What we do know is that brain games improve the specific function that is being trained. So, for example, if you do a lot of crossword puzzles, you might get really good at crossword puzzles. The same goes for Sudoku, and any other similar games. But the affects do not spill over to other untrained areas and do not elevate critical frontal lobe brain functions such as decision-making, planning and judgment — functions that allow us to carry out our daily lives. And just like physical workouts, when you stop doing the exercises, your brain loses the immediate gains.