Brain Training – This Year’s Perfect Gift
It’s gift-giving season again, and the task of finding novel gift ideas is beginning to loom. That’s where brain training comes in. Still relatively new to most, the novelty of brain training ensures that you’ll be giving a gift that won’t be re-gifted. And for the loved one in your life who can be a particular gifting challenge, brain training software may be just the answer.
Brain training isn’t just for the brainy. It’s also a great idea for those lacking regular mental stimulation or beginning to suffer from the inevitable mental decline that sets in when we reach our early forties. Purchasing effective brain training software without offending can be a bit like buying an exercise bike for someone with a few extra pounds to shed. Will the recipient be truly grateful for our loving gesture, or will he secretly wonder how much the bike will fetch on eBay? Nevertheless, for someone itching to shed those mental pounds, brain training software is just the ticket.
With brain training programs popping up in gyms, senior housing and schools, it’s clear that we’re at the start of a trend that will continue to grow. Scientific evidence has proven conclusively that the brain can grow new brain cells and change the way its wired throughout our lives. Not even our core intelligence is thought to be a static quantity any more. The opportunities for the individual (and for the gift giver!) are unlimited.
This all sounds perfect until we go looking for the right brain training program to buy. There are many choices, and without knowing our way around, there seems to be no good way to choose between them.
Since the brain training field is relatively new, there hasn’t yet been a shakeout in the market. Far from it. This year software vendors have been releasing new brain training products thick and fast hoping for a piece of the growing pie. For consumers this results in a minefield – high-priced products, affordable products, science-based training, pseudoscientific games. It’s all out there.
This checklist will help you choose wisely:
1. What specific scientific study is the training based on or measured by, and what were the findings of those studies? (Vague, unspecific claims about the training are a red flag.)
2. Is this really brain training software or just a set of games? Unless the brain training demands considerable concentration and provides considerable reward it’s not going to be of any particular use in generating new brain cell growth and plastic change. If it does, then it should also be training the core cognitive functions of working memory, processing speed, and left-brain, right-brain multi-tasking. This should all be clearly stated by the vendor.
3. How long does it take to produce the stated benefits? The vendor should be clear about how much time is needed and how long the recommended brain training program will last.
Buying the right brain training program isn’t just a matter of spending more. In this new market, price doesn’t determine quality. Which gives us an opportunity to find a product that is not only effective but affordable.
But whether you splurge big bucks or track down an affordable gem, it’s certain that your research will reward you with a unique and well-received brain training gift.
Scientist, author, and technologist, Martin Walker is a member of The British Neuroscience Association, Learning and The Brain, and MENSA. His brain fitness company Mind Evolve Software publishes free information in the field of neuroscience and effective, affordable brain training programs.