In January, Lumos Labs, the company that created the Lumosity “brain training” program, agreed to pay $2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceived consumers with unfounded claims that its brain games could help them improve their performance at school and work, delay age-related cognitive decline, protect against conditions such as Alzheimer’s and reduce intellectual impairment associated with health conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury and the side effects of chemotherapy.
“Lumosity preyed on consumers’ fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease,” Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a news release. “But Lumosity simply did not have the science to back up its ads.”
The FTC’s move isn’t the first time the brain-training industry has come under fire. In 2014, more than 70 prominent researchers published a consensus statement circulated by the Stanford Center on Longevity critical of the brain training industry. Neurology and psychology experts complained the scientific studies upon which the claims were based had been oversimplified. What’s more, they argued, the evidence itself is likely skewed because studies showing brain training improved cognitive performance are more likely to get published than those finding it had no impact.
“Like many challenging scientific topics, this is a devil of many details,” they wrote. “The consensus of the group is that claims promoting brain games are frequently exaggerated and at times misleading” and that the “aggressive advertising entices consumers to spend money on products and to take up new behaviors, such as gaming, based on these exaggerated claims.”
So is the debate settled? Not really. After the Stanford group issued its statement, another even larger group of experts issued an open letter noting that while many brain fitness companies may indeed make exaggerated claims, “a substantial and growing body of evidence shows that certain cognitive training regimens can significantly improve cognitive function.”
So where does that leave consumers? A comfortable mix of skepticism and hope seems appropriate. While the science of brain training holds promise, the advertising may be overblown. So if you’re one of the many people out there who enjoys brain games: have fun. But if you’re spending money on games hoping to become a member of Mensa: buyer beware.
