Happy CogniFit Year!!

The entire CogniFit team wishes you a great 2012 filled with health and success! The new year is an excellent time to make some good resolutions. You should make sure than at least one of them is health related. Taking the time this year to be healthier and caring about your brain, mind and spirit is the best present you can do to yourself for the short and long-run. Be CogniFit.

Best wishes for this new and exciting year!

What We Know About Chemo Brain

Cancer survivors can go through an indescribably amount of pain, suffering and changes over the years. One of the many aspects that can be affected is the brain as some face thinking and memory problems following treatment. It is this fog, dysfunction and cognitive dysfunction that has become known by cancer survivors as chemo brain.

Although it is a widely used term, it can be misleading as it has not yet been properly associated with chemotherapy. There is still a large percentage of survivors that face memory problems that consistently score high on cognitive tests, which is precisely what leads doctors to believe chemo brain is nothing more than a false assumption.

Despite there being no true evidence that chemotherapy is the direct cause, people continue to make the connection. Because of this, there is a large list of signs, symptoms and causes you may want to be aware of.

Brain Parts And The Complex Anatomy Of Your Wisdom

To no surprise, the brain is easily the most complex part of the human body. Weighing in at three pounds, this organ is loaded with intelligence, acts as the interpreter of the senses, initiator of body movement, and ultimately controls your behavior. With so much wisdom within, it only makes sense there would be multiple brain parts.

As you begin to look at the brain, you will find it to be made of up three basic units with each having its own responsibilities. The three components include the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain.

The first of the three brain parts we will look at is the hindbrain, which includes the upper part of the spinal cord, the brain stem and a tissue called the cerebellum. This part of the brain is responsible for controlling the body’s vital functions like respiration and heart rate. The cerebellum takes care of movement. Whether you shoot a basketball or type on a computer, you are activating the cerebellum.

What Are The Common Symptoms Of Memory Loss?

Our ability to remember plays a key role in learning and helps to shape who and what we are. Memory loss can occur for a variety of reasons and can have a significant impact on our day to day existence. Let’s explore some of the causes, symptoms and treatments of memory loss.

Memory is the ability to process external stimuli, store it and then retrieve it later. Memory can be either short term or long term. Short term memory can assist us in remembering something for a short period of time while we process other information. And long term memory is something we can retain for many years.

This is how we can remember an event which occurred during our childhood. In some cases we can remember the sights, sounds, and smells of that event. However there are times which our memory can be affected. This can occur for a variety of reasons.

Learn To Think Better With Mind Training

Our brains perform an amazing array of activities. These include controlling virtually every part of our bodies without even thinking about it. 

Still, there are many conscious activities we do which can be improved upon through mind training and affect your quality of life. So let’s discuss this interesting topic further.

Mind training techniques can enhance our ability to perform cognitive functions. This encompasses a variety of higher level functions like memory, discrimination, reasoning, verbal functions, visual functions, and emotion.

These functions are largely what set us apart from virtually every other living thing. Our ability to perform these functions can be improved upon through mind training techniques.

Hopeful Developments For Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain which can have devastating results. Let’s discuss some of the impacts of this and review some of the recent developments which may offer hope for sufferers of the disease and their loved ones.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease which has no known cure. It affects the functioning of the brain by disrupting the flow of neurons. It also causes permanent injury to the brain by causing brain cells to wither and eventually die.

Since brain cells are not replaced, as the brain cells die there are many functions within the brain which deteriorate as well. The primary impact of the disease is on memory function.

In the early stages of the disease, sufferers experience memory loss. This can be simple forgetfulness.

Learn To Remember With Memory Training

Memory is a very vital part of the way in which we function and learn. And just like many other mental functions, we can improve upon them through exercises and training. Let’s therefore talk more about memory training and how it can be of benefit to you.

We are normally born with an excellent ability to take in information, process it, store it and then retrieve it later on. But there are a number of ways in which we can improve upon our ability to remember things.

There are a number of tools, techniques and exercises available for memory training. They are designed to enhance our ability to process, retain and retrieve information. For example there are drills to help us to remember people, places and events.

What Is Cognition?

