Brain Game Review: Lumosity
November 3, 2008 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Over the past couple of days, I’ve been reviewing Lumosity, the “scientifically designed brain training program.” You’re probably somewhat familiar with it, given that it’s been featured in media sources and magazines like The New York Times and Women’s Health, as well as all over the Internet.
There’s been some controversy surrounding programs like Lumosity, and the source of much of the controversy gathers around one question:
Do these brain games really work, or are they just rip offs?
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you whether or not they work. I’m not a scientist, or a doctor, or Derek Shepherd. However, I can tell you that I had fun playing the Lumosity games, and I did feel a bit sharper, mentally, afterward.
Read on for my review.
Lumosity includes 30 “sessions” and each session includes three to five games. You have to unlock each level, or session, you’re currently on before you can move on to the next level. (It sounds more confusing than it is!) Of course, you can always play a particular game more than once. I did.
Each game is designed to test and strengthen your attention, memory, processing speed, or cognitive control, and once you get rolling you can check your history for information about your Brain Performance Index, as well as keep track with your sessions and courses (Basic Training, Speed Boost, and Memory Boost).
Even though the games get more difficult the more you play them, you’ll probably get better at playing them. My score always increased each time I played a particular game. For example, my first score for Birdwatching, one of my favorite games, was 602. My fourth score was 3800.
Other favorites of mine were:
- Word Bubbles – With this one, you have to create as many words as you can that start with the three letters the game gives you. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
- Lost in Migration – In order to succeed at this game, you have to really slow down and focus on what you’re supposed to focus on and not allow yourself to get distracted or rushed.
I did not enjoy:
- Raindrops: It’s a math game, so naturally it frustrated me.
- Color Match: For some reason, I kept getting the rules confused!
According to my history, my memory and processing speed are both sharper than my attention and cognitive control. Though, really, I thought I was doing a good job at paying attention! (Well, maybe with the exception of Color Match.)
Lumosity offers a free trial, so give it a go and form your own opinions. Don’t forget to head back here and let me know what you think!
In the meantime, check out these posts for more brain game-related fun:
- Review: Google’s Top 5 Brain Games
- Time To Give Your Brain A Workout
- Keep Your Brain Active And Healthy The Fun Way!
Hello, Alicia.
You certainly cover a lot of ground on your blog. Good for you!
These days, there’s some very good science about what kinds of mental exercises increase brain power. Unfortunately, I think some brain software companies either don’t know the science or are afraid that people will be turned off by it.
I have spent the last three weeks preparing a virtual tour of my own software and the science behind it.
Susanne Jaeggi and Martin Buschkuehl’s study on Improving Fluid Intelligence by Training Working Memory (PNAS April 2008) recorded increases in mental agility (fluid intelligence) of more than 40% after 19 days of focused brain training.
I was so impressed that I contacted the research team and developed a software program using the same method so that anyone can achieve these improvements.
Mind Sparke Brain Fitness Pro
martin
mind evolve, llc
It’s funny you point out your frustration with the math game.. I rather enjoy them, a math nerd at heart I guess! I’ll check them out during my lunch hour at my desk
. I think more people should take advantage of them..even might be a good idea to implement some at nursing homes instead of “craft times”..I’ve always been an advocate for nutritional supplements though so I can’t help but mention Omega 3 and DHA for ADDED mental alertness and well being. I love Neurovi over Nordic Naturals, even GNC because it contains the highest level of DHA. They still have the promotion of 12% off for any one interested in trying them out. I think the coupon code is “gift of health”.
fyi-I might spread the word around the office
THANKS!
@ Martin – Yes I do. I don’t know how I stay sane, haha. Thanks for sharing the info and links!
@ Abby – I’m big on Omega 3, but I don’t know much about DHA (although I’ve read a lot of comments about it readers have left here at one post or another).
Greetings,
I have been using Lumosity now for about two months, but it seems to me that there are many technical problems with the site. While my scores have improved dramatically, at times certain games to do not score properly or have “bugs” in them.
I have written to the staff, but they don’t respond.
It happend with Word Bubbles several times that I typed in words with 15 or more letters and the game refuses to accept those words, saying “No more words with 13 letters.” Weird, since the count is off.
Then with Memory Matrix, I reached a NEW HIGH SCORE and it SUBTRACTED points from my totals in that game. 49 points in fact. Also very wrong.
Lumosity is fun and it’s good, but they need to fix the bugs with the program, otherwise it’s simply frustrating.