Can Games Help Improve Memory?

Many video game and software makers have released games aimed at improving memory and cognitive function. As with any advertised product, it's natural to wonder whether the claims are true and whether these games actually work. The short answer is that memory training through games can help, especially with the skills you practice.

The human brain works in a complicated way, but in its simplest terms it comes down to this: use it or lose it. For instance, if you go a long time without practicing your addition skills, adding figures will seem much harder the next time you try. The principle behind memory games is that if you keep your brain active, recalling information becomes easier.

Everyday tasks don't always keep your brain active in a broad way, because they tend to exercise only a few skills. A cab driver, for instance, mainly exercises navigation, which relies heavily on the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and sense of direction.

Researchers are still studying how much memory games can do, including whether they help slow memory decline as we age. Part of the idea rests on what's known as "neuroplasticity": the brain's ability to change and form new connections in response to training. So even if you don't think you were born with a good memory, regular practice may help you improve it.

To get the most out of memory training, choose your games carefully. Some are available online, and others come as part of broader memory improvement programs. A program that trains several different areas, such as spatial memory, sense of direction, and memory for names and faces, is usually more useful than a single stand-alone game.

Play these games regularly, for example for at least 10 minutes a day, to keep your brain alert. It may take a couple of weeks before you notice a change. However, that doesn't mean you should stop after the first two weeks. Keep training, because skills you stop practicing tend to fade, just as your muscles lose their shape when you stop exercising.

Games are only one option. For other approaches, see these methods to improve memory.