CogniFit's blog

Alzheimer’s Disease And Its Conscequences

2012-05-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Alzheimer’s Disease is a very serious neurological problem which has significant impacts on sufferers along with their friends and family. It can result in changes to a person’s memory along with his thoughts and normal behaviors.

This neurological disorder will be discussed and we will explore what causes it, typical symptoms, treatments and new developments.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder which impacts how the brain cells function and communicate with each other. It is not known why this disease occurs but there are certain risk factors associated with its development.

Genetics appears to play an important role. If a close member of your family developed the disease, there is an increased risk for you to do so. Other factors such as lifestyle can affect the emergence of the disease. It has been found that leading an active lifestyle and avoiding obesity and depression can help to minimize the occurrence of the disease.

As indicated earlier, Alzheimer’s disease causes physical changes to the brain. It affects the neurons and the manner in which the cells communicate with each other. Over time it can cause the brain cells to wither and die. As the cells diminish, so does mental function. In the early stages of the disease, most sufferers experience some memory loss. They may attribute this to normal aging. However as the disease progresses, the memory loss becomes more profound.

The person may initially be forgetful and absent minded. But as the disease intensifies, the sufferer may not remember friends or families. Over time they can even forget who they are and how to take care of themselves.

Ultimately the brain deteriorates to such as extent that it can no longer tell the body how to function properly. So it breaks down and the person eventually dies. There are a number of treatments which have been developed to help to address this disease and slow or even reverse the problems caused.

A number of drugs have been developed which appear to slow the progression of the disease. At this point there is no cure for the disease but it is hoped that eventually a course of treatment can be developed to do so.

In the mean time the drug therapies are applied to minimize the progression of memory loss and other cognitive functions. There are also a number of therapies which can help to strengthen the neural network and help to overcome some of the deficiencies caused by the degradation of these cells.

More Than Just Fun With Serious Brain Games

2012-05-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

Many people love to play games. But did you know that there are some very effective brain games which can improve your mental functions? Yes they are different than playing baseball but their benefits can be significant.

There are all kinds of brain tasks and you may enjoy some of them without realizing that you are playing one.

For example there are many word tasks which are in fact very good brain games. They can help us to increase our vocabulary, our naming and understanding of different words.

Special puzzles and other tasks are available in many different formats and may be suitable to all kinds of people. Some are simple games which are intended for children while others are pretty complicated and challenging.

These brain tasks can be very entertaining and fun. But they also have great benefit. Other brain tasks challenge your ability to do things like process numbers. They are great for helping people to develop their math skills.

Some of our tasks may use music or graphics to help the learning process and keep you focused and entertained. Other tasks can be used to help people to develop other mental skills like memory or critical thinking.

In any case you can browse different brain games and choose those tasks which are best suited for your interests and objectives on our platform. They build on each other and have been carefully designed to very effective and to provide you an exhaustive training.

In any case it is certainly important to note that while brain games are entertaining and fun, they can have many important long term benefits. Take advantage of what they can offer and see for yourself by starting your brain fitness today!

Can You Learn to Think More Effectively With Mind Training?

2012-05-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

It is important to understand that it is entirely possible to teach our brains to think more effectively and enhance its overall potential.

So let’s discuss some of the techniques involved and benefits of mind training.

There are many ways in which you can teach your mind to function more effectively. This is an essential part of improving the learning process. Students apply different techniques all the time and parents and teachers are very committed to identify and apply them.

But mind training can benefit virtually anyone who is interested in pursuing different techniques. There are many types of mind training which can be applied. Many functions and cognitive abilities of the brain can be improved upon through different techniques.

For example memory functions can be enhanced with brain training. In addition other cognitive functions such as critical thinking, judgment, mathematical functions, verbal competence and many others can benefit from this type of training.

If you are interested in seeking effective tasks and exercise, check the CogniFit website. The platform offers different tasks and level of training depending on the age of the person, current cognitive performance or the type of improvements desired.

For example you can find interesting tasks which can improve your working memory. Many of the tasks are in the form of games so they are interesting and entertaining. And other tasks can improve a wide variety of other cognitive functions.

We offer comprehensive applications which are designed to improve many aspects of mental functions in order to provide the best results. They allow you to personalize and pursue a progressive program which can have significant long term benefits. A tracking mechanism allows you to review results to date and measure your progress.

The information is easily available to those who wish to learn more about the benefits of mind training. You will see that you could improve your thinking abilities by giving your brain a training. Check into that and other information around neurosciences and brain plasticity and see for yourself on our brain training website.

Memory Loss – Causes, Impacts And Treatments

2012-05-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

We depend so much on our ability to recall people, places and things. It is an essential part of the learning process. So memory loss can be a devastating development and one in which we all seek to avoid. However, let us look at some of the causes, impacts and treatments of memory loss.

