What if a simple mental exercise could improve your memory and intelligence?
A recent study published in PNAS, an important scientific journal, shows that a memory task called dual n-back improves working memory (short term memory) andfluid intelligence. These findings are important because fluid intelligence was previously thought to be unchangeable.
Those findings have since been replicated twice with strongly positive results, and two more times in smaller studies with weaker, but still positive, results.
Brain Workshop implements this dual n-back task, and enables you to improve your working memory and fluid intelligence. The dual n-back task involves remembering a sequence of spoken letters and a sequence of positions of a square at the same time, and identifying when a letter or position matches the one that appeared n trials earlier. Brain Workshop can closely replicate the conditions of the original study. In addition, it also includes optional extended game modes such as Triple N-Back andArithmetic N-Back. It also includes features such as statistics tracking, graphs and easy configurability.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the dual n-back task also enhances focus and attention and may help improve the symptoms of ADHD/ADD.
Brain Workshop works on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux.
Since its initial release in August 2008, Brain Workshop has been downloaded over 384,000 times!
New to the Dual N-Back phenomenon?
- See this Wired article for an introduction to the Dual N-Back exercise and its benefits.
- Read the original research paper by Jaeggi, et al. (2008).
- Learn how to play by reading this quick tutorial.
- Download the software.
We welcome the use of Brain Workshop for experimental research. Please contact us to discuss this possibility.