Cognition is a term which generally refers to a variety of mental processes. Let’s discuss this in further detail. Cognition encompasses a number of mental processes. They are higher order functions in the brain as opposed to automatic functions such as the regulation of heartbeat, breathing, etc.

Some of the processes which encompass cognition include things like attention, memory (short and long term), the ability to speak and understand language, problem solving abilities, and the ability to discriminate and make decisions based on external stimuli and input.

Main Causes, Symptoms And Treatments Of Brain Injury

Our brains are truly amazing. They do a vast array of activities every day and their complexity is without measure. However they are very sensitive organs and unfortunately can be susceptible to injury with sometimes devastating results. Let’s discuss some causes, symptoms and treatments for brain injury.

Our brains can be become damaged for a number of reasons. The most common stems from impact. This can occur from a car accident or fall. Our brains are protected by a bony enclosure called the skull. The brain then resides inside of this enclosure and is surrounded by a viscous fluid which helps to protect it from bumping around inside of the skull.

However if the skull receives a large enough impact, it can cause the skull to break and possibly even lead to the brain being pierced by an outside object. Even if this is not so, the brain itself my absorb the impact and cause it to move suddenly inside of the skull.

How To Keep Your Brain Health In Top Condition

Our brain is the most complex organ in our bodies. It controls virtually every part of our bodies and controls how we think and perceive the world. At the time it is a very delicate organ and needs care to keep it functioning in the best possible manner. It is therefore important to maintain good brain health to help assure optimum functions.

The first thing is to make certain that you provide your brain with the nutrients it requires. Eat a healthy diet which has minimal sugars, fats and preservatives. It is a good idea to stick with plenty of leafy vegetables, lean meats and minimal processed flour.

As indicated earlier, stay away from fatty and sugary foods. And drink plenty of water to help flush toxins from your system. It will help to keep brain tissue hydrated which is important.

Brain Training – Improve How You Think

Just like a world class athlete puts his body through a rigorous training regimen to improve his performance, you can perform brain training activities to improve the function of your brain and enhance many of the activities you do every day. The brain must accomplish many tasks throughout the day. And so many of the cognitive functions we take for granted are performed within our brains. We can implement brain training activities and exercises to improve our brain functions.

For example there are exercises you can do to improve your memory functions. You can find a memory training game and exercise that is specifically designed to adapt to your profile needs. There are also classes which teach you activities and exercises to help you to remember things better.

Exercise Your Mind With Brain Fitness

It is well known and widely acknowledged that we need to exercise our bodies to keep them healthy and functioning properly. Well the same holds true with a part of our bodies we would not normally associate with exercise and fitness. But it is vital that we enhance brain fitness as much as possible. Here are some further details and expected benefits.

In order to improve the function of many parts of our bodies, we need to feed them properly and exercise them effectively. The same holds true with the brain. So when it comes to brain fitness, there are a number of things to keep in mind (no pun intended!).

The first thing is to make certain that you are feeding your brain properly. It is important to eat wholesome foods. In addition it is essential to take in certain vitamins and nutrients which are good for the brain.

Brain – Despite Advances There Is Still Much To Discover

The human brain is the most complex organ is our bodies. It is the root of consciousness and controls virtually every part of our bodies. There have been tremendous strides in terms of understanding how the brain works. At the time there is still much to be learned in terms of different functions of our brains and why we do the things we do. Let’s discuss a little more about both aspects.

There are many features of the brain which we understand in great detail. The physiology of the brain has been studied for many years using a variety of diagnostic equipment.

For years researchers have probed the mysteries of the brain using cadavers. The problem is that there have been limited results due to the fact that responses could not be made or measured. However these studies have been useful in measuring and studying the gross anatomy of the human brain.

Improving Our Brain Function

Our brain is an ever evolving organ. We can improve it or we can make it not as productive with one simple factor…what we put into it. Just like our bodies are what we eat, our brains are what we do, read and feel.

Our brain function is in many ways totally dependent on what we do and how we challenge it.

When the brain is being stimulated and active, it is usually constantly growing in capacity and making new connections. These connections our brain makes are the like roadway system and they are used to allow information to travel around and get where it needs to be.

