Lumosity to refund $2M for unproven 'brain training' apps in U.S.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday the company'sadvertisements deceptively suggested that playing the games a fewtimes a week could boost performance at work, in the classroom andeven delay serious conditions like dementia. Under the settlement,Lumos Labs must contact its customers and offer them an easy way tocancel their subscriptions.

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"Lumosity preyed on consumers' fears about age-related cognitivedecline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss,dementia, and even Alzheimer's disease," said Jessica Rich, adirector in FTC's consumer protection unit. "But Lumosity simplydid not have the science to back up its ads."

Last April, an investigation by CBC'sMarketplacerevealedthat brain training games such as Lumosity may not make your brain perform better in everyday life.

When54 adults, including host TomHarrington, didthe brain training at least three times per week for 15 minutes or more over a period of between two and a half and four weeks, researchers found no significant improvement on tests of memory, reasoning, concentration and planning.

An FTC spokesman said Tuesday's action is the first governmentsettlement with a maker of apps intended to boost brain health.

Lumosity is one of the most visible services in the burgeoningbrain training industry, which has estimated sales of over $1billion US per year, according to trade publications.

In 2014, more than 70 prominent neurology and psychologyresearchers published a consensus statement critical of the braintraining industry, citing its "frequently exaggerated" marketing.

While studies have shown that gaming participants can improvetheir performance on simple tasks, the experts concluded there is nocompelling evidence that games "reduce or reverse cognitivedecline."