Multibillion dollar industry of brain training programs

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PHD12

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Hey guys:

I read an article in scientific american about all the companies that are creating brain training software. There are many companies out there with millions of users and venture capital funding. One company, lumosity, has their own labs and have published tons of "research" (in collaboration with stanford/berkeley and other prestigious universities around the world) on how their programs increase "cognitive performance," improve symptoms of ADHD, can help stroke victims, military veterans etc. They have articles in peer reviewed journals and are currently running 36 new research projects. They created the human cognition project.

What is striking is that I have not seen one neuropsychologist or clinical psychologist as part of any of these companies. They are run by people with BA degrees or MBA's. Some have neuroscience researchers. It seems crazy to me that neuropsychologists are not involved at all in these ventures, even as consultants. I would expect that they would be in a much better position to create valid measures of intelligence.

Check out: http://www.lumosity.com/

I tried the brain training software (you can register for free) and despite all the "research" backing it up, I believe it is complete fraud. They intentionally select cognitive tests that are prone to practice effects so you bound to increase your score with minimal practice. Yet, they are using these tests on veterans, people with anxiety/depression through universities, etc.

Lumosity now has the world's largest and fastest growing database on human cognition—which currently includes over 35,000,000 research subjects and over 600,000,000 cognitive gameplays. Our scientists mine this data to uncover insights that help them improve the efficacy of the Lumosity cognitive training program.

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Hey guys:

I read an article in scientific american about all the companies that are creating brain training software. There are many companies out there with millions of users and venture capital funding. One company, lumosity, has their own labs and have published tons of "research" (in collaboration with stanford/berkeley and other prestigious universities around the world) on how their programs increase "cognitive performance," improve symptoms of ADHD, can help stroke victims, military veterans etc. They have articles in peer reviewed journals and are currently running 36 new research projects. They created the human cognition project.

What is striking is that I have not seen one neuropsychologist or clinical psychologist as part of any of these companies. They are run by people with BA degrees or MBA's. Some have neuroscience researchers. It seems crazy to me that neuropsychologists are not involved at all in these ventures, even as consultants. I would expect that they would be in a much better position to create valid measures of intelligence.

Check out: http://www.lumosity.com/

I tried the brain training software (you can register for free) and despite all the "research" backing it up, I believe it is complete fraud. They intentionally select cognitive tests that are prone to practice effects so you bound to increase your score with minimal practice. Yet, they are using these tests on veterans, people with anxiety/depression through universities, etc.

Lumosity now has the world's largest and fastest growing database on human cognition—which currently includes over 35,000,000 research subjects and over 600,000,000 cognitive gameplays. Our scientists mine this data to uncover insights that help them improve the efficacy of the Lumosity cognitive training program.

I am not an expert on this but I can share that a professor in my psychology department ( well respected memory researcher in a big time research program) said that these companies were based on faulty research.
 
I am not an expert on this but I can share that a professor in my psychology department ( well respected memory researcher in a big time research program) said that these companies were based on faulty research.

Regardless, the problem is that they have the largest database on "cognitive performance" in the world and their faulty software is being used by major universities in research studies on cognition. They are going to be shaping research on cognition and neuroscience even though their measures are completely faulty.

By the way, I played one particular problem solving game several times in a 24 hour period and my "problem solving" IQ jumped by 60%.
 
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There is a fairly well known neuropsychologist who co-founded one company. I have a friend who works for him. So, they are out there.
 
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glad to hear that psychologists aren't heavily involved in a these ventures. these appear to be a crock and eventually will fail.
 
This is very interesting, and it would be good to have more valid research on it.
 
I think it's funny that these companies are pushing all of this software on the idea that sitting on your a** playing computer games is the best way for a baby boomer retiree worried about memory loss to keep themselves sharp - when the fact is the best thing the person could do is get their butt of the couch and get some exercise. The best "brain training" (or at least, best Alzheimers disease preventative) is regular physical activity.
 
I think it's funny that these companies are pushing all of this software on the idea that sitting on your a** playing computer games is the best way for a baby boomer retiree worried about memory loss to keep themselves sharp - when the fact is the best thing the person could do is get their butt of the couch and get some exercise. The best "brain training" (or at least, best Alzheimers disease preventative) is regular physical activity.

I'd like to see someone attempt a mindfulness training program specifically for AD. I could see how walking meditation could be a very "synergistic" exercise for that group.
 
I think it's funny that these companies are pushing all of this software on the idea that sitting on your a** playing computer games is the best way for a baby boomer retiree worried about memory loss to keep themselves sharp - when the fact is the best thing the person could do is get their butt of the couch and get some exercise. The best "brain training" (or at least, best Alzheimers disease preventative) is regular physical activity.

Interestingly, stress management has proven to be more effective than exercise in some cases in prevention of cardiac incidents. It would really be nice if nursing home and assisted living facilities offered more of both. I think psychology has a lot to offer in designing programs to optimize behavioral health as well as prevention of cognitive decline.
 
There is a fairly well known neuropsychologist who co-founded one company. I have a friend who works for him. So, they are out there.

There is a ton of money and funding for these types of brain training programs (esp in private sector). I hope that more psychologists and neuropsychologists will start these ventures instead of MBAs. As it stands, these companies based on faulty science are dominating the market. Unfortunately, I read about this research in scientific american.
 
There is a ton of money and funding for these types of brain training programs (esp in private sector). I hope that more psychologists and neuropsychologists will start these ventures instead of MBAs. As it stands, these companies based on faulty science are dominating the market. Unfortunately, I read about this research in scientific american.

May be apropos (the author talks about these "brain training" software packages in the context of other treatment / prevention approaches for Alzheimers):

http://olderadults.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/treating-and-preventing-alzheimers/
 
Hey guys:

What is striking is that I have not seen one neuropsychologist or clinical psychologist as part of any of these companies. They are run by people with BA degrees or MBA's. Some have neuroscience researchers. It seems crazy to me that neuropsychologists are not involved at all in these ventures, even as consultants. I would expect that they would be in a much better position to create valid measures of intelligence.

I was going to start a new thread but did a search and my thoughts are similar to the OP. I was driving around my neighborhood and saw some kind of "open house" thing for a new brain training center: Learning Rx, Short Hills Cognitive Skills Testing | LearningRx Short Hills

So, four years after the OPs' post, these things don't seem to be going away. If anything, they are proliferating. This one doesn't appear to be managed by any kind of doctor (MBA holder opened it) and the highest degree needed to administer the tests is BA. They do provide (probably select) research for the training they use, but still, this is a franchise and just about anyone with money can open one of these centers.

I'm entering a PhD program later this month and am hoping to eventually become a neuropsychologist. Should I be worried about potential job prospects in the future? How do these places affect the NP industry overall (if they do)? I mean, I understand these people aren't affiliated with hospitals and are not going to help people with TBI or multiple sclerosis, but I imagine there may be some overlap in potential clientele-- some, but maybe not all, NPs provide cognitive rehabilitation which is essentially training the brain? Of course, let me know if I'm not completely understanding the differing industries here..
 
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