Comments on: Do You Need A Mind Sparke?

By: What’s Your New Year’s Brain Resolution? | Brain Training 101

What’s Your New Year’s Brain Resolution? | Brain Training 101 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 02:47:00 +0000

[...] 2009 is officially behind us, and as we move into a brand new year, it’s time to make those New Year’s resolutions. I started last year with the goal of a better brain. [...]

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:43:31 +0000

Michelle -

“could you IMAGINE what that would be like at n=10 or above????”

No. I’m sure there are a few out there who could handle it, but I’m not one of them. Just thinking about it hurts my brain. :-)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:51:12 +0000

On the matter of triple n-back tasks – could you IMAGINE what that would be like at n=10 or above????

You’d probably end up either a freakish multi-tasking memory genius or in a straightjacket………. (or maybe both) LOL

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:35:11 +0000

Hey Anne!

Thanks! :-) I will forever struggle with the homophones. My worst offense: their and they’re.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:42:24 +0000

The paired down design gets straight to the benefits of the program and is reflective of Walkerâ€™s philosophy

Dear Erin,
Just a proof-reading issue – that should be “pared” down on the Mind Sparke information page.

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=103926189821&h=931xC&u=6cIJu&ref=nf

Blessings,
Anne. – sorry, I can’t help myself when I have the opportunity to tidy up spelling and punctuation.

By: Erin Matlock

Erin Matlock — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:37:07 +0000

Hey Michelle!

Congrats on your MindSparke training! You are doing extremely well and how fascinating to be training during your IQ test administration. I would love to hear your thoughts on the training and if it helped once your evaluation is complete.

“I can feel the difference in my working memory because I can actually feel the experience of holding sets of info from different modalities and working on it as each new letter/square appears.”

I found this part to be SO addictive. With MindSparke the results come so fast and are so easy to measure. It’s incredibly rewarding to feel your brain improve like that.

“Has anyone had any experience with a neuroscientist-designed software program called Simply Smarter?”

I looked it up but had not heard of it before. I suspect there are quite a few gems hiding out in various corners of the internet. If you try it, please let us know what you think.

“I also love MyBrainTrainer. Doing it feels like a lab experiment, but having done it for about 6 weeks now, Iâ€™m noticing improvements in processing speed in other brain exercises done at home and in my executive functioning…Anyone else tried this one?”

I have heard good things about MyBrainTrainer, but have not tried it myself. Good to hear it’s working for you – I may have to go take a look! LOL

Good luck on the rest of your WAIS!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:09:40 +0000

I’m loving this Mind Sparke software! At day 9 I’ve gone from my 2.30 starting point to 4.10, and I wouldn’t have ever believed it possible, as my working memory has always been relatively weak compared to abstract reasoning and both visual-spatial and verbal intelligence. In fact, I’m in the middle of neuropsych & IQ evaluation at present because I thought I may have been gifted learning disabled. Turns out that it doesn’t look like I’m going to end up learning disabled, but the IQ results are likely to be high. The WAIS-IV is being doled out to me in small chunks (due to the fact that I have an anxiety disorder and the psychologist – an associate prof and researcher – only does private practice one afternoon a week) so I don’t yet know my overall scores as I’ve only done the Vocabulary and digit span subtests so far. I reached the ceiling on vocab but my digit span was 6 a month ago. (I’m hoping that the latter will improve long-term……..) The neuropsychologist thinks I’ll probably be in the 97th-98th percentile overall, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I’m due to do some of the visual-spatial perfomance subtasks when he returns back from his research trip, so hopefully the dual n-back stuff will see me improve in the fluid intelligence tasks that I haven’t done yet.

I’m going to mention my progress to the neuropsychologist when I see him.

I can feel the difference in my working memory because I can actually feel the experience of holding sets of info from different modalities and working on it as each new letter/square appears. I couldn’t do that before. I can’t imagine getting to n=6 like others here (that’s amazing!) but then I guess I couldn’t imagine even doing n=2 successfully 10 days ago. I intend to keep it up permanently once a day.

BTW – has anyone had any experience with a neuroscientist-designed software program called Simply Smarter? It’s designed especially to improve digit span (well, basically it’s for sequential memory – digits, letters, and visual), and I’m thinking of forking out the $99 so I can work at that as well.

PS I also love MyBrainTrainer. Doing it feels like a lab experiment, but having done it for about 6 weeks now, I’m noticing improvements in processing speed in other brain exercises done at home and in my executive functioning. I signed up for the 2 month plan at $9.99, but when it’s due for renewal I’m going to go for a 12 month one. Anyone else tried this one? It’s less game like than Lumosity, but beneficial.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:17:04 +0000

Thanks for the info on both scoring systems. Truthfully, I’m not sure I’ll ever purchase MS as I’ve yet to see any compelling reasons to purchase. If soakyourhead.com ever goes away, then MS will certainly have a hand in my pocket. But from what I understand, MS is making some updates to the software that will add a new dimension to the game play, so that could be defining factor for shipping out my digital greenbacks.
Glad to hear you’ll be back at the snack bar with the rest of us sometime soon. Thanks for the mentioning some of the anticipated benefits of playing. I’m looking forward to the mental clouds parting on day five, which is in fact tomorrow. =D

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:32:06 +0000

Justin,

From what I could see SYH and MS score your results the same way. MS calls it an “average n-back score” where SYH calls it your “n Level.” If you are already up to 3.65, you’re doing VERY WELL. Good on ya!

I really started to notice a difference in my thinking around Day 5. It’s not so much that you’ll see a jump in your score, but you should notice a difference in your daily cognitive functions.

And as for not being disciplined…BAH! I’m only doing it because I need to isolate the programs for these reviews. Once I get through them, I will be back to my buffet of brain training – just like you. :-)

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:28:43 +0000

I have not used Mind Sparke (yet, perhaps). I’ve been using soakyourhead.com dual-n-back online game for the last three days and have seen a steady increase in results. Dunno if Mind Sparkes software uses the same scoring system, but today I reached 3.65 after starting at 2.15 two days ago. I’m going to continue the regiment at soakyourhead.com for the remaining 16 days to see what results I get. I’m not as disciplined as you when it comes to isolating games and training programs unfortunately. I just opened up a luminosity account last week, play Brain Age 1 and 2, and a couple of vocabulary games depending on my mood. So it may be difficult to come to an objective conclusion about which methods are producing which results, but I really don’t care as long as I’m having fun and getting teh smartypants on the uppity. =]