| Interested in improving your attention, memory, | | | | Gopher, Professor of Cognitive Psychology and |
| thinking skills, ability to manage stressful situations? | | | | Human Factors Engineering at Technion Institute of |
| Good news: "Recent research in neuroplasticity - the | | | | Science. |
| brain's ability to change in response to information | | | | 5) "Elite performers are distinguished by the |
| and new activities - shows that brain cells and new | | | | structuring of their learning process...You need to |
| pathways continue to develop throughout life...", say | | | | protect and optimize that practice, learning time... It is |
| mainstream newspapers like the New York Times, | | | | important to understand the role of emotions: they |
| who are increasing their coverage on the growing | | | | are not "bad". They are very useful signals. It is |
| movement of "brain training" games and technologies. | | | | important to become aware of them to avoid being |
| An article titled "Mind Over Matter, With a Machine's | | | | engulfed by them, and learn how to manage them." - |
| Help" provides a great overview on how to combine | | | | Dr. Brett Steenbarger, Associate Professor of |
| cognitive therapy with fMRI (an advanced | | | | Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Medical |
| neuroimaging technique that enables movie-like visual | | | | University, and author of Enhancing Trader |
| feedback on what areas of the brain are getting | | | | Performance. |
| activated). Another article, titled "Calisthenics for the | | | | 6) "We have shown that working memory can be |
| Older Mind, on the Home Computer", reviews a | | | | improved by training" - Dr. Torkel Klingberg, Professor |
| number of commercial software packages. | | | | at Karolinska Institute, and Director of the |
| I have interviewed 10 neuroscientists and experts in | | | | Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, part of |
| cognitive and emotional training to better understand | | | | the Stockholm Brain Institute. |
| the research behind this field and the implications for | | | | 7) "I don't see that schools are applying the best |
| our lives. Let me share with you some of my | | | | knowledge of how minds work. Schools should be |
| favorite quotes: | | | | the best place for applied neuroscience, taking the |
| 1) "Learning is physical. Learning means the | | | | latest advances in cognitive research and applying it |
| modification, growth, and pruning of our neurons, | | | | to the job of educating minds." - Dr. Arthur Lavin, |
| connections-called synapses- and neuronal networks, | | | | Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Case |
| through experience...we are cultivating our own | | | | Western School of Medicine, pediatrician in private |
| neuronal networks."- Dr. James Zull, Professor of | | | | practice. |
| Biology and Biochemistry at Case Western University. | | | | If you are interested in learning more about this |
| 2) "Exercising our brains systematically ways is as | | | | exciting field of "brain fitness" and "brain exercise", |
| important as exercising our bodies. In my experience, | | | | please keep tuned. Over the next weeks we will |
| "Use it or lose it" should really be "Use it and get | | | | publish new interviews with: |
| more of it".- Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, | | | | - Dr. Judith S. Beck, Director of the Beck Institute for |
| neuropsychologist, clinical professor of neurology at | | | | Cognitive Therapy and Research, and author of The |
| New York University School of Medicine, and disciple | | | | Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a |
| of the great neuropsychologist Alexander Luria. | | | | Thin Person. |
| 3) "Individuals who lead mentally stimulating lives, | | | | - Dr. Robert Sylwester, Emeritus Professor of |
| through education, occupation and leisure activities, | | | | Education at the University of Oregon. His most |
| have reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's | | | | recent book is The Adolescent Brain: Reaching for |
| symptoms. Studies suggest that they have 35-40% | | | | Autonomy. The Education Press Association of |
| less risk of manifesting the disease"- Dr. Yaakov | | | | America has given him two Distinguished |
| Stern, Division Leader of the Cognitive Neuroscience | | | | Achievement Awards for his syntheses of cognitive |
| Division of the Sergievsky Center at the College of | | | | science research. |
| Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New | | | | Now you know: Nutrition, Physical Exercise and Stress |
| York. | | | | Management are very important to your brain health |
| 4) "What research has shown is that cognition, or | | | | and fitness, but you can also exercise and improve |
| what we call thinking and performance, is really a set | | | | your "Mental Muscles"! |
| of skills that we can train systematically." - Dr. Daniel | | | | |