Brain Age Mythology Compared to What Really Improves Cognitive Health

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A number of people have been asking us lately about whether or not we all have a "Brain Age" and how we can lower our "brain ages". This idea is a myth, fueled by the (really fun) Nintendo game and a recent PBS campaign promoting a program produced by Posit Science.

The idea of having a "brain age" is, itself, profoundly unscientific, regardless of the radio ads for the PBS program titled Brain Fitness Program, where listeners of all ages get the impression (as numerous pals and colleagues have reported) that, must they purchase the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, they can expect their brains "rejuvenated" by 10 years. This, I hear usually, must be true, coming from PBS.

Unfortunately, it is not. And it is not considering that the claim is founded on the similar faulty premise of getting a "brain age".

What is going on?

1st, the beneficial news. Right now we know at this time that the brain retains lifelong plasticity (the capacity to change itself by means of expertise). Aging does not mean automatic decline.

Furthermore, we know that a selection of way of life factors, including physical and mental physical exercise, can influence how our mental abilities evolve as we age. We can delay or slow down age-related decline. Not only that, we can improve our abilities, and a number of pc-based programs have shown how they can aid specific groups of people train and enhance distinct cognitive skills.

Now, what is valuable to recognize is that there is not one overall "brain age". We can view our brain functions or cognitive abilities as a wide variety of skills, some additional perception-related, some more memory-related, some even more language-related, some even more visual, some more abstract-thinking and preparing oriented. All science-based brain fitness goods in the marketplace today target distinct cognitive abilities. The research that has been published shows how particular brain functions can be improved. But there is no general "brain age" that can be measured or trained in a meaningful way.

Let's analyze the PBS Posit Science-related message: you can rejuvenate your brain by 10 years. What would this mean, had been it to be true? perhaps that ALL cognitive abilities would go back to exactly where they were 10 years just before. and that this would occur for individuals of all ages: in our 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and so on. It would also mean that, given that rejuvenated "brain age", our risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms would be adjusted to reflect our "new" brain age. And that the evolution of our cognitive abilities over the rest of our lives would reflect our new-located "brain age".

Has this been shown?

Sadly, not. The "10 years" claim appears based on 1 published study, and quite a few unpublished ones, where individuals with an typical age of around 70 years take on a particularly intense auditory processing training program that enables them to enhance related auditory cognitive skills by a considerable percentage. Whereby, on average, and on those particular skills, they reach a level comparable to consumers 60 years old.

But this does not say anything about other cognitive skills. Or Alzheimer's related risks. Or the cognitive trajectories that will follow.

Just believe about this: if, by attending an intensive tennis camp, you were able to serve at a level comparable to many people 10 years younger than your age...would you say that your body is now 10 years younger? Almost certainly not. You'd say that now you play tennis superior. Which is a substantial benefit in itself if that is what you are soon after.

Recent studies have shown a tremendous variability in how nicely people today age and how, to a huge extent, our actions influence our rate of brain improvement and/or decline. The earlier we start the better. And it is never too late.

What can we do to preserve our brain? Focus on four pillars of brain health: physical physical exercise, a balanced diet regime, anxiety management, and brain physical exercise. Stress management is essential because anxiety has been shown to actually kill neurons and cut down the rate of creation of new ones. Brain exercises range from low-tech (i.e. meditation, mastering new complex skills, lifelong understanding and engagement) to high-tech (i.e. working with the growing number of brain fitness software programs).

In summary, the amazing news is that there are more tools readily available than ever ahead of to assess and train a variety of cognitive skills, in what is still right now a very smaller, but growing marketplace. Nintendo, Posit Science, and others are offering valuable merchandise and services.

The poor news (is this seriously news?) is that we shouldn't be expecting magic pills and that "brain age" is a fiction.

In case you wonder...I do have and enjoy my copy Nintendo Brain Age, and appreciate it as a stimulating game. I basically do not outsource my brain fitness to Dr. Kawashima...