The brain does an amazing job of receiving, processing, storing and recalling information. However there are many factors which can affect its ability to retain memory.

Memory loss can be a very serious problem and affect not only the person involved but their friends, family and others they become involved with.

Memory loss is most commonly associated with aging. The specialized brain cells called neurons are responsible for brain function and enable information to be communicated across many different cells. The number of neurons is believed to be fixed shortly after birth and no more are created thereafter.

Over time neurons can wither and die. So changes in mental function are thought to be a naturally occurring part of the aging process. Since the number of neurons steadily decrease as we age, the mental processes can be affected. This can have a profound effect on memory.

There is therefore an expected level of memory loss with people as they age. However more profound memory loss can be caused by a variety of factors. The most common is caused by diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s disease. This disease has a direct effect on the neurons and their ability to transmit information. Over time it not only impacts the ability of the neurons to transmit information but it also causes the neurons to wither and die.

As the disease progresses, more profound impacts to memory occur. Eventually the sufferer may not remember loved ones or even who they are. Other types of memory loss can be attributed to imbalances in brain chemistry. So there are a number of treatments which have been developed to slow or even reverse the impacts of memory loss.

Start today a session of brain training and see how it can improve your cognitive abilities including your memory. There are other treatments which can help to train the brain to process information better and help to enhance memory functions.

The brain responds very well to specialized stimulus and there are many techniques which have proven benefit. So memory loss need not be permanent or irreversible. People affected by memory loss and their families should see their medical professional to find treatments which can help to alleviate the problem.

Do You Know What Brain Plasticity Is?

2012-05-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

You may not have heard of brain plasticity before but you should recognize that it is an essential part of how the brain retains new information and develops. It is a mechanism which physically changes the brain in response to certain stimuli. We will explore this further so you better understand your brain.

The brain communicates information and processes it through neural networks. When a baby is born, he/she has largely undeveloped neural networks. But as the child is exposed to new things and must learn to process the information, the brain responds by changing physically and creating new neural networks.

As these networks proliferate, the information is formed on a more permanent basis. So brain plasticity is an essential way in which children can learn new information and keep it available for later use. This is certainly a very essential way in which people learn and develop.

As people age and don’t challenge their brains to new things as often, the neural networks can begin to break down. This is why some people begin to show sign of memory loss or exhibit some degradation in mental processes. However it has been shown that this does not necessarily have to occur like this. It is often very possible to continue to challenge the brain and cause the formation of new neural networks.

So not only it can it shore up the existing networks but it can allow the brain to further develop its capabilities. Another very interesting part of brain plasticity involves stimulating different parts of the brain to handle tasks or functions which it otherwise would not perform. For example if someone suffers some type of brain injury, different functions may be affected.

They may be unable to talk, walk or suffer memory problems. However there are techniques which can be employed to train other parts of the brain which are undamaged to take over the functions which were affected by the injury.

So a person may be able to regain functions and capabilities which were previously lost as a result of the injury. It may be a slow and difficult process but the mechanism of brain plasticity may allow this to occur. Some of the techniques involve physical therapy to help to teach the brain how to move muscles and achieve better posture and balance.

Other techniques can help with higher level cognitive functions. There is great information on brain plasticity available on many sites on the Internet so you are encouraged to investigate this further.

Brain Fitness Or How To Keep Your Brain Young

2012-05-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

We probably realize how important it is to stay in shape and exercise our bodies.

But it is also very beneficial to implement a brain fitness program. If you aren’t sure what this entails, we will explain it further so can have all the information and start training today!

The brain is an organ which responds very well to exercise just like your muscles, heart and lungs. There are exercises which you can implement which will really give your brain a workout and have it ultimately function in a much more effective manner.

But first it is important to realize that an essential part of a brain fitness program entails ensuring that you are providing your brain with essential food and nutrients. You need to feed your brain with quality foods and nutrients the same way you would feed your body.

So make sure to stick with wholesome foods which are low in fat and high in protein and essential nutrients. Eat plenty of whole vegetables and avoid alcohol and foods with sugar, fat or preservatives.

You will want to keep your body cleansed of contaminants so drink plenty of water. This will only keep your body properly hydrated but will also help to flush out impurities in your cells. This is very important for your brain neurons since it will help to keep the transfer of information fast and effective.

And as indicated earlier, an essential part of a good brain fitness program is effective exercises. You can use CogniFit today to find many good mental exercises and tasks which will challenge your brain and encourage it to think in a different manner. As you challenge the brain, it will begin to operate more effectively and develop added capabilities.

