Brain Lead Magnet Possibility

By Margharita Health & Wellness Longevity Smart Ageing Technology Training October 29, 2025

Appendix: A Consumer’s Guide to Brain Training Technology

(Or: What Your Money Buys)

The following represents a survey of currently available brain-training programmes and related cognitive enhancement technologies. This is not an endorsement—think of it more as field notes from the commercial wilderness. Prices and claims are as advertised by manufacturers as of early 2025, though by the time you read this, everything will probably have changed—because that’s how technology works.

Comprehensive Brain Training Platforms (The Full-Service Options)

BrainHQ (Posit Science)

Cost: $14/month or $96/year (less than a daily latte, as marketing materials helpfully point out—though you’ll notice they don’t compare it to things that actually improve cognitive function, like walking, which is free).
Approach: 29 exercises targeting attention, memory, brain speed, people skills, navigation, and intelligence.
Evidence base: Over 200 peer-reviewed papers; the most extensively researched commercial programme.
Notable: Exercises adjust difficulty in real time; founded by the scientists who discovered neuroplasticity—so at least you’re buying from the source.
Honest assessment: If you’re going to try brain training, this is the most scientifically legitimate option.

Lumosity

Cost: $11.99/month or $59.99/year.
Approach: Games targeting memory, attention, flexibility, speed, and problem-solving.
Evidence base: Some published research; also famously fined $2 million by the FTC in 2016 for making unsubstantiated advertising claims, which should tell you something.
Notable: The most widely marketed; emphasis on gamification and making brain training feel less like homework.
Honest assessment: Fun interface, questionable science, checkered regulatory history.

CogniFit

Cost: $19.99/month.
Approach: Personalised training based on an initial cognitive assessment (provided by CogniFit, naturally).
Evidence base: Multiple published studies on specific populations.
Notable: Used in some research settings; offers separate programmes for different age groups.
Honest assessment: More expensive, more personalised—whether that’s worth the premium is debatable.

Peak

Cost: $4.99/month or $34.99/year.
Approach: 40+ games targeting various cognitive domains.
Evidence base: Limited independent research; designed by neuroscientists but not necessarily validated by them.
Notable: Mobile-first design, available on iOS and Android.
Honest assessment: Inexpensive, engaging, scientifically optimistic.

Specialised Training Programmes (For When You Want to Target Specific Problems)

Cogmed (Pearson)

Cost: $1,000–1,500 for a complete programme including coaching (yes, really).
Approach: Working memory training over five weeks with certified coach support.
Evidence base: Developed by Dr Torkel Klingberg; shows working-memory improvements, though debate continues over whether benefits transfer.
Notable: Requires significant time commitment (30–45 minutes daily, five days a week); primarily marketed for ADHD.
Honest assessment: Expensive, intensive, possibly effective—definitely requires commitment most people won’t maintain.

Posit Science InSight

Cost: Included in BrainHQ subscription; also available through some auto-insurance companies.
Approach: Visual processing-speed and attention training specifically for driving.
Evidence base: Based on UFOV research; demonstrated reduction in crash risk.
Notable: Some insurers offer premium discounts for completion, which is either validation or a clever way for them to shift responsibility.
Honest assessment: Actually addresses a real-world problem (driving safety) with measurable outcomes.

Dual N-Back Training

Cost: Free apps available (Brain Workshop, IQ Mindware); premium versions $5–15.
Approach: Working-memory training requiring simultaneous tracking of visual and auditory stimuli.
Evidence base: Research by Dr Susanne Jaeggi suggests fluid-intelligence improvements; replication studies show mixed results, as is traditional.
Notable: Challenging, potentially frustrating, high dropout rates.
Honest assessment: Free or cheap, scientifically interesting, practically exhausting.