So how do you improve brain function? There are lots of ways you can do it. You can start by learning a new skill or taking on a new hobby. These kind of activities stimulate the brain. You can also eat healthy "brain foods" that are high in the right type of nutrients your brain needs such as omega 3 or avocados.

You can also improve your brain function by using a brain fitness software. These only take a few minutes a day and can show noticeable results very quickly.

Brain function is all about filling your brain with good stuff that it can use to become more efficient. In our busy lives it can be hard to find the time to think about making your brain more productive. It is still important to take the time for it as it is really worth it.

Not only will it can make you more productive in your day to day life it can also help you be a better problem solver and help with your memory. In addition it can also be helpful in your long term health. During our older years the brain goes through a natural decline. This decline could be staved off longer the healthier your brain is when it starts.

This could make you less likely to get brain diseases such as dementia. So take the time to start doing something to help your brain function better and work on your cognitive abilities. The short and long term benefits are plentiful when it comes to having a healthy brain.

How Is Your Brain Plasticity?

Do you know what your brain plasticity is and why it is important? Most people don’t but understanding the concept can help you to choose activities to make your brain sharper and more productive. Brain plasticity refers usually to the brain’s ability to re-wire itself by making new connections and networks.

Imagine that your brain is a superhighway. Each piece of information that flows into it has to be processed. Different parts of your brain do different parts of the processing and the information has to be sent to those areas. In order for the information to travel to this region it goes through a network of neurological connections that are like the highways. The more productive your brain is the more of these “highways” it builds.

Help Your Mind With Brain Games

Building up your brain is easy and important. The brain is always ready to gain and process new information. The more often it does that the better it functions overall. Having a healthy brain means you need to constantly feed it with what it needs specifically. A good way to do that can be with brain games.

Brain games can consist of many things. However they are mostly thought of as games that include both strategy and skill and require you to think and challenge yourself to play them. A good brain game will be one that can adapt to your strengths and weaknesses and continuously challenge you. As you do that, your brain function and cognitive abilities should be improving and you might even become a better thinker!

What Does Brain Fitness Mean?

We think a lot about exercising our body and eating right. However we spend little time keeping our most important organ fit. Brain fitness is just as important as keeping your heart healthy or eating the right foods. The more time you spend on brain fitness the sharper your brain will become which will help in your everyday activities making you more productive.

Brain fitness can be accomplished many ways. The goal is to get your brain thinking and moving. Learning a new skill or hobby is one way to get your brain going and using your critical thinking skills. Exercise that requires skill or strategy is also good such as basketball or dancing. You can do puzzles or strategy games such as chess to keep your mind sharp.

Recovering From A Brain Injury

Recovering from a brain injury is a long process in most cases. There are people who have miraculous and quick recoveries but this is more the exception that the rule. Most people have to work and fight very hard to get back functioning to the point they can comfortably do their day to day activities. Some people never return to that point at all.

After the initial crisis period of the brain injury there are a lot of pieces that need to be picked up and put back together. The crisis period includes the time period where you the person is initially injured and any hospital or ICU time that comes in the days or weeks thereafter.

Let's Speak About Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become an important issue in our aging society and we feel there is a need to talk about it even more as the spread of the disease is only going to increase in the years to come. Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects the brains ability to fire and operate the way it was designed. It is a progressive disease that affects the actual cells in the brain and the way that they interact with each other. Memory loss is one of the first real signs of Alzheimer’s.

Just because you or a loved one is experiencing memory loss doesn’t mean it has to be Alzheimer’s. There are many other brain related issues that it could be other than Alzheimer’s. In fact, less serious brain issues like dementia have very similar symptoms which can be hard to differentiate, and this is why it is important to see a doctor at the very first signs of memory loss and mild cognitive impairment.

Starting To Understand Neuroscience

Neuroscience studies all there is to know about the body’s nervous system. The nervous system is actually the interconnectivity of all the organs in the human body.

It delivers signals back and forth through all of these brain parts through tiny cells called neurons. It is how our brain communicates with the rest of our body.

Neuroscience may just be the most important scientific study done on the human body because it involves the entire body and how it interacts with itself. What we have learned so far from studying Neuroscience and cognitive science is immense. We now understand more about strokes, seizures, and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

A Basic Understanding Of Dementia

Dementia is not something that anyone wants to deal with in life. The result of dementia is the inability to use your brain the way it was meant to be used. It can cause confusion, severe memory loss, and even the ability to go through a typical day without assistance from someone else.