You may also wish to consult with a medical professional like your Doctor for further recommendations and guidance. Ask him about essential nutrients and diets you should follow as well. So if you implement a good brain fitness program you will enhance your mental health and could live a fuller life.

Memory Exercise – Practice Makes Perfect

2012-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

Memory is an essential part of the way in which we learn, perceive things and function. It is therefore vitally important to most of us to enhance our memory and avoid deterioration or degradation.

One way to do so is through the use of a memory exercise. Let’s better understand what this is and how it can be of benefit.

As much as our bodies respond well to exercise, so does our brain. And there are specific exercises which can help to improve our ability to remember. Keep in mind that these exercises do not involve usually pushups or physical activity.

However they do exercise the mind and challenge it to use our memory capabilities to the fullest. There are memory tasks available for all kinds of people and at all ages.

Children can use this type of exercise to help them in school with their studies. Memory is a very critical part of the learning process so it is very important to improve its functioning as much as possible. And memory degradation is a very common and unfortunate problem with older adults.

This is why it is so critical to try to maintain an effective memory and why exercises that are specially tailored to train it can be so beneficial. These exercises are implemented in the form of games to be fun and entertaining. Access CogniFit to learn more about the different applications we provide.

You can also ask your medical or mental health professional for their recommendations. They can often provide you with good resources for further study and consideration.

With CogniFit, you can get a current assessment of your level of functioning and then measure improvement or progress as you implement one or more of the exercises and applications. Some the exercises are designed to be done individually while others can be played with others. Either way they are a very important way to improve your memory or at least to minimize any degradation or deterioration over time.

Many people believe that our memory is expected to decline as we age. And while this may be true, the use of these memory exercises can do much to help to minimize this loss and possibly stop or even reverse its progression.

How Does A Traumatic Brain Injury Occur?

2012-05-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Our brain is an amazingly complex organ. It controls virtually every part of our bodies. It also provides us with the ability to think and respond to the world around us. It is a critical tool in our daily life and we want to make sure that we really take good care of it.

However the brain is also very sensitive and prone to injury which can be devastating to the person involved. The causes, symptoms and treatments of traumatic brain injury will be further explored and discussed here.

The brain does have some protection against many injuries it might otherwise sustain. The brain is encased and protected by a bony structure called the skull. It also floats and is cushioned by a viscous fluid within the skull. Traumatic brain injury can occur if the skull is subjected to a strong force. This can occur from blunt force or through a motor vehicle accident.

When this occurs, the brain can accelerate within the skull and impact the other side. This causes the area of impact to swell. Since the inside of the skull is fixed the swelling can create additional force against the brain and cause further damage. If the brain is subjected to a strong impact it is important to understand the mechanisms involved and take steps to alleviate the pressure.

A typical problem occurs when a person receives a blow to the head and then does nothing about it. The problem can escalate until the pressure builds and results in stroke or even death. Other types of traumatic brain injury can occur if the skull is penetrated and an object like a knife or bullet enters the brain itself.

This has significant impacts on the functioning of the brain and can cause a great deal of problems for that person. For example if the brain becomes damaged in the area which controls movement, that patient may lose the ability to walk properly. It can also many other areas of the brain and their resulting functions.

So as indicated above, there are serious problems which can occur as a result of a traumatic brain injury. It is very important to seek immediate medical attention if you do receive an injury to the head. There are many treatments which are used to help alleviate the problems associated with these injuries.

Surgery may be necessary to reduce the swelling caused by the injury and minimize further damage. And many treatments exist to help people to deal with the impacts of the brain injury. For example a person may be able to be trained to use other parts of their brain to take over functions which were controlled by the areas which received the injury.

This is how some people can regain the ability to walk or talk. As research continues and new treatments develop it is hoped that the prognosis for people who suffer from traumatic brain injury can be much brighter and allow them to ultimately achieve a good quality of life.

Can We Overcome Mild Cognitive Impairments?

2012-05-17T09:00:00.007-04:00

Mild cognitive impairment is generally regarded as the stage between normal degradation of cognitive functions due to aging and more pronounced degradation from the effects of dementia. It can involve problems with memory, language, and higher level thinking and judgment. We will explore some of the typical symptoms and treatments available for this problem.

While many people who develop mild cognitive impairment eventually develop more pronounced symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia there are still others whose symptoms do not get worse or may even improve.

However in general, the symptoms associated with mild cognitive impairment can include the following:

• Increased forgetfulness
• This forgetfulness may cause the person to forget important events such as meetings or special events
• The person may lose his/her train of thought while in the middle of a conversation
• The person affected may feel increasingly overwhelmed at making decisions or being able to implement a series of instructions for accomplishing a task or goal
• It may eventually become more difficult for the person affected to find his/her way around surroundings which were previously familiar
• The person may exhibit poor judgment
• Family and friends will most likely begin to notice differences in behavior and response

People who experience mild cognitive impairment may feel depressed. They may also become irritable or aggressive. And increased anxiety can be a common symptom.

