Use it or lose it? Wii brain exercise practice and reading for domain knowledge

Abstract

We investigated the training effects and transfer effects associated with 2 approaches to cognitive activities (so-called brain training) that might mitigate age-related cognitive decline. A sample of 78 adults between the ages of 50 and 71 completed 20 one-hr training sessions with the Nintendo Wii Big Brain Academy software over the course of 1 month and, in a second month, completed 20 one-hr reading sessions with articles on 4 different current topics (order of assignment was counterbalanced for the participants). An extensive battery of cognitive and perceptual speed ability measures was administered before and after each month of cognitive training activities, along with a battery of domain-knowledge tests. Results indicated substantial improvements on the Wii tasks, somewhat less improvement on the domain knowledge tests, and practice-related improvements on 6 of the 10 ability tests. However, there was no significant transfer of training from either the Wii practice or the reading tasks to measures of cognitive and perceptual speed abilities. Implications for these findings are discussed in terms of adult intellectual development and maintenance.

Figure 1

Mean task component scores and standard deviations on the Wii Big Brain Academy, over the course of 20 one-hour practice sessions. Five days of practice per week, over four weeks. Error bars are +/− one standard error of the means.

Figure 2

Mean total domain knowledge scores at pretest, interim test (after one month) and final posttest (after two months), by task order condition (Wii-first participants completed the reading assignment between the Interim test and the Posttest; Reading-first participants completed the reading assignments between the Pretest and the Interim Test). Error bars are +/− one standard error of the means.

Figure 3

Correlations between three ability composites (Gc, Gf, and PS) and Wii task performance, where task performance was averaged across Wii tasks and across each week of practice. Correlations larger than r = .24 are significant, with α=.05. Gc = Crystallized ability, Gf = Fluid ability, and PS = Perceptual Speed ability.

Figure 4

Correlations between three ability composites (Gc, Gf, & PS) and composite domain knowledge test performance at initial session (before the reading assignment) -- Pretest; and in the session immediately following the reading assignment -- Posttest. Correlations larger than r = .24 are significant, with α=.05. Gc = Crystallized ability, Gf = Fluid ability, and PS = Perceptual Speed ability.