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Top 10 Brain Training Apps

 

Performance is the main reason for pressure and stress in today’s high-paced world. We are
constantly on the spotlight when it comes to getting whichever task done as quickly and efficiently
as possible that we often forget to take care of ourselves. We are always on the clock and this takes
a huge toll on our overall health and energy levels.
This is not something you should worry too much about though. There is no need to think you are
going crazy, let alone to start knocking on your friendly neighborhood therapist’s door. All you need
is a little motivation. The following list will run you through 10 great apps to help you keep the juices
flowing and your mental health as sharp as ever.

1. Lumosity
Lumosity is one of the most respected, well known and consolidated brain training and mental
fitness programs in the market today. What makes Lumosity stand out is its games that mostly focus
on improving one’s memory and problem-solving skills while also working on your attention span.
You can either play the game directly on their website or through their free apps for either iOS or
Android. Lumosity also provides a meditation and mindfulness app called Lumosity Mind. As an
interesting sidenote, studies performed on children with cancer-related brain injuries have shown
developments in memory and executive function after undergoing Lumosity-like brain training.

2. Sudoku
There is nothing wrong with going with a golden oldie and pen and paper favorite like Sudoku. With
no need for fancy graphics nor flashy animations, Sudoku is one of those puzzle games that will get
your brain focused for hours. Sudoku hasn’t lost any of its appeal and it isn’t hard to find a huge
variety of apps to choose from with a countless supply of variations to go with it. Not only does
Sudoku provide brain training, as it relies on short-term memory, it is also a great way of passing
the time and provides you with that added ego-boost every time you complete a puzzle!

3. CogniFit Brain Fitness
Created with the priceless contribution of neuroscientists, this entertaining app is aimed at
improving a user’s levels of memory and concentration. Apart from being able to track your progress
as you go, you can also challenge your friends in an ever-satisfying battle of the brains! What is really
appealing about the app is that it adjusts the difficulty level based on your overall performance and
results. CogniFit Brain Fitness isn’t time consuming and you will start seeing results with a few 20-
to-30-minute sessions per week.

4. Eidetic
Eidetic is a memory enhancement app that uses the repetition technique to aid users in memorizing
important information such as phone numbers, credit card details, passwords or even specific
words. Apart from this Eidetic also notifies you when it is test time, in an attempt to help you retain
information in your long-term memory. Eidetic is a very interesting app for older adults, particularly
those who are beginning to notice memory lapses. Apart from being free, this app is very userfriendly.

5. Braingle
Braingle prides itself in having the largest collection of brain teasers available with over 15,000
puzzles and games. Different from other apps, that focus on memory and reaction-based tests,
Braingle’s approach to help maintain brain sharpness is through the use of riddles, codes and
ciphers, trivia quizzes and optical illusions. You can even play against your friends and family which
adds a lot of interactivity to this already unique product.

6. Personal Zen
Personal Zen’s goal is to reduce stress and increase the user’s well-being. According to the creators,
a 5–10-minute use may improve well-being while a continuous interaction of up to 40 minutes per
week may assist in significantly reducing your stress level. Another very important aspect of this app
is that it trains the brain to focus on positive aspects and provides strategies on keeping out
negativity that can have an unpleasant impact on your mental capabilities.

7. Elevate
Alongside Lumosity, Elevate is widely considered as one of the top 2 brain training apps today. With
over 35 games that track five different types of mental development, it is easy to see why Elevate is
an app to consider. Elevate pays special attention to reading, writing, speaking and math apart from
allowing you to customize your training and focus on whichever subjects you would prefer to pay
more attention to. As with most other brain games, you can track your progress to see how your
skills are improving. The app is free for both iOS and Android.

8. Peak
Peak is an iOS and Android oriented app that looks gorgeous with its very visually pleasing design,
game layout and highly intuitive flow. Peak delivers brain games to work on focus, memory,
problem-solving, mental agility as well as other cognitive functions. Its competitive side is also a plus
as you can challenge other users and are able to compare your progress with Peak’s ever-growing
community. Should you have an Apple Watch, you can seamlessly integrate the app with it. Peak is
free to use and offers a subscription model should you be interested in trying some of its more
advanced features.

9. Crosswords
Alongside Sudoku, Crosswords are a classic brain trainer that combines not only verbal language but
also memory. This is possibly the most recognized form of brain training and surely the one we all
grew up doing, be it printed in the last pages of newspapers, magazines or in dedicated exercise
books. Crossword puzzles are easily found online via free or very cheap apps.

10. Happy Neuron
Happy Neuron splits its games and activities into five important brain areas: memory, attention,
language, executive functions, and visual/spatial, all based on scientific research. As is the case with
other renowned brain training apps, it tailors the training to your personal needs and tracks your
progress. Happy Neuron offers a free trial so you can test their product before purchasing it. The
monthly subscription is well worthwhile, allowing you to access its full content via their site and/or
Android app.