It is not fully understood what causes mild cognitive impairment. However a variety of factors seem to play an important role. Genetics is a factor. If your parents or close relatives suffer from this problem then there is increased risk for you to do so as well.

Lifestyle choices play a key role as well. Those people who are overweight or who do not pursue a regular exercise program stand an increased risk of developing this problem. Other factors play a role such as depression.

This problem has a number of treatments including lifestyle changes as well as brain training and drug therapies. While there is no one specific drug which applies to this problem there are a number of drugs currently used for other neurological disorders which seem to show some benefit. Using regularly the CogniFit brain training software should be part of your regimen even if you don't suffer from any conditions. You want your brain to remain healthy and for that you need to challenge it constantly.

It is also important to address health issues which can impact the ability of the brain to function properly. Addressing blood pressure issues is important as is mental health problems such as depression. It is also important for the person affected by this disorder to remain active and involved. Continued research is uncovering promising developments so it is hoped that this condition can be largely alleviated in the coming years.

Why Mind Games Can Be Fun And Effective

2012-05-16T09:00:00.011-04:00

“Are You Playing Mind Games on Me?” This may be a commonly used question when someone is teasing someone else.

In Reality, mind games can be a very effective way to improve mental functions in a fun and entertaining manner. So let’s explore this topic further.

Our minds can be trained to think more effectively. And there are techniques which can be applied to do so. To help to improve on how this is done, we have developed a number of mind tasks to encourage people start brain training and take advantage of different tasks available.

There are mind tasks which can focus and enhance many mental functions and cognitive abilities. Some of them are developed to help your improve your memory functions. This can apply to children who need to improve their learning processes as well as older adults who may be suffering from some type of memory loss or degradation.

Other mind tasks can be focused on reading comprehension or naming techniques. There are also many wonderful tasks to improve upon a person’s mathematical processing.

No matter what the function, mind games are designed to be entertaining and fun. If someone enjoys the task, he/she will focus more attention and achieve better results.

But it doesn’t really matter if this is so. What is important that people take advantage of the benefits which these games can provide.

Our website will explain the different tasks in more detail and offer suggestions as their application and use. There is also helpful resources to explain more about these games and how they can be of benefit.

A great deal of study has been done on mind games and their effectiveness has been proven in many cases. So if you want to improve mental function, it is important to recognize that mind games can be a great way to do so.

Neurons Are An Essential Part Of Life

2012-05-15T09:00:00.014-04:00

Neurons are cells which perform specialized tasks. They are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. They are similar to other cells in the body but they possess the unique ability to transmit information between them. We will explain more about these cells and what they do.

Neurons can communicate between each other through electrical and chemical processes. There are also several different kinds of neurons which do special tasks. For example sensory neurons can transmit information from sensory receptor cells to the brain. It is these kinds of cells which can allow you to experience the basic senses like touch, smell, taste and sight.

As indicated earlier, neurons are similar to other cells in the body but they also possess unique characteristics and differences. However neurons are like other cells in that they possess a nucleus which carries the genetic information necessary to define what it is.

Neurons also have a protective membrane which surrounds it. And neurons possess components which support the life of the cell. This includes mitochondria, Golgi bodies and cytoplasm.

But neurons also possess very unique characteristics. For example the neurons are believed to stop producing shortly after birth. So there are a fixed number of them. As neurons die they are not replaced. However they can continue to form new connections throughout their lives which help to enhance mental capacity, function and brain fitness.

Neurons have a membrane which allows it to send information to other cells. They possess components which are called axon and dendrites which can transmit and receive information. The connections between neuron cells are called synapses. They also release chemicals called neurotransmitters into the synapses which allow them to communicate with other neurons.

The neuron has three major parts. They include the dendrites, cell body and axon. Depending on the type of neuron, the number of length of the axon and dendrites can vary. But information is passed from cell to cell through the axon and dendrites.

Information is received by the dendrites and transmitted to another neuron by the axon. Both electrical and chemical processes are utilized to make this happen. And neurotransmitters form an essential part of the process to communicate information. Many neurological problems can occur when there is a breakdown in the mechanism of neurotransmitters.

Some diseases impact this mechanism which is why the patients involved suffer neurological disorders and degradation. If the ability of the neurons to communicate with each other is affected, so are important mental functions.

While much of the mechanisms involved with neurons are understood, there is still much to be studied and learned in neuroscience. Extensive research is aimed at improving the function of neurons and helping those affected by breakdowns in structure or communication.

