"Novelty, variety and challenge are the true keys to evaluating any brain game’s effectiveness"
Are Brain Games Effective?
Go into any bookstore and you’re sure to see them: entire shelves full of brain teasers, puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, etc. These books are loaded with all sorts of mental exercises and brain games that supposedly will improve your brain fitness and function simply by playing them.
You can find thousands of these sorts of brain boosters online as well, many of them for free. You’ll also find an assortment of commercially available products online from companies who specialize in what they call “scientifically designed” brain games.
The big question, however, is whether engaging in any of these mental exercises can actually improve your brain fitness. And if so, how do you decide which ones are better than others?
Neuroplasticity — The Basis for Brain Change
Over the last 20 years, scientists have discovered that our brain can:
- Grow new connections
- Grow new neurons
- Rewire itself
The ability of our brain to do all this is what neuroscientists call neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of neurons to forge new connections — essentially rewiring the brain.
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EXERCISES TO IMPROVE LOGIC AND MEMORY
