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POD: Wellbeing

Brain training

Does brain training really make any difference?

There are now a huge range of games and apps that claim to help with brain training. But do they work? Is it true that you must ‘use it or lose it’, can you improve your working memory, IQ or brain power and what role can brain training play in preventing dementia? How does brain training on a game or app compare to exercising? In this Pod, we look at a wide range of media with claims on both sides of the argument.

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PODCASTS

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Neuromyths – Can you train your brain. BBC All in the Mind

(27 mins)

Claudia Hammond explores some common myths in neuroscience. She looks at myths in education, sex and gender, plus how much we can really train our brains.” The whole podcast is very interesting but the key part on brain training starts at 23 minutes.

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Does brain training work – Education bookcast

(60 mins)

Could specially designed exercises on your computer or mobile phone make you smarter? “Brain-training” is now a multi-billion pound industry, and that money comes from people hoping to get a boost in their mental faculties from spending time playing the various games in the apps in question. Do these apps work as they are supposed to?

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How Exercise Can Transform Your Brain.

(50 mins)

This Train Your Brain podcast welcomes special guest Dr. John Ratey, Author of Spark. Dr. Ratey has been promoting exercise as a cognitive tool for over 30 years. Additionally, this podcast covers in depth the connections between exercise and Anxiety, Depression, Addiction Recovery, Longevity, and Heart Health.

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VIDEOS

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Does Brain Training Work?

(2 minute)

BBC news investigates whether there’s any evidence that brain training actually improves mental ability, memory or retention ?

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The Best Way to Train Your Brain: A Game

(2 minute)

Johns Hopkins University researchers tested the two leading brain training exercises and found one works much better than the other. This game, similar to one used in the research, demonstrates how it works.

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ARTICLES

Train your brain. How to keep your mind young.

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This article in the Spectator examines whether we may be wrong to assume older people can’t learn as well as younger ones. By Camilla Cavendish for the Spectator.

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Do brain-training games really work? Medical News Today

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With the recent surge of brain-training apps available for every smartphone user out there, it’s worth asking — do brain-training games hold any real cognitive benefit? By Ana Sandoiu for Medical News Today.

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Brain training and dementia

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Will brain training reduce dementia risk ? Some studies have found that cognitive training can improve some aspects of memory and thinking, particularly for people who are middle-aged or older. From the Alzheimer’s Society

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XTRA

Have a go at brain training

8 Ways to Exercise Your Brain With Games

Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World

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