Brain games - Actress Nicole Kidman makes misleading claims says expert

- Mon, 7 Jan 2008

Actress Nicole Kidman has been criticised by a leading neuroscientist for misleading claims about Nintendo's computer-based program Dr Kawashima's Brain Training.

Kidman, who appears in ads around the world for the product, promotes it by saying,  "I've quickly found that training my brain is a great way to keep my mind feeling young." But according to British cognitive neuroscientist Dr Jason Braithwaite, "there is no conclusive evidence showing the continued use of these devices is linked to any measurable and general improvements in cognition."

Dr Braithwate was speaking on behalf of Sense About Science, a charitable trust set up to speak out against the misrepresentation of scientific facts. It recently outed a number of celebrities for endorsing "pseudo science". (For full story, click here). The trust says there is little, if any, evidence to back Kidman's claim.

By comparison, HeadStrong Cognitive Fitness' brain training exercises have been developed following years of neuroscientific research. This scientifically based program is so well regarded that it is currently part of a research program with the University of New South Wales, and has recently been endorsed by a leading Australian health insurer. It's no wonder that the world's foremost neurospychologist Dr Elkhonen Goldberg, Professor of Neurology at New York University, is a member of HeadStrong. To find out more about this exciting brain training program, click here.