Mental Health – Happy And Balanced

2012-05-14T09:00:00.022-04:00

A healthy brain is essential in controlling your body properly and performing many functions.

But mental health can also be concentrated on higher level functions which can affect how to respond to the world around you and how you feel. Let’s explore this topic further.

The human brain is an amazingly complex organ. But it does much more than control our bodies. We possess higher level functions including the ability to respond to the world around us in very interesting ways.

Mental health has to do with the way in which we feel about things and ourselves. Good mental health generally means that we are well balanced, are generally happy and respond well to the world around us.

But sometimes people have a difficult time dealing with the world around them or how it makes them feel. They may feel sad or depressed. Or they may act in an inappropriate manner.

For these people, help is needed. But this is a very complex and difficult situation because it is not always easy to identify that there is a problem. Moreover the people who may be suffering from mental health issues may be reluctant to seek help because they either do not recognize it or they are embarrassed to seek such help due to a perceived stigma.

However there are many techniques which can be effective at treating different mental health issues. The most common is counseling which involves helping people to explore their feelings and identify and deal with them. This may be a long term process but it can be very effective in helping people to improve their mental health and overall brain health.

There are also a number of drugs which are used for a number of mental health issues. It is believed that imbalances in brain chemistry can have an impact on mental health so the objective of many of these drugs is to balance out the brain chemistry.

Other mental health issues may be caused by injury or disease. Different surgical techniques are available which may be able to improve these problems.

In any case it is important for the person who seeks improved mental health to pursue and consider different treatment options. Far too many people try to diagnose themselves try to deal with the problem themselves. It is important to be open to other options and the assistance of people or treatments which may be far more effective than dealing with it alone.

Mental Training - What Do You Know About It?

2012-05-13T09:00:00.022-04:00

A world class athlete certainly understands the importance of training to keep his body fit and functioning in the best possible manner. Well mental training is also something which can be implemented and it can have important long lasting results. Let’s explore this interesting topic further.

The brain responds to stimuli and if applied correctly, it can have very beneficial results. So mental training can consist of a number of targeted techniques and exercises to challenge how it handles information and stimuli.

There are targeted takss a person can pursue to achieve desired results. For example if someone wants to improve their ability to remember, we have several excellent tasks and exercises which can be applied. The tasks are usually structured like games and can be very entertaining.

Children often use mental training exercises without even realizing it. Teachers use effective techniques to improve their ability to receive, process and retrieve information. This is an essential part of learning and certainly a very important thing.

Other techniques can help people to learn to read faster and understand more. These techniques may be implemented individually or used with a counselor or teacher. There are effective techniques for mental training of all kinds of things.

Memory enhancement is one important factor. But numerical processing, reading comprehension or language skill improvement can all be other beneficial techniques.

As indicated earlier, mental training techniques are used extensively in an educational setting. But people can also pursue different techniques if they are interested in improving certain aspects of their mental functioning.

In any case there are many ways to improve mental functions through mental training and brain fitness. Start to train your brain today!

Do You Face Memory Problems?

2012-05-12T09:00:00.019-04:00

Memory problems can occur with just about anyone at some time in their lives. You have probably experienced it yourself when you suddenly forget the name of the person you were just introduced to or cannot recall the address of a frequently visited spot. Our memory is controlled in the brain but there are many factors which can impact memory.

Our brain provides us with the ability to receive information, process it, store it and then later retrieve it. Changes in our brains can have a profound effect on our memory. However there are many other factors involved which can impact our memory and create periodic or chronic problems.

If we become distracted or stressed, our ability to recall information can be seriously impacted. And it has been found that people have improved memory when they are better rested and better focused on the information they intend to store.

There can also be a significant impact on memory from outside agents like alcohol or drugs. It is therefore very important to protect your brain and its ability to store and retrieve information.

Lifestyle choices can create memory problems. If you are overweight or do not maintain a regular exercise program, your memory can be affected. The importance of good nutrition, brain fitness and a healthy lifestyle cannot be overstated when it comes to avoiding memory problems.

The natural aging process can also create memory problems. The neurons in our brains are believed to be fixed in quantity. As we age, their numbers steadily decrease such that over time our memories can be affected.

However there are some effective techniques to help to minimize or even correct many memory problems.

These techniques which can be employed which have been shown to have significant benefits in terms of memory improvements. It can be as simple as learning to focus better attention on the information received or learn ways to associate information you wish to retain to visual or audio cues with the help of your CogniFit brain training program.

There are many effective tasks when it comes to improving our memory and minimizing the impact of memory problems. In this way many memory problems can be addressed and hopefully corrected or at least minimized over time.

