Brain Training Game Boosts Executive Functions, Working Memory and Processing Speed in the Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nouchi, Rui; Taki, Yasuyuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Nozawa, Takayuki; Kambara, Toshimune; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Miyauchi, Carlos Makoto; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta · 2013 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055518

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Summary

This randomized controlled trial investigates whether playing the commercial brain training game *Brain Age* improves cognitive functions in healthy young adults, specifically examining the presence of transfer effects to untrained tasks. While previous studies indicated benefits for children and the elderly, scientific evidence regarding young adults was lacking. The study aimed to determine if *Brain Age* training enhances executive functions, working memory, and processing speed, and compared these effects against an active control group playing the puzzle game *Tetris*. The researchers conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial with 32 young adult volunteers who were non-gamers. Participants were randomly assigned to either the *Brain Age* group or the *Tetris* group. Both groups played their respective games on a Nintendo DSi console for approximately 15 minutes per day, at least five days per week, over a four-week period. Cognitive functions were assessed before and after the intervention across eight categories: fluid intelligence, executive function, working memory, short-term memory, attention, processing speed, visual ability, and reading ability. Specific tests included the Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Task, Operation Span, and Digit Symbol Coding, among others. The results demonstrated that playing *Brain Age* significantly improved executive functions, working memory, and processing speed in young adults compared to baseline measures. In contrast, the *Tetris* group showed improvements in attention and visuo-spatial abilities, which were superior to the gains observed in the *Brain Age* group for those specific domains. The study found no significant differences in baseline demographic or neuropsychological characteristics between the two groups, ensuring the validity of the comparison. The findings provide scientific evidence that commercial brain training games can yield beneficial transfer effects on specific cognitive functions in healthy young adults, though the nature of the improvement depends on the type of game played. The authors conclude that while *Brain Age* is not a universal solution for cognitive enhancement, it serves as a simple and convenient method to improve executive functions, working memory, and processing speed. The study highlights that different games target different cognitive domains, with *Tetris* benefiting attention and visuo-spatial skills. These findings have implications for educational and clinical applications, suggesting that targeted video game training can be an effective tool for cognitive enhancement in young adults. The study underscores the importance of selecting appropriate training interventions based on the specific cognitive functions one aims to improve.

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• cognitive capacity variation