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Cited by 240Cognitive Abilities and TestingCognitive Functions and MemoryNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

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

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Nouchi, Rui, Taki, Yasuyuki, Takeuchi, Hikaru, Hashizume, Hiroshi, Nozawa, Takayuki, Kambara, Toshimune, Sekiguchi, Atsushi, Miyauchi, Carlos Makoto +3 more·2013·PLoS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0055518PMC PMC3566110
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Do brain training games work? The beneficial effects of brain training games are expected to transfer to other cognitive functions. Yet in all honesty, beneficial transfer effects of the commercial brain training games in young adults have little scientific basis. Here we investigated the impact of the brain training game (Brain Age) on a wide range of cognitive functions in young adults. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind (de facto masking) randomized controlled trial using a popular brain training game (Brain Age) and a popular puzzle game (Tetris). Thirty-two volunteers were recruited through an advertisement in the local newspaper and randomly assigned to either of two game groups (Brain Age, Tetris). Participants in both the Brain Age and the Tetris groups played their game for about 15 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. Measures of the cognitive functions were conducted before and after training. Measures of the cognitive functions fell into eight categories (fluid intelligence, executive function, working memory, short-term memory, attention, processing speed, visual ability, and reading ability). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Our results showed that commercial brain training game improves executive functions, working memory, and processing speed in young adults. Moreover, the popular puzzle game can engender improvement attention and visuo-spatial ability compared to playing the brain training game. The present study showed the scientific evidence which the brain training game had the beneficial effects on cognitive functions (executive functions, working memory and processing speed) in the healthy young adults. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not indicate that everyone should play brain training games. However, the commercial brain training game might be a simple and convenient means to improve some cognitive functions. We believe that our findings are highly relevant to applications in educational and clinical fields. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trial Registry 000005618.

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Authors
Nouchi, R., Taki, Y., Takeuchi, H., Hashizume, H., Nozawa, T., Kambara, T., Sekiguchi, A., Miyauchi, C. M., Kotozaki, Y., Nouchi, H., & Kawashima, R.
Affiliations
Tohoku University (JP)
Corresponding author
Nouchi, Rui
ORCID
Venue
PLoS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2013-02-06
Volume
8
Issue
2
Pages
e55518
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0055518
PMC
PMC3566110
OpenAlex
W2069622657
Cited by
240
References
91
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4
FWCI
21.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Tokyo Tech Research Repository (Tokyo Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Japan Science and Technology Agency
  • Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
brain training games, brain age, Tetris, executive function, working memory, processing speed, transfer of learning, puzzle games, young adults, fluid intelligence, attention, visuospatial ability, reading skills
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Cognition, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neuropsychological Tests, Case-Control Studies, Video Games, Young Adult, Executive Function

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