Neuroscience & Cognition

2012-05-11T09:00:00.006-04:00

Neuroscience & cognition is also referred to as cognitive neuroscience. It is a specialized field of study which focuses on the biological mechanisms which affect cognition. Specifically it focuses on how the brain, neurons and mental processes.

It seeks to better understand how the biological processes in the brain affect higher level thinking and cognition. We will explore this topic in more detail.

Cognitive neuroscience is a combination of study which involves both psychology and neuroscience. Its theories and practices apply results from cognitive science as well as neuropsychology and computational models.

Since this field of study involves a number of disciplines, the people involved can come from a diverse background. They may have backgrounds in neurobiology, bioengineering, psychiatry, neurology, physics, computer science, linguistics, philosophy, and mathematics to name a few.

There are a number of methods applied in this field of study. However a strong focus is centered on patients who may be undergoing cognitive shortfalls as a result of brain lesions or other physical damage to better understand how changes in brain physiology can impact cognitive function.

The field has experienced a long history. Man has been fascinated with the brain and its impact on how we think and react to the world around us. Many researchers and philosophers have studies and speculated on how the brain allows us to think the way we do. And there have been numerous studies over the years which have documented how physical changes to the brain can affect cognitive thinking and functions.

An important element of field of study also focuses on the impact of injury and disease with respect to cognitive functions. For example Alzheimer’s disease is known to cause physical changes and degradation to neurons such that their ability to communicate information is impacted. Over time this can have significant impacts on memory and other higher level cognitive functions.

By better understanding the physiological changes and mechanisms involved in cognition, we are developing effective preventative treatments or treatments to reverse or slow down degradation of cognitive abilities and associated functions.

This will hopefully bring welcome relief to many patients and their families who may be affected by these changes. It has already lead to the implementation of certain courses of treatment including surgical procedures or drug therapies. Other treatments can utilize other mechanisms such as brain plasticity to overcome deficiencies caused by physical changes. Continued research and study should bring about important improvements in the effectiveness of treatments as we also continue to develop our unique brain training technology.

ADHD – Causes, Symptoms And Treatments

2012-05-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

ADHD is short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a chronic condition which usually develops in childhood and can persist through adulthood. We will discuss some of the causes, symptoms and treatments of this problem.

The exact cause of ADHD is not entirely understood. But there are several factors which appear to play a role.

First of all the brains of people affected by ADHD show differences in structure and brain activity than those who do not have the disorder. For example there appears to be lower activity in areas of the brain which controls activity levels and attention.

Heredity also appears to play an important role in the development of this disorder. It tends to run in families and there may be several genes which can be associated with it.

Women who smoke during pregnancy or who used alcohol at that time may increase the risk of their children developing ADHD. And childhood exposure to certain toxins may develop a higher risk of developing this disorder.

Some common symptoms of ADHD can include the following:

• Failure to pay attention to details or someone who makes careless mistakes in their schoolwork or other tasks.
• May have trouble paying attention to certain tasks throughout the day
• Doesn’t seem to listen even when spoken to directly
• Has trouble organizing tasks or activities
• Dislikes tasks which require focused mental attention like schoolwork
• Frequently loses items
• Is easily distracted and loses attention and focus

Other symptoms which are related to hyperactivity can include:

• A need to fidget or move about excessively
• May not be able to sit still for long periods of time
• Difficulty in playing quietly
• Talks excessively
• Difficulty in waiting in line or for his/her turn
• Often interrupts others during conversation

There have been a number of treatments which can be effective at treating the symptoms of ADHD. Many of them are based on drug therapies. Still, we are now looking for now invasive solutions which would have also less side effects such as brain fitness and the training of cognitive abilities.

Do You Really Know What Dementia Is?

2012-05-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

Dementia is a medical condition which affects the brain. There are a number of different types of dementia and the impacts may vary depending on the type and how they affect the person involved.

We will discuss this medical problem further and review some of the causes, symptoms and treatments available.

One of the most common problems associated with dementia is memory loss. However changes to critical thinking, language skills judgment and behavior can be involved as well.

In most cases dementia is a chronic and degenerative condition. Its symptoms cannot be reversed. The changes which result tend to be permanent and get worse as time progresses. Dementia can often develop into a more serious form of neurological disorders called Alzheimer’s disease.

Another common form of dementia is called Lewy body disease. It seems to affect older people for the most part and is characterized by protein structures throughout different parts of the brain. It is therefore a physiological disorder of the brain.

A mild stroke can also cause dementia. The brain can become damaged due to a lack of oxygen caused by the stroke. This form of dementia is called vascular dementia. And several other disorders can lead to the development of dementia. This can include Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease or infections of the brain caused by AIDS or Lyme disease.