Therapeutic Video Games (Because Sometimes Medicine Should Be Fun)

EndeavorRx (Akili Interactive)

Cost: Requires prescription; covered by some insurance.
Approach: Action video game targeting attention and cognitive control.
Evidence base: FDA-authorised for paediatric ADHD; the first prescription video game—either groundbreaking or a sign of late-stage capitalism (possibly both).
Founded by: Dr Adam Gazzaley’s research at UCSF Neuroscape.
Notable: Primarily for children aged 8–12; adult applications under development.
Honest assessment: Fascinating concept, limited applicability to older adults, impressive regulatory achievement.

NeuroRacer

Cost: Not commercially available (it’s research only, so you can’t buy it no matter how much you want to).
Approach: Multitasking video game requiring simultaneous driving and target detection.
Evidence base: Published research showing improvements in multitasking ability.
Founded by: Dr Adam Gazzaley.
Notable: Demonstrates proof of concept for therapeutic gaming.
Honest assessment: Interesting research, unavailable to consumers—included here for completeness.

Physical–Cognitive Training Systems (For When You Want Your Body and Brain to Suffer Together)

Interactive Metronome

Cost: $1,995 for the home system plus ongoing subscription (approximately the cost of a used car, though less useful for transportation).
Approach: Rhythmic-timing exercises coordinating physical movement with auditory cues.
Evidence base: Multiple studies showing improvements in attention and motor planning.
Notable: Requires specialised equipment; often used in clinical rehabilitation settings.
Honest assessment: Expensive, requires commitment, possibly effective, probably overkill for most people.

Neuro Gym Programmes

Cost: Varies by facility; typically premium-class pricing.
Approach: Exercise programmes combining physical movement with cognitive challenges.
Evidence base: General research supports combined physical–cognitive training; specific programmes less studied.
Notable: The social component may provide additional benefits.
Honest assessment: Combines exercise (good for you) with cognitive challenge (possibly good for you) and social interaction (definitely good for you).

Neurofeedback Systems (For When You Want to See Your Brain Waves, Sort Of)

Muse Headband

Cost: $249–399 depending on model.
Approach: EEG-based meditation training providing real-time feedback on brain activity.
Evidence base: General neurofeedback research is mixed; specific device research limited.
Notable: A consumer-friendly entry point to neurofeedback; primarily marketed for meditation and stress reduction.
Honest assessment: Interesting technology, unclear efficacy, makes meditation feel more scientific—and therefore more appealing to certain personality types.

NeurOptimal (Zengar Institute)

Cost: $10,000+ for a home system; $100–200 per session with a practitioner (you read that correctly).
Approach: Dynamical neurofeedback providing non-linear feedback to train brain self-regulation.
Evidence base: Limited peer-reviewed research; primarily based on clinical reports and testimonials.
Notable: Expensive; practitioners often make broad claims about benefits.
Honest assessment: Prohibitively expensive, scientifically questionable—caveat emptor.

Memory-Specific Programmes (Because Sometimes You Just Want to Remember Where You Put Your Keys)

Memorado

Cost: Free basic version; $5.99/month premium.
Approach: Memory games and exercises with mindfulness components.
Evidence base: Minimal independent research.
Notable: Emphasis on stress reduction alongside memory training.
Honest assessment: Inexpensive, pleasant, unlikely to hurt—unclear if it helps.

Elevate

Cost: $4.99/month or $39.99/year.
Approach: Focuses on communication skills, processing speed, and memory.
Evidence base: Proprietary research only (which means research funded and published by Elevate).
Notable: Strong design and user experience; popular among younger users.
Honest assessment: Well-designed, engaging, scientifically unproven.

