Visit the website of brain-training software NeuroNation and you’re greeted with a reassuring message. “Your potential is infinite,” says the headline, placed above a sciencey-looking scan of a rotating brain lit from within with mysterious light. Continue to scroll down the page, and the next words you see are equally comforting: “Scientifically proven,” they say, followed by a statement that NeuroNation’s games are “developed with scientists” and “at the forefront of scientific research.” But, as a new study published this week suggests, the positive effects of such brain-training programs might be the result of nothing more than the placebo effect: participants who are told they’re going to perform better in IQ tests after playing brain-training programs do perform better.
