‘Brain Exercise’ Programs May Not Slow Mental Decline
Sat, February 14, 2009 at 03:00AM Americans are expected to spend $80 million this year on brain exercise products, compared to $2 million in 2005. Clearly, this is a booming industry. Lifespan, Rhode Island’s largest not-for-profit healthcare system, has sponsored an analysis of the potential benefits of these exercises, and found them somewhat lacking. Their findings are reported in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
The study was focused on the effects of cognitive interventions (i.e. brain exercises) in the healthy elderly population. A meta-analysis was done on all randomized controlled trials of this approach reported since 1992, when the last meta-analysis was done. In fact, very few studies met the strict criteria established. Most published trials had defects in their methodology, or had inadequate follow-up. The results of the studies provided no evidence showing that ‘structured cognitive intervention’ programs had an impact on slowing progression to Alzheimer’s or dementia in healthy elderly subjects.
This result flies in the face of the occasional advice for elders to keep their minds active with crosswords, Sudoku, and the like. However, fear of Alzheimer’s has led people to go further - to buy brain exercise programs that promise more than they can deliver. Far better to spend time, and possibly money, on other lifestyle changes that do work – physical exercise, weight control, treatment of high blood pressure or diabetes, and increased social interaction. Until, of course, further clinical trials demonstrate an unequivocal benefit of one or other brain exercises.
Reader Comments (1)
Since posting the above, I got news of an 8-week Brain Fitness Program reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122189596/abstract.
Benefits were reported in everyday life activities, such as remembering shopping lists.
In addition, a Mayo Clinic researcher is due to report positive results of brainy activities at the next Amrican Academy of Neurology meeting. Maybe these studies will negate the negative finding of the Lifespan study above. Anyhow, brain exercises "can't hurt" and may do good. Just don't spend a lot of money on them.