system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How does reading, playing brain teasers, etc exercise the brain?
gpt
It doesn’t, really. In terms of ads that suggest they will “keep your mind sharp.”

All those apps and games really do is make you better at that particular task, strengthening that “pathway”. 

If you’re not doing anything else to practice those fundamental skills such as logic, deductive reasoning, or critical thinking - sure it can help keep those “in tune” but it doesn’t really improve it by any substantial amount. 

But they’re fun to do and no harm so by all means do the cool things that make us happy!