of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Robert A. Bjork, Professor of Psychology, University of California – Los Angeles, USA

Gordon H. Bower, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University, USA

Todd S. Braver, Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA

Randy L. Buckner, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Harvard University, USA

Silvia A. Bunge, Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of California – Berkeley, USA

Roberto E. Cabeza, Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, USA

Laura L. Carstensen, Professor of Psychology, Director, Stanford Center on Longevity, Stanford University, USA

Fergus I. M. Craik, Senior Scientist, The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Canada

Martin Dresler, Assistant Professor, Radboud University Medical Center, The Netherlands

Emrah Düzel, Director, Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, University Hospital Magdeburg, Germany

Gilles O. Einstein, Professor of Psychology, Furman University, USA

Randall W. Engle, Professor of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA

Alexandra M. Freund, Professor of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Adam H. Gazzaley*, Professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, University of California – San Francisco, USA

Paolo Ghisletta, Professor of Psychological Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland

C. Shawn Green, Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA

Michael D. Greicius, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, USA

Lynn Hasher, Professor of Psychology and Senior Scientist, The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Canada

Christopher K. Hertzog, Professor of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA

Charles Hulme, Professor of Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, England

Larry L. Jacoby, Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA

Susanne M. Jaeggi, Assistant Professor – School of Education, University of California, Irvine, USA

Michael J. Kane, Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA

Julia Karbach, Professor of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany

Matthias Kliegel, Professor of Psychology, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Arthur F. Kramer, Professor and Director, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, USA

Jutta Kray, Professor of Psychology, Saarland University, Germany

Simone Kühn, Senior Researcher, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Germany

Kenneth M. Langa, Professor of Medicine, University of Michigan, USA

Shu-Chen Li, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

Leah L. Light, Professor of Psychology, Pitzer College, USA

Ulman Lindenberger, Director, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Germany.

Robert H. Logie, Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Edinburgh, UK

Martin Lövdén, Professor of Psychology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm University, Sweden

Cindy Lustig, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan, USA

Michael Marsiske, Associate Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, USA

Mike Martin, Professor of Gerontopsychology and Gerontology, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Mara Mather, Professor of Gerontology and Psychology, University of Southern California, USA

Ulrich Mayr, Professor and Head, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA

John J. McArdle, Professor of Psychology, University of Southern California, USA

Mark A. McDaniel, Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA

Anthony R. McIntosh, Professor of Psychology and Director, The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Canada

Anne C. McLaughlin, Associate Professor of Psychology, North Carolina State University, USA

Monica Melby-Lervåg, Professor of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway

Lars Nyberg, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Umea University, Sweden

Klaus Oberauer, Professor of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Denise C. Park, Professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, USA

Harold Pashler, Professor of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, USA

Walter J. Perrig, Professor of Experimental Psychology & Neuropsychology, Universität Bern, Switzerland

Patrick Rabbitt, Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, England

Naftali Raz, Professor of Psychology and Director of Life Span Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, USA

Patricia A. Reuter-Lorenz, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Michigan, USA

Henry L. Roediger, III, Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA

Timothy A. Salthouse, Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia, USA

Gregory Samanez-Larkin, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Yale University, USA

Daniel L. Schacter, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, USA

K. Warner Schaie, Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at University of Washington, and Professor Emeritus of Human Development and Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, USA

Florian Schmiedek, Professor for Methods of Developmental and Educational Psychology, German Institute for International Educational Research, Germany

Richard J. Shavelson, Professor Emeritus of Education, Stanford University, USA

Craig Stark, Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California – Irvine, USA

Ursula M. Staudinger, Professor of Psychology, Director, Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, USA

Elsbeth Stern, Professor of Learning and Instruction, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland

Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow, Professor of Educational Psychology and Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, USA

Eric-Jan Wagenmakers, Professor of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Anthony D. Wagner, Professor of Psychology and Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, USA

Sherry L. Willis, Research Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, USA

Robert S. Wilson, Professor of Neurological Sciences and Psychology, Rush University Medical Center, USA

Jerome A. Yesavage, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, USA

Jeffrey M. Zacks, Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St Louis, USA

Rose T. Zacks, Professor, Emeritus, of Psychology, Michigan State University, USA

Elizabeth M. Zelinski, Professor of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA

Citing this statement:

“A Consensus on the Brain Training Industry from the Scientific Community,” Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Stanford Center on Longevity, accessed (add date), http://longevity3.stanford.edu/blog/2014/10/15/the-consensus-on-the-brain-training-industry-from-the-scientific-community/