Can brain training smartphone apps and computer games really help you stay sharp?

"Improve your memory." "Get a personalized brain training plan." "Keep your mind sharp."

These are the promises of an ever-growing number of smartphone apps and computer games being sold as a means to help protect and even improve your mind and memory. But is it true? Can electronic products really help your brain health?

"The companies who make these games would like you to think so," says Dr. Andrew Budson, chief of cognitive and behavioral neurology at the VA Boston Healthcare System.

And it is theoretically possible that some do — after all, there are hundreds on the market. But the problem is there's not a whole lot of concrete proof that this is the case.

Understanding the research

Research into these apps often hasn't followed best research practices, such as controlling for other factors that may influence the results. And unfortunately, when researchers do use careful research methods, the benefits of using these apps and games often evaporate, says Dr. Budson. That said, there are some studies that have shown positive results, he says.

Researchers from the University of Iowa published one such study in 2019 in The Journals of Gerontology. The researchers asked a group of adults to follow a 10-week computerized brain training program and compared them against a control group of people who played traditional computer games. The researchers found that at the end of the study period, the people in the brain training group were faster at processing information and had better working memory (a measure of how well they could recall information and apply it to tasks), compared with those who played the traditional computer games, says Dr. Budson.

But more commonly, tests of electronic programs seem to fall flat, says Dr. Budson. For example, a 2020 International Psychogeriatrics study of people ages 80 and older, which was structured much like the University of Iowa study, found no improvements in thinking or memory in either the computerized cognitive training group or the control group.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission has already moved to penalize some app and computer game makers for making claims that it deemed unsubstantiated. In 2016, the regulatory agency fined a number of companies and ordered them to purge their marketing of misleading statements.

In addition to a dearth of research confirming the value of electronic brain-boosting programs, there is some additional evidence linking certain types of screen-based activities to worse brain outcomes. For example, some studies have linked frequent use of social media to a higher risk of memory problems later in life. A 2021 study published in The Journal of General Psychology said this may have to do with how scrolling on these sites affects your mood.

"Interestingly, some of the effects of social media seem to be linked to their tendency to increase negative emotions, working against your attempts to maintain a positive outlook," says Dr. Budson.

Strategies to protect the brain

Ultimately, Dr. Budson says that based on the information out there, it appears that while computerized brain training programs may help people get better at specific tasks that they practice using each program, the programs don't seem to help them do better on other, unrelated tasks or improve their cognitive performance over all.

That said, if you're using an app or brain training computer program and you like it, keep doing it, in moderation. Enjoyable activities, says Dr. Budson, can be good for you.

"Consider it a hobby, something you do to have fun, rather than something critically important for your brain," says Dr. Budson.

But don't overlook strategies that have already been shown to help maintain brain health, with physical activity and dedicated time for exercise topping the list. Budson says there are at least six more that should be a priority.

1. Eat a healthy diet. Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet — heavy on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean meats, and low in processed and sugary foods — can benefit your brain health.

2. Ditch bad habits. Illegal drug use, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough sleep at night take a toll on cognition.

3. Take time to socialize. People whose brains age well often have one thing in common: they have strong social ties. A 2011 study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society found that among more than 1,000 older adults followed for five years, those who were the most socially active had 70% less cognitive decline compared with their less-social peers. But keep in mind that not all social experiences are beneficial. Negative or stressful relationships have been found to harm cognition.

4. Turn up the tunes. Listening to music or playing an instrument can benefit your brain, says Dr. Budson. When you listen to music, it engages multiple regions of your brain, activating the parts associated not only with language but also rhythm and memory. In addition, music has mood-altering abilities, which can help get you out of a funk or calm and relax you after a stressful day. "The AARP surveyed over 3,000 adults ages 18 and older and found that music was associated with self-reported reduced levels of anxiety and depression, very good or excellent brain health, good quality of life, happiness and mental well-being, and the ability to learn new things," says Dr. Budson. Combining music, dancing, and social interactions can bring particularly potent brain benefits, he says.

5. Be mindful. Taking time out of your day to focus on the present and to reset can bring cognitive benefits, primarily because it reduces brain-harming stress. It can also get you into the habit of paying attention to what you're doing — which can help you in numerous ways, among them remembering names, where you parked your car, or and where you left your keys. Taking a few minutes each day to do mindfulness training can make a difference. Learn how by signing up for an in-person or online class, or use a smartphone app or computer program.

6. Look on the bright side. Taking the time to put a more positive spin on your life might help your brain health, says Dr. Budson. A 2012 study published in The Journals of Gerontology found that positive thinkers appeared to have healthier brains than their pessimistic peers. Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging demonstrated that those who reported positive attitudes about aging had 30% less memory decline than people who held more negative views.

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