That's Fit

You suddenly cannot recall your phone number. You find the phone in the fridge. Your new sandals are sitting in your kids' shoe tree. You're starting to Google the key phrases "early dementia" and "early Alzheimer's."

It's a frightening concept, losing your marbles. Many Boomers have faithfully been married to physical fitness for years, but as they gray around the temples they're starting to worry their noggin' may someday ask for a divorce. According to a recent study of older Boomers (born 1946-1955), a growing number believe in the plasticity of the brain -- calisthenics for the mind, if you will.

Beyond $1,000 genetic tests to examine risk factors such as Alzheimer's by 23andMe and deCODE genetics, there are also brain health products such as Posit Science's $395 computer cognitive exercises, MindFit's $149 assessment/personalized cognitive training software and Nintendo's $19.99 Brain Age 2 video game offering math/memory exercises. As I reported earlier, brain fitness is a young industry poised for big growth.

I can see it now, Boomers Aerobics where the instructor shouts cognitive training directives from the podium. How about a Cardio/Cranium Theatre challenging your memory from the big screen? Don't forget the monthly brain massage.

If I were a venture capitalist invested in a promising brain fitness software company, I might be inclined to pump even more money into efficacy research. More and more of the Baby Boomers fueling our fitness boom will be entering the land of Social Security checks, and we all know what it means to collect SS -- you're getting pretty old. No doubt, as dementia, memory loss and Alzheimer's disease knock on Boomers' doors, one gigantic demographic will likely be interested in purchasing proven brain fitness software.

Considered a young industry, the U.S. market for brain stimulation products has more than doubled to $225 million between 2005 and 2007. One health insurer, Humana, has buddied up with Posit Science to offer Posit's brain fitness programs to a niche of Medicare members at a discount. Not only for the older adult, Cogmed has even tested a brain stimulation program on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Some experts stress clinical data supporting the efficacy of these programs will be critical for a business model to succeed down the line. It'll be important for industry players to back up circumstantial evidence that brain stimulation software works in the short term -- at this point it's premature to conclude these programs actually lower the incidence of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease over the long term. Read what industry leaders have to say about the future of brain fitness in this interesting article. Perhaps someday in the retirement community you'll pencil in an hour for brain fitness after your round of golf or 50 laps in the pool.