This debilitating disease is more common amongst the elderly, but isn’t only limited to older individuals. It can stem from physical trauma to the head or through various brain diseases, some that are typically genetics and others that aren’t.

One of the main culprit associated with dementia is that it affects the area of the brain that deals with language, memory and problem solving. Severe dementia can result in complete memory loss and inability to take care of themselves and do normal tasks like preparing food, tying shoelaces, or even brushing their teeth.

The Beauty Of Cognition

Cognition is a unique ability that we have to be able to understand things as they take place. Our brains work like a super computer and process many pieces of information at all hours of the day and night. The ability to be able to perceive things and learn from our senses and all of the information our brain takes in is what is best known as cognition.

Not everyone perceives things in the same way. Each person has experienced their own unique situations and circumstances as they feel their way through life, and it is these particular past situations and circumstances that affect the way they perceive things later on in life.

Cognition happens in all of us, but each brain has its own unique cognitive abilities which creates its own set of outlooks and realizations about life. All of the very unique and different experiences that each person goes through affects the way that their brain perceives things and that is why we all have different thoughts and opinions about things.

Ways To Deal With Depression

Depression is a disorder that affects many of us and is something that can be fixed. There are many different causes of depression, as are there many different approaches to address and cure depression and improve your mental health.

This article will list 6 potential ways to deal with depression.

The first, and most common, approach to deal with depression is therapy and prescription medication. There are many issues that someone with depressive disorder goes through physically, from sleep disturbance and unhappiness, to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. By meeting with a therapist you can begin to address these symptoms individually and begin medication to fix them.

Join a support group for people suffering from a depressive disorder. Support groups are a great approach to dealing with depression because you can be around people who are in a similar position as you so you know you are not alone. These groups do an excellent job of helping individuals work through their depression.

Goal setting is important in life, but when dealing with depression you should alter your goals. Pick smaller goals that are going to be easier to accomplish. Accomplishing goals feels good, but not accomplishing those feels terrible. Set achievable goals, achieve them, and feel good about doing it.

Even though it is the last thing you probably want to do, you need to stay busy. Little things like working out for an hour every day will relieve stress from your body and you will feel better because of it.

Another thing that you may not want to do, but will help you in the end, is staying social. Do not block your friends out from your life. Instead of locking yourself in the house, go out and grab dinner or see a movie. Being social will improve your mood and help with depression.

If you do not currently, start to work on a personal hobby or interest. Cook if you enjoy cooking; build if you enjoy building; and read if you enjoy reading, do some brain training exercises, etc... These may seem like little things but your depression will reduce and it will address a lack of inspiration felt by most. The goal is to say active and energized doing the things you love.

Everyone at some point in their lives has dealt with depression in some way or another. It is nothing to be ashamed of, but it is something that needs to be addressed. Use the 6 ways to deal with depression in this article and you can begin to address the condition and begin to work on fixing it.

The Different Types Of Dyslexia

What exactly is dyslexia? Many people think of dyslexia as a reading problem where someone who is dyslexic sees the words jumbled around on the page. This is just one form of dyslexia though. This article will outline the different types of dyslexia and provide you with an explanation of each.

The meaning of dyslexia based on its etymology is interesting and important to know. First, you have “dys” which means problematic.

Next, you have “lexia” which means words or letters. So the literal definition of “dys””lexia” means problems with words.

For most people, that is what dyslexia is, a problem individuals have with words. However, it is now being used to cover a wide range of symptoms, from problems with reading, writing, and spelling to hearing and visual difficulties. That is why there is so many different types of dyslexia.

What Is Neuroscience?

Have you ever heard of the term neuroscience? This is a branch of science that is becoming increasingly more popular and is identifying amazing finds each year.

Human thought, emotion, and behavior are all study in relation to our nervous system.

Neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology that studies the nervous system. However, throughout the last couple of decades this scientific study has grown and is now seen as an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields, such as: psychology, philosophy, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, mathematics, and medicine.