There are certain forms of dementia which can be corrected if found in the early stages. These kinds of dementia may be caused by tumors in the brain, blood sugar changes chronic alcohol abuse or even certain medications. It is therefore vitally important to seek immediate medical assistance if you or someone you know may be suffering from the typical symptoms of this disease.

The most common symptom of dementia is forgetfulness. As the disease progresses, this can lead to cognitive impairment. It can cause the person to lose memory, experience impaired judgment or even perform tasks which were previously easy for them to do such as mathematical functions.

Keep in mind that for most forms of dementia, there is no known cure. However a number of therapies including drugs and mental exercises can help to slow the progression of the disease and help the sufferers to maintain an acceptable quality of life. There is a great deal of research associated with finding more effective treatments to help to slow the progression of this disease, avoid its occurrence and ultimately find a cure.

Stay In Shape With Brain Training

2012-05-08T09:00:00.007-04:00

Our brain controls virtually every part of our bodies. It does so without us even thinking about it. And there are certainly higher order functions of our brain which allows us to think and respond to our environment.

If you wish to improve your mental capacities, then brain training can be a very productive and effective way to do so. Let’s explore this further.

Brain training entails challenging your brain to operate in specific ways. It has been found through extensive research that the brain can be trained to operate at higher levels. This is done through specialized exercises.

Some of these exercises can be entertaining and fun. For example a crossword task is a form of brain training. It can help you to expand your vocabulary and reading comprehension.

There are many kinds of brain training tasks. For example some tasks can be used to improve memory. A person can be trained to remember people, places and things much more effectively.

Some of these techniques can be implemented individually while others are done with another person. It can also store and measure progress to specific goals and cognitive abilities.

Other types of brain training tasks can help a person to improve his/her math functions and other language capabilities. Some of these programs have been very effective in teaching someone to speak a new foreign language quickly and effectively.

Teachers can use these brain training tasks to help their students and others. For example, to help older people who may be experiencing some difficulty in maintaining an optimum level of mental prowess and brain health.

But it is important to remember that there are many brain training tasks which can be used to improve the mental functions of a wide variety of people worldwide. Start training your brain right now and discover how strong are your cognitive skills!

Brain Health For A Great Mind

2012-05-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

You probably understand the need to try to keep your body healthy. It is therefore important to keep a good diet and exercise whenever possible.

But it is important to realize that brain health is just as important if you want to live a full life. Let’s discuss some tips and suggestions to help this.

In order to keep your brain healthy, you first of all need to care for it very carefully. The brain is an amazing organ but it is also very sensitive. So do all you can to protect it from injury. If you ride a bike or motorcycle, always wear head protection gear like a helmet. And make sure to always buckle up when you drive. If you can, try to drive a late model care which has the full spectrum of safety devices.

Keeping your brain healthy also means making sure that it receives the best possible nutrients. Maintain a healthy diet which is high in nutrients and low in sugars, fats, and preservatives. Try to stick with lean meats and healthy vegetables.

And drink plenty of water to help to flush out impurities in your cells. You want your brain neurons to operate in the best possible manner so make certain it receives good nutrients and is free of impurities as much as possible.

Stay away from chemicals which can impact and ultimately hurt the brain. This includes drug abuse or alcohol abuse. Feed your brain right and it will do right by you.

As much as a good exercise program is good for your body, there are also many exercises you can apply which are good for the brain. It has been shown that the brain responds very well to mental challenges. So take advantage of the many brain tasks and exercises available on CogniFit

Even a simple crossword task does a great job of stimulating the brain and enhancing mental functions. Focus more on reading than simply watching TV.

Try to stay active and happy. When people suffer from stress and depression, it is not good for the brain. So do all you can to remain involved in activities and keep your spirits up. If you pursue many of the suggestions mentioned here, it will help to improve your brain health and improve your quality of life.

More Research Confirms Brain Training Staves Off Dementia

2012-05-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

Nearly 36 million people in the world suffer from Alzheimer’s or some other type of dementia. This number is growing year after year.

In the last few years there have been several studies that link brain training to increased cognitive function and brain processing.

Research that was published early this year shows a link between brain training and the levels of the protein that cause Alzheimer’s. This study was conducted by Chinese researchers who enrolled 270 healthy adults age 65-75. They were randomly assigned to either do brain training activities or to a group who did a placebo type game which was the control group.

The brain games consisted of measuring skills in memory, reasoning, problem solving, map reading and health education and exercise. They did hour long training sessions twice a week for three months. The results of the research were very positive.

It found that compared to the control group the first group had a higher level of mental ability and cognitive skills. Many studies just like this one have shown the positive effects of brain training. The more stimuli you give your brain the more connections it makes and the more efficiently it works.