Emerging Technologies (Or: The Future of Monetising Your Brain)

Virtual Reality Cognitive Training

Cost: Varies; mostly research stage.
Approach: Immersive environments for spatial memory, navigation, and attention training.
Evidence base: Early research promising for spatial cognition.
Notable: Requires a VR headset; accessibility limited by cost and tech comfort.
Honest assessment: Fascinating future possibilities, limited current applications—check back in five years.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Devices

Cost: $200–500 for consumer devices.
Approach: Low-level electrical stimulation claimed to enhance cognitive function by running electricity through your skull, which sounds perfectly safe and not at all like something from a Victorian asylum.
Evidence base: Research results highly mixed; safety concerns remain.
Notable: The FDA has not approved tDCS devices for cognitive enhancement; significant safety and efficacy questions.
Honest assessment: Intriguing science, premature commercialisation, possibly dangerous, definitely not recommended without medical supervision.

Free or Low-Cost Alternatives (Or: What You Can Do Without Enriching Shareholders)

Dual N-Back Apps (Brain Workshop, IQ Mindware): Free, scientifically interesting, will make you question your life choices.
Online Chess Platforms (Chess.com, Lichess.org): Free, demonstrably improves chess ability; may or may not improve anything else—at least you’ll have fun losing to 12-year-olds from around the world.
Language-Learning Apps (Duolingo, Memrise): Free basic versions, actually teach you something useful, plus you can eavesdrop on conversations abroad.
Public Library Resources: Free access to learning platforms and books, which have been training brains successfully since about 3500 BCE. Also offers social interaction, community connection, and the satisfaction of supporting public institutions—shockingly underused given you’ve already paid for them through taxes.
YouTube Educational Content: Free, vast, ranging from brilliant to catastrophically misinformed. Requires the ability to distinguish legitimate education from conspiracy theories—which itself may count as cognitive training.
Community College Courses: Often free or low-cost for seniors. Provide real learning plus social engagement—far more enriching than clicking coloured shapes on a screen.

Critical Considerations for Consumers

(Or: How Not to Get Fleeced)

Red Flags That Should Send You Running

Claims about preventing or reversing dementia (no intervention has yet been proven to do this, full stop).
Promises of increased IQ or general intelligence (transfer effects are limited, and IQ is a questionable construct anyway).
Lack of published, peer-reviewed research (if they had legitimate research, they’d be shouting it from the rooftops).
Testimonials replacing evidence (“My aunt Gladys says it works” is not data).
Long-term subscriptions with unclear cancellation policies (always read the fine print, especially about auto-renewals).
Claims that sound too good to be true (because they are).
Anything involving electricity and your brain without medical supervision.

Questions to Ask Before Spending Money

What specific cognitive functions does this programme target? (Vague answers are red flags.)
What independent research supports its effectiveness? (Independent means not funded by the company.)
What’s the comparison group in the studies? (Active vs passive control matters enormously.)
How large are the demonstrated effects? (Statistically significant doesn’t mean practically meaningful.)
Do benefits transfer beyond the trained tasks? (The crucial question most companies avoid.)
How long do benefits last after training stops? (If you must keep paying to maintain them, perhaps question the model.)
Could I achieve similar benefits by walking, joining a book club, or learning the ukulele? (Honest answer: quite possibly, yes.)

The Reasonable Consumer’s Approach

If you choose to use brain-training programmes, approach them as you would any health intervention: with appropriate scepticism, realistic expectations, and a clear sense of cost–benefit. A $60 annual subscription to a research-backed programme represents minimal financial risk. Your dignity remains intact if you try it and decide it’s not worthwhile.

The time investment — typically 20–30 minutes daily — is a more significant commitment. Consider whether that time might be equally well spent on activities with proven benefits: physical exercise (improves cognition), social engagement (improves mental health and longevity), learning new skills (humans have been doing this successfully for millennia), or meaningful hobbies (purpose and satisfaction included).

The best cognitive intervention is the one you’ll actually maintain. If brain-training apps motivate you while book clubs don’t, use the apps. If you’ll actually take that Italian class but won’t touch a training programme, take the class. The perfect programme you don’t use is inferior to the adequate activity you actually do.