A neuroscientist conducts studies that examine the nervous system to see how it develops, how it works, and what goes wrong in neurological disorders. The brain, spinal cord, and sensory nerve cells throughout the body are studied.

Boost Brainpower With Mental Exercises

It does not matter if you are a student studying for final exams or a senior looking to preserve and enhance your memory; we all need a little boost in our brainpower from time to time. This article will give you some advice on how to boost your brainpower with mental exercises.

Imagine that your brain is a computer. What do you do when your computer begins to run slow? You upgrade and add more memory.

However, with the brain, you do not have this luxury. You can, however, do mental exercises which are similar to adding more memory. You know the old saying you cannot teach an old dog new tricks? Scientists have actually proven that this is wrong and the human brain actually can adapt and change, even late into old age. This is known as neuroplasticity or brain plasticity.

Memory Improvement Using Brain Training

Memory is important and is certainly not something that you want to lose or have trouble with in life. We are absorbing so much information in our lives today that it can be difficult to keep it all straight and even more difficult to remember it.

This is why memory improvement using brain training is more important now than ever!

The brain is an amazing organ, plain and simple. Our brain remembers everything that has ever happened to us. It has an unlimited storage to the information that it can absorb and keep stored. The question asked though is, “Why can I not remember everything I have ever done then?”

The answer to that is simple, the information is in your brain but the brain is unable to retrieve the information. It is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, the brain cannot find everything you want it to all the time. The reason brain training is important is it will ensure that your brain finds the needle far more often than without the training.

Importance Of Mental Training

When you are considering the parts of your body that need to be worked on, what usually comes to mind? It tends to be the superficial characteristics. Men want chiseled abs and rock hard biceps while ladies want nice abs and toned legs. These are all great things to work towards, but they should not be the most important training, which could also be mental training.

Everyone knows that with old age comes the expectance that our minds will begin to suffer, worse for some people than others. This is the tragic reality of life. No one wants to be unable to remember details, it just happens with old age.

However, just because our minds worsen as we get older does not mean there is nothing you can do to help postpone, and possibly prevent, the situation from occurring. That is where mental training comes into play.

Five Tips For Excellent Mental Health

Just like with all parts of your body, it is important to not wait to work on your mental health until it has already started to suffer. Staying mentally healthy can be easy if you put the time in ahead of something going wrong, but can be hard to fix once you have suffered mentally. This article will provide you five tips for excellent mental health.

1. First and foremost, you need to be physically active. Increased physical activity can actually create new brain cells and neurons, something that was previously thought to not be possible. The physical activity is also good for allowing better circulation and makes it easier for vital nutrients and oxygen to reach the brain.

2. Play is surprisingly important for staying mentally healthy. Stress and anxiety get built up in our lives and without a good release they can plague our health. You need to get out and hang out with your social networks. We are social creatures and spending time with our friends and family is important for our overall well-being.

Enhance Your Memory By Improving Your Brain Fitness

We live in a very health conscious world today. The issue of health is important and it is an issue that we put much emphasis on in our daily lives.

However, we typically do not put much emphasis on our brain health. Brain fitness can enhance your memory and is an issue you must address.

First, it is important to note that working on your brain fitness does more than just help you with your memory. You will gain an increase in productivity and performance by improving the fitness of your brain. Also, you will get a boost of your general wellness, something that is always a good thing.

So, what do you have to do? Physical exercise seems like the first choice because of our association with fitness. Exercising does play a role in your brain’s fitness. Physical exercise improves your memory by giving you better circulation, ensuring you have adequate energy to help you access memories, and delivering vital nutrients and oxygen to your brain.

The Two Sides Of Your Brain

Did you know that your brain is divided into two sides that are stimulated by vastly different activities? The two sides of your brain have been researched and the results are what are known as the Left Brain – Right Brain Theory. But, what exactly is this theory? The Left Brain – Right Brain Theory states that you have two sides to your brain, a left and right side.

The two sides are distinctively different because of the activities that stimulate either side. Activities that largely stimulate the left brain will have little effect on the right brain.

Both sides of the brain are necessary, but people tend to have one side dominant. Whichever brain is your dominant brain has a great impact on your life. Left brain dominance is common in people who are logical and objective. Right brain dominance is common in people who are intuitive and subjective.