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Nintendo DS Won't Train your Brain Can Nintendo DS brain trainer turn your kids into little Einsteins and send your old folks minds decades backwards? A new study rules these publicly announced scenarios, and comes to the conclusion that old school board games such as scrabble (or maybe even backgammon?) serve better in improving memory functions and learning skills (and cost far less).
Prof. Alain Lieury of the cognitive psychology department, University of Rennes, France examined the influence of Nintendo Ds brain trainer on a group of 10 years old children, comparing to the affect of solving puzzles and not getting involved in any extracurricular brain boosting activity. At the end of its seven weeks period, the study failed to prove cognitive superiority of those who have practiced Dr. Kawashima brain teasers and memory games.
The graduates of Nintendo DS brain training program achieved the highest score in mathematics, 1 percent higher than their puzzle experts friends. Single percent different also stood between the memory tests of the two groups, this time the puzzlers hand was on the upper. At the same time, the group of ten year olds who did nothing special besides regular schooling, had the best results in logic.
Prof. Lieury is not very optimistic about the educational game's projected contribution to the rejuvenation of elderly people's brains. "If it doesn't work on children, it won't work on adults" He told Times Online, and suggested to play scrabble, solve sudoko puzzles, watch "documentaries instead of soap operas matched or beat the console" in order to protect the aging brain of memory loss and deteriorating diseases.
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