Saturday, February 4, 2012

Is The Hype Behind Memory Games Justified?

There has been a lot of talk in recent years behind serious memory games and the kind of impact they can have on the brain.

If you are going to work out physically, it only makes sense to do the same mentally considering the amount we use our brain on a daily basis. But is the hype behind these games worth listening to?

The simple answer to this is yes! The brain is a highly complex part of the human body and studies have more than proven that mental exercise that limbers up the brain’s ability to solve problems is working.

It really should be no surprise that the more you train the brain the better off it will be. If you never pick up a book, chances are your reading level will be at a mediocre level. If you stop at a beginner’s level math course, chances are you will never be able to solve calculus problems.


Friday, February 3, 2012

Stimulate Your Brain With Brain Training

You hear it all of the time; physical exercise is highly recommended at least three times a week for 30 minutes. What often gets underplayed is the importance of working out the brain. And considering how crucial of a component it is to our everyday lives, it should be at the forefront of conversation. And one way to effectively stimulate your brain is with a brain training program and scientifically designed mind quiz.

The brain is a highly complex organ that can be strengthened with mental exercise. No matter how old you are or how weak you may be in certain areas, there is more than a chance to enhance your mind. And the benefits of brain training can be seen within the long-term and short-term memory.

There are countless causes that lead to a detriment of the brain, including high levels of stress and anxiety. Every day people encounter a number of responsibilities and stressful situations that lead to anxiety and even panic. This of course distracts us from our thinking and ultimately uses up all of our mental energies.

Believe it or not, leading a very structured life that creates routines can also lead to a loss of brain function. The brain wants to be challenged and undergo as many tests as possible. This is what keeps it flowing and running efficiently.


Thursday, February 2, 2012

Can Dementia Arise With Children?

When you hear the word dementia, the first thing that comes to mind is older adults who have lost brain capacity and cognitive abilities capabilities. The thought of a child developing such a horrific disease is mind-boggling and heartbreaking. But sadly, it can occur with children as well.

There is no denying the fact that dementia typically is found in adults. But infections and poisoning can lead to the condition in people of any and all ages. And when it comes to children, there are some disorders that are unique to the age that cause the disease.

One form of disease that is associated with dementia is Niemann-Pick disease. This is a group of inherited disorders that affect ones metabolism and is caused by specific genetic mutations. Patients suffering from this have trouble properly metabolizing cholesterol and other lipids. In addition, excessive amounts of cholesterol accumulate in the liver and spleen.


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

5 Signs To Be Aware Of With Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia comes in all different types and severities, but the most common of all is Alzheimer’s disease. It is a cruel, nagging and treacherous disease that can truly take over the life of someone.

For this reason, it is vital you are aware of the various warning signs and symptoms that will make way.

1. Memory loss
Perhaps the most common symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss, but this can be a bit confusing for some. Simply forgetting where you put your keys or getting lost with directions is common with age. But forgetting recently learned information, important dates like birthdays or asking for the same information over and over is a sign of concern that you will want to have checked out.

2. Challenges with planning
Everyone experiences different signs or symptoms, but many begin to face challenges with developing and following a plan. You may have trouble following a recipe you have long cooked or struggle keeping track of monthly bills. Along the same lines, some begin to have difficulty concentrating and may take far longer than usual to do things than before the onset of the disease.


Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Unsettling Truth Behind The Life Of Chemo Brain

New research delivers news that no cancer patient or survivor wants to hear; chemo brain may stick around longer than anyone wants to endure. That foggy thinking and forgetfulness you most likely have experienced following treatment can last as long as five years or more.

A cancer research center in Seattle found the results based off of 92 cancer patients. The study shows that the cognitive decline that often follow treatments are longer-lasting than what has frequently been believed.

Chemo brain is something that more cancer patients experience than not. Many complain about thinking and memory problems, but doctors have often dismissed the idea of this being connected to treatment. Doctors will sometimes put the blame on fatigue of illness or normal aging.


Monday, January 30, 2012

Cognition And The Effects Of Stuttering On The Brain

The King’s Speech is a movie that revealed a great deal, won countless awards, and was greatly perceived by the people. One area that certainly stuck out was stuttering and how volume can play tricks on the minds of those who stutter.

Without the ability to hear their own voice, people with a stuttering problem no longer stumble over words. And new findings reveal cognition and the effects of this speech impediment on the brain better than ever.

The trick of masking one’s voice with another volume works because of the way the brain is organized for the stutterer. A neural setup affects the brain and how it works with other actions besides speech, a new study says.

Typically, speech requires the brain to control movement of the mouth and vocal chords using the sound of your own voice as a guide. It is the integration of movement and hearing that will happen in the brain’s left hemisphere known as the premotor cortex.


Sunday, January 29, 2012

New Understanding Of Neuroscience And Chronic Pain Makes Way

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain that millions of people worldwide are all too familiar with. It is something very common in the world of neuroscience and is triggered by nerve damage. For a long time how the pain persisted has been a mystery. Treatment options have been quite ineffective up to now. But new findings could forever change the way people look at this chronic pain.

The Scripps Research Institute is being credited for a new approach that has brought light to a major clue to the problem. Through an approach known as metabolomics, scientists found that dimethylsphingosine is produced at abnormally high levels in the spinal cords of rats who have neuropathic pain. When injected, the pain onsets thus suggesting inhibiting this molecule can be a target for drug development.

These findings are huge for neuroscience as it drastically displays the power of metabolomics. For a long time scientists have focused on understand what makes diseased cells different from healthy cells looking at differences in levels of gene expression. This new light will have scientists focusing in on the differences in the levels of small-molecule metabolites like sugars, vitamins and amino acids.


Saturday, January 28, 2012

Why You Should Play Mind Games

We are not talking about the kind of mind games you think. The good kinds of mind games are designed to keep your brain in shape. The brain is an ever growing organ and if you put time into making it sharper you will quickly start to see the positive results that will bring.

Your mind has the ability to grow or become stagnant based on what you feed into it. So taking the time to play mind games can go a long way in helping it to grow. During our lifetime our brain goes through natural ebbs and flows. When we are younger and always learning and experiencing new things our brains grow right along with us.

As we begin to age our brains will start to diminish as they become less active and start to slow in processing. The great thing about the brain though is that we can actually control that decline by having healthy brains and having brains that we took the time to nourish and play mind games with.