It should come as no surprise to anyone that I fall in to the camp of “movement facilitates learning/memory/cognition.” I’m also really intrigued by the burgeoning brain exercise market (projected to be $80 million in 2009), and fully believe in the concept of “use it or lose it.” So, when I saw a study that analyzed the effectiveness of the many, many brain exercise programs on market, I was intrigued!
While this study is not conclusive one way or the other, what it said was interesting. It said that brain exercise programs on the market have not actually proven via clinical trials to slow dementia. According to one researcher involved with the study, “The brain aging products sold today can be a financial drain, decrease participation in more proven effective lifestyle interventions, like exercise, and potentially undermine cognitive health by frustrating the “worried well” if poorly designed.”
My personal take on it is that the way to maximize results is to combine movement WITH the exercise programs. That would increase the number of neurons firing, create new connections, and keep the body adapting and learning. I’m not talking about running a marathon – even something as simple as some Z-Health mobility drills while doing the exercises should be sufficient to help clients progress.
Given our rapidly aging population and the boom in these products, I really hope some well-designed studies come out soon. We need it!
About Jen Waak