Brain Training, an expensive placebo effect does not make you smarter

Brain training industry handles around one billion dollars currently.

And no wonder, who would not like to be smarter? Previously science told us that intelligence was hereditary, and to be setting during adulthood, unable improved externally. Subsequently, some studies even claimed that methods exist for potential intelligence, especially in the areas of logic and memory. And that's where the invasion of brain training programs arrived.

Gradually have emerged studies against this type of brain training, but for now companies like Lumosity, Cogmed and NeuroNation have already been promising miracles: Higher IQ, higher cognition in old age, more memory ... And even some studies claimed that brain training could treat ADHD. Now a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America opens our eyes about it.

The placebo effect of Brain Training, examination

To what extent have deceived us studies of brain training? One of the most recent studies on the subject, a meta-analysis of 2015, even suggested that this type of brain training increased to four points IQ. Now, is this true?

It was precisely this question that was raised in the new PNAS study where the experimental methods used in previous studies were evaluated brain training. And, surprise !, there were many biases in the sample and taking into account the effect placebo. In fact, they not even had randomized double-blind clinical trials. Something that companies have used to keep invading our mind with positive publicity, which in turn could enhance the placebo effect of brain training in an endless cycle.

Specifically, and to evaluate carefully the 19 studies included in this meta-analysis of 2015 it found that up to 17 of these studies used "open recruitment" of participants, regardless of inclusion or exclusion factors. In addition, the groups were only 25 participants (or less).

The research confirms the placebo effect Brain Training

In the new study, psychologists George Mason University recruited 50 participants in two different ways, but also using an "open recruitment".

On the one hand, they used a poster advertising the study using specific terms such as "brain training" and "cognitive enhancement" as well state that previous research had shown that this training is effective for the brain. On the other hand, in a second similar cartel, only they encouraged to participate in the study in order to earn college credit. The 25 individuals recruited by the first poster were considered "placebo group", and the second cartel recruited by acted as "control group".
All participants were passed tests to measure intelligence, and then they spent a brain training game for an hour, finally remeasuring their intelligence. With only an hour of training participants "control group" performed better on tests of fluid intelligence, between five and ten IQ points. The control group received no such improvement.

You may ask, how is this possible?

Well, when researchers asked about the beliefs of intelligence to "placebo group", it turned out that they all had full confidence that intelligence is malleable. Therefore, researchers have concluded that methods of recruitment of all previous studies on brain training have fallen into a "bias of self-selection", where individuals who have volunteered to participate are precisely those who do believe that intelligence it can be improved, and therefore are susceptible to this "placebo effect".

How does this placebo effect Brain Training work?

Unfortunately, this placebo effect has no value, as well warn researchers. can serve to study the extent actually affects brain function, but is currently not possible with current studies. To really assess the actual effects on intelligence should be randomized clinical trials and double-blind, unused self-selected participants as all who have so far participated in the studies.

At the moment, the study authors say that companies should "moderate" because the brain effects that have sold so far no scientific evidence behind.