Note to Brain: Get Down and Give Me 50!

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soundtracks of AL 5:08AM July 17, 2009

I bookmarked this link. Thank you for good job!

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soma tab of FL 6:45AM July 04, 2009

Great site. Good info.

soma lingere of WV 5:34AM July 04, 2009

Dear Phil,
Your article was most informative because I now know my physical health and mental abilities need the right exercies. I am not a Boomer worrying about what is ahead, but a seventy-seven year old woman in the "hear and now" who has found a program that has worked wonders. I was asked to be part of a scientific study to use a new program presented by Posit Science called The Brain Fitness Program. This was a forty-hour study, very challenging, but worthwhile. This first study targeted improving one's listening and distinguishing different beginning consonants, plus various memory exercies. I was followed carefull and given feedback. I noted improved memory, ability to understand people talking in large groups. The second study, The Insight program is fabulous. This one targets the visual fields, memory, recognition between similr objects and ones so close as to look alike. This program also works on strecting your peripheral vision. This was especially importnt boosting my driving skills. I am more aware ofsigns, cars, and people. As I progressed the exercises were more challenging by speeding up how fast I could recognize the answers. My brain was processing faster and my memory was enhanced. The nicest part was after finishing a session I felt energized and happier.
And by the way, I still do my daily word Jumble too.
Cheers,''Marlene B.Allen, Mill Valley, California

Marlene B. Allen of CA 4:28PM April 23, 2009

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the nice article summarizing these key points about what to look for to keep your brain fit. It caught my attention because I work at Posit Science with Dr. Merzenich, who was mentioned by the first comment.
The Sharpbrains advice points out something really important - the only way to know if a training program works is to see if published, peer-reviewed scientific papers have been published that describe the outcomes from randomized controlled trials. Only a very few training programs have been through these kinds of trials. These kind of studies are time-consuming, expensive, and difficult - but they really matter. If those studies haven't been done with the specific training program a person is considering, it means that we don't know what it really does or if it really works at all.
I'm happy to have been directly involved in several of these kinds of studies - if you're interested you can read about them at
http://positscience.com/science/studies_results/
Phil, unfortunately for your daily jumble those kinds of everyday puzzles have never been tested in these kind of "gold standard" studies either. Dr. Timothy Salthouse wrote a very compelling review of the lack of evidence for this belief, available at
http://faculty.nwacc.edu/jburden/Articles/Mental%20Exercise%20and%20Aging.pdf
Best regards,
Henry W. Mahncke, Ph.D.
Posit Science
Best regards,
Henry

Henry W. Mahncke of CA 1:59PM April 22, 2009

Hi Phil,
Enjoyed your article, which helped me put a couple of my thoughts into perspective. I do not take pharmaceuticals or watch the ads, but I do have a fear of losing my marbles before I am rich and famous, which could mean I have lost them already since I am 61.
About a year ago, I read a book by Norman Doidge, MD who talked about Micheal Merzenich, PH.D. and his work, which really intrigued me. Long story short, I have tried four of the available brain fitness programs, and like them all, including Martin Walker's Mind Sparke (see above post) which is an excellent tool for fluid intelligence. I will keep using them, and please give a call to Simon Evans, Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt, Ph.D. co-authors of Brainfit for Life, which is the bible of brain fitness in my mind. Off to take more omega 3 fatty acids.

Michael Logan of IL 12:37PM April 22, 2009