Reducing Dementia Through Brain Training

 

Life is made out of unforeseeable circumstances, some pleasant and heartwarming, others bitter
and full of pain. Illness is without a doubt the main source of discomfort and lack of quality of
life. Dementia, a general term used to describe the loss of memory and other related thinking
abilities, can lead to other more serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s. But what if there are
simple ways of training our brains into preventing or at least delaying the effects of this
troublesome disease?

Training one’s brain is a continuous task that, when done correctly, has exceptional results not
only on a person’s mental prowess but also on their wellbeing as a whole. Common forms of
activities that challenge the brain are crossword puzzles, sudoku and a wide variety of computer
games. Many studies have been undertaken with the sole goal of answering one question: can
brain training prevent dementia? Some say yes. Evidence shows that cognitive training can
improve both memory and thinking, especially among middle-aged or older individuals.
Evidence also suggests that brain training may even help older adults to perform their daily tasks
at a more satisfying pace, however, further studies are required in order to consolidate these
claims.

Brain training is based on the idea that if you do not use something, you will end up losing it. As
such, the more you challenge your brain the less likely you are to suffer any form of cognitive
impairment, which obviously includes dementia. The premise for this theory is that individuals
who perform highly complex jobs or who do crosswords, puzzles or learn new hobbies tend to
have lower rates of dementia.

The biggest study taken to date with the use of computer brain training was sponsored by the
Alzheimer’s Society and counted with nearly 7,000 people above the age of 50. The brain training
program in display tested the individual’s cognitive and problem-solving skills. The outcomes
unveiled that there were progresses in reasoning and the recollection of words six months after
the test. The further the exercises were accomplished; the more likely participants were to see
enhancements in these brain functions. Some people in the study took cognitive tests but did
not participate in the brain training games. This type of study is considered precise because the
investigators can compare the results of those who did brain training with those who did not.
This helps to analyze the true effect of a study on a patient. Those above 60 years of age who
partook in the study described that the brain training test also improved their ability to
experience their daily activities such as handling a household budget, making meals, shopping
or even using public transportation.

There are a great variety of commercial brain training games and products on the marketplace,
some of which have been tested in rigorous studies while most of them have not. This can be a
delicate matter as brain training games are designed to challenge different brain functions so be
on the alert when choosing a training game. These may not have scientific evidence backing
them up which may mean that they are making false claims for their own financial benefit.
Alzheimer’s disease affects 5.4 million people in America alone, most of which are over 65. As
our society ages, higher is the number of individuals who suffer from this disease. Alzheimer’s
causes issues with memory, discerning and conduct, and while it is normal to sporadically
overlook things as you get older, Alzheimer’s is not a standard part of aging. Alzheimer’s disease
is the most frequent form of dementia, a general term for memory and thinking difficulties that
are so severe that they can affect day to day events, accounting for at least 60 percent of
dementia cases, mostly among those 65 and older. In some situations, however, it can distress
younger people. Alzheimer’s is a progressive and sadly uncurable disease. Nevertheless,
investigators have confidence that it is possible to try and delay the onset of symptoms or stop
them from progressing at a fast pace. One of the ways researchers trust as a form of delaying
the start of dementia is with the help of brain training. The premise behind brain training is that
just as exercise helps you keep your body in good shape, mental exercises help your brain stay
nice and fit.

A rigorous study discovered that brain-training actions can decrease the risk of dementia. The
technique used is called speed-of-processing, being the main objective to have the person
speedily recognize and recall an object that is before them.

Throughout the study, applicants were arbitrarily placed in one of three training groups: verbal
memory skills training, reasoning and problem-solving skills and the third for speed-ofprocessing training.  All through speed-of-processing training, contributors acknowledged an
object in front of them, as well as objects in their peripheral vision. As the game carried on,
applicants had less time to identify objects and also faced distractions on the screen.

The group of contributors that established speed-of-processing brain-training sessions
experienced a 29 percent reduced risk of dementia for the following 10 years. Still, academics
note that more revisions need to be performed in order to understand why speed-of-processing
brain training is effective, as opposed to the other types of brain training.

Despite the fact that it is uncertain if games tailored explicitly in the direction of dementia and
Alzheimer’s prevention actually work, there is proof that maintaining your mind sharp and taking
good care of yourself can help keep your brain healthy as well.

Taking care of oneself, such as getting 150 minutes of exercise per week, eating a healthy diet
filled with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and dairy may encourage brain health.
Additionally, staying mentally and socially dynamic as you age may help to keep your brain
healthy. Consider lively events such as adult education classes, handicraft workshops, reading a
stimulating book, doing crossword puzzles or other errands that expose your mind to new and
fulfillng tasks.