On the Subject of Expectations

Brain training will not make you a genius. It will not prevent dementia. It will not restore your 25-year-old processing speed. It may improve specific cognitive functions modestly. It may make you feel more in control of your cognitive health — which has value, even if the measurable benefits are small.

Most importantly, recognise that normal ageing involves some cognitive change — and that doesn’t necessarily require technological intervention. The goal isn’t to maintain the cognitive function of a 25-year-old indefinitely (that’s both impossible and, arguably, undesirable). Youth has advantages, but so does age: wisdom, perspective, emotional regulation, and the ability to see patterns across decades of experience — cognitive achievements no app can measure.

A Final Note on Marketing vs Reality

When brain-training companies show you graphs of improved performance, remember: that’s performance on their exercises. When they cite research, check whether it measured what you actually care about (remembering your grandchildren’s names, following complex conversations, maintaining independence) or what’s easy to measure in a lab (reaction time on abstract tasks).

When they invoke neuroplasticity — and they will, constantly — remember it’s a biological capacity we all have. It operates whether you’re using their programme or learning to bake sourdough. The question isn’t whether your brain can change (it can, it does, constantly) but whether their product produces changes worth paying for.

The Most Important Thing (Which Won’t Be in Any Marketing Materials)

Your brain is remarkable. It’s reading these words right now, forming opinions about whether this appendix is helpful or unnecessarily cynical. It’s managing your breathing, regulating your heart rate, processing sensory information, and probably thinking about what’s for dinner.

It’s got you this far through challenges and changes the 25-year-old version of you couldn’t have imagined — and it will keep adapting for the rest of your life, whether or not you subscribe to a brain-training programme.

The question isn’t whether your brain needs training. It’s what kind of life you want to live, and whether brain training supports that life — or merely provides the illusion of control.

Sometimes the most cognitively stimulating thing you can do is accept uncertainty, embrace interdependence, and focus on building a life rich in meaning, connection, and purpose, rather than optimising performance metrics that matter only to researchers and shareholders.

But if brain training makes you feel better and you can afford it — go ahead. Just keep your expectations realistic and your credit card limits reasonable.

A Postscript on Ageing Well (Free of Charge)

While researching this piece, I encountered a statistic the brain-training industry never mentions: according to international surveys, the happiest period of human life is around age 82. Happiness increases from the mid-50s onwards, as fear diminishes and gratitude grows.

This suggests that successful ageing has less to do with maintaining youthful cognitive metrics than with developing the psychological and social resources that make life satisfying. Brain-training programmes can’t teach wisdom, perspective, or contentment. They can’t help you build relationships, find purpose, laugh at yourself, or forgive old grievances.

These cognitive achievements of ageing — the ones that truly matter — emerge from living fully, not from completing daily exercises in isolation. They come from engagement with people, ideas, and activities that matter to you. From remaining curious while accepting your limitations. From continuing to grow, even as growth looks different at 70 than at 25.

The brain-training industry frames ageing as a problem requiring technological solutions. But perhaps ageing is better understood as a developmental stage with its own tasks and rewards — no more pathological than adolescence or middle age. The goal isn’t to preserve youthful processing speed, but to cultivate the mature forms of intelligence that only decades of experience can produce.

Your brain will age. That’s not failure — it’s biology. The question is whether you age in isolation, anxiously tracking metrics, or in community, pursuing meaning.

Brain-training programmes have their place, but that place is probably smaller than their marketing budgets suggest. The most important training your brain needs is the kind that comes from living a full, engaged, connected life — the kind humans have been practising successfully for thousands of years, long before anyone thought to turn it into an app with a subscription model.

So by all means, try brain training if it interests you. But also take walks. Join groups. Learn new things. Have conversations. Make art. Play games. Help others. Pursue interests. Build relationships. Laugh frequently. These activities train your brain while enriching your life — a better deal than optimising your reaction time on abstract tasks that bear little resemblance to anything you actually care about.

Your brain is plastic. Use that plasticity wisely.