Can your IQ Score Change Over Time?

 

Nobody likes being labelled. The same principle is valid for intelligence. It is part of our DNA to
continuously try to better ourselves and let’s face it – no one likes being called dumb. There has
been a lot of debating recently regarding IQ results and if we are stuck with the same score for
the rest of our lives. In this article we will try to shed some light on this matter.

At a first glance, one can claim that our IQ will remain unchanged throughout our lifetimes. It is
a fact that our personal life experiences and growth play a very important part in our path, but
it is common ground to consider that an individual’s IQ score will remain unchangeable.

Should we dig deeper, it will come to our attention that even the standard IQ score shifts in
different stages of our lives. The IQ of a child will mutate as he matures, this is only logical. If we
add working-memory training to the mix the results are even more significant. The only obstacle
in IQ gain is old age – where disease plays a negative role on the intellectual integrity of a person.
One of the most intriguing age spectrums are the teenage years. Research suggests that during
this period, an individual may either increase or decrease his IQ. This is most probably related
to the development changes that a teenager experiences in terms of brain structure.
Longitudinal brain-imaging studies further show evidence that fluctuations in grey matter are
the possible cause for this unstable occurrence.

MRI brain scans and standard IQ tests were performed on 33 normal people in their early
teenage years and then again in their late adolescent years. Results were far ranging, being the
picked-up IQ scores between 77 and 135 in the early teen group and 87 to 143 in the later years
group. The reached conclusion was that the IQ score altered between -20 to +23 in terms of
verbal IQ and -28 and +17 for non-verbal IQ. Further analysis showed a link between the IQ and
increases in cortical density and the brain volume related to the regions involving verbal and
movement functions.

This discovery is immense and provides answers to serious questions. Experiences during an
individual’s teenage years presumably alters one’s brain structure and mental capacity.
Occurrences such as drug abuse, social stress or poor education seem to have significant
negative impacts on a young adult’s IQ level while a mentally healthy environment and an
abundant educational experience can hugely benefit a teenager’s intellectual ability.
This data proposes that, no matter how much importance is given to a child at a pre-school level,
it is the middle school and early high school years that form and shape our true intellectual
growth. This makes us question the social neglect given to those who are “slow learners” as
opposed to early high achievers who, more often than not, fail to live up to expectations as
parents and educators assumed that they already had what it took to manage social experiences
on their own. This is a clear indication that educational care is something that should be
incentivized no matter how autonomous a pupil appears to be.

Alterations in a person’s IQ depends on a countless number of factors. Something we should
consider, though, is that maybe it is not about making a person smarter, it is actually about
making said person function better. It is possible to teach a child to be better at math without
the need to teach him actual math. What is important is that we teach the child to organize and
plan his strategy better, this will improve their academic outcome not only in a determined
subject but in the global comprehension of the task at hand. To some academics, being smarter
is actually being more efficient at using the tools we are inherently given.

Comprehending changes in IQ also calls for delicate and pondered consideration on how we are
measuring a given intelligence. There is a huge misconception about skill and knowledge – we
can improve our vocabulary through studying but this does not mean that we are getting any
brighter. The best approach to measuring intelligence is to analyze the skills that motivate the
gain of knowledge we are looking to achieve.

Even further studies seem to indicate that individuals, especially in more modern societies, are
experiencing significant changed in IQ over time – approximately 3 points per decade. To be
more precise, there seems to have been an 18-point increase from 1947 to 2002. Putting things
into numbers, the average IQ of a 20-year-old in 1947 was lower than that of a person with the
same age in 2002. Results also show that the older you are, the more stable your test score will
be.

It is important to differentiate between three distinct connotations of the word intelligence.
There is biological intelligence, or what is classically defined as neural efficiency. Then there is
psychometric intelligence – your measured IQ score – which is an incidental and flawed method
of estimating biological intelligence. Research throughout the past decade with the use of
several state-of-the-art forms of neurotechnology (ie. brain fitness programs) suggest that it is
possible to tweak your neural productivity. Your cognitive functions can be made to work more
competently and in a more synchronized form. Taking all this into account, it is fair to say that
people can change their IQ scores. Your score may alter not due to any significant change in
general intelligence, but because different tests may be used which measure different levels of
skill. Furthermore, some abilities tend to stabilize over time – such as verbal and reasoning –
while others tend to deteriorate – for instance, processing speed and short-term memory.

As a conclusion, yes, our IQ varies throughout our lives, both in an increasing and a decreasing
pattern. Data seems to validate that our teen years are important in shaping our standard IQ
score, however it is not the only decisive factor. What is really determinant is how we use the
level of intelligence we are given, the way we approach a task and how well we plan a strategy
to face it. Being prepared is the key. Never stop challenging ourselves is the door.