These types of studies have been done on young and old alike, the results are always the same. The people who do brain training or other mind games show improvements in cognitive skills, memory and problem solving. In addition to improving thinking a clear and healthy mind can improve your outlook on life.

People with healthy minds feel better and have a more positive outlook. As a result they are less likely to experience depression, anxiety or other mental health issues. The great thing about the brain is if you just spend a short amount of time stimulating it each week your healthier brain will pay off for years to come.

The short term results come quickly but the long term results lasting depend on many factors. The best way to keep your brain health is to give you short bursts of brain training often. Many things can be considered brain training even physical activity and listening to music has positive affects on the brain.

The healthier your brain is the easier it is to get through the day to day. Brain training activities are a great way to keep your brain in top operating condition. You can do these same activities at home on your computer right now!

Chronic Stress Can Affect Brain Plasticity

2012-05-05T09:00:00.008-04:00

Stress can have all sorts of negative effects on your body. A new study shows that stress can especially have an effect on your brain plasticity and cognitive function. The University of California’s researchers published the study in March in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The basic premise of the study is that stress causes the accumulation of insoluble tau protein on the brain cells. This study was done on mice at the San Diego School of Medicine. The proteins that gather on the brain when you are stressed are similar to that of proteins on the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.

This study has backed up the many studies that claim the more stressful a person’s life is the more likely they are to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease later in life. This study explains more of the why that happens. Science knew there was a link but they didn’t really know why until now.

Researchers found that not all forms of stress are equally harmful to brain plasticity and brain function. Passing stress such as a single stressful incident does not seem to leave long term damage. The damage comes into play with acute stress that the person is experiencing for long periods of time.

Short bursts of stress that are easily managed can actually be good for your brain plasticity and your ability to learn. As people age the ability to rebound from simple stress becomes less so while short bursts of stress can be healthy for younger people they do not help older people.

Brain plasticity is important because it is what determines how efficiently your brain works. The more connections your brain makes the easier it is for you to process information and make decisions. During your lifetime your brain plasticity can increase and decline depending on your lifestyle.

The researchers observed that two key coricotropin receptors were impacting which suggest a target for potential therapies. There are already some drugs currently in trial that modulate the activity of these receptors which may also be a potential treatment one day. Researchers recognize there is no way to completely eliminate stress but treatments may reduce the effects of stress on brain plasticity.

Brain Health Can Be Improved Well Into The Golden Years

2012-05-04T09:00:00.007-04:00

It seems that everyday science is disproving some long accepted theory on the brain. Previously it was thought that brain health could only be boosted into young adulthood.

New studies show that in fact mental abilities can be enhanced well into your senior years.

In this particular study seniors were split into two groups the ages of the participants were between 60 and 94. The first group was assigned a 16 week course of brain tasks which they completed at home. The other group received no special treatment.

The brain health games were designed to challenge people’s reasoning skills. They had to thing like find patterns in numbers, relationships or other tasks. As the participants finished each set of tasks, they were given a more challenging set. Let's see what happened!

All participants were given a test at the beginning and end of the study that tested their reasoning skills to use as a measure for improvement. The group who participated in the brain health games showed significant improvements in reasoning after the study was completed. The group who did not do activities showed no change in cognitive and reasoning skills.

In addition to the reasoning tests the researchers also studied certain personality traits to measure brain health. The five traits they focused on were openness, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism. The participants who did the brain health games showed improvement in openness although the change was not very large.

This particular study is very exciting because it proves that even in your senior years significant increases can be made to your brain health. Certain models over time made the claim that brain function stops increasing by your 20’s or 30’s. This study among many others not only show how exercises changed brain function but also personality type is much older individuals.

Improved brain health can help you no matter how young or old you are. The more you give your brain a workout the healthier it will be. You can improve brain function, memory and cognitive skills and according to this study even change personality traits such as openness.

Knowing that brain health can still be effective later in life goes a long way in the fight against diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s. The more ways we know how to prevent these diseases the less people will have to live with them. Every step science gets closer to understanding the brain and how it works the better it can help people’s brain health be.

Brain Injury Treatment Tools

2012-05-03T09:00:00.024-04:00

Traumatic brain injury has become a real hot button issue in the medical community. The recent military conflicts have left many soldiers and veterans with brain injuries that need treatment.

Both military and civilian health care providers have had make sure they understand the most up-to-date diagnosis and treatment information.

The DCoE (Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychology Health and Traumatic Brain Injury) has worked very hard to get out the necessary information but also make providers understand what brain injury treatment tools are available to them. They recently held a Twitter round table where they discussed brain injury treatments and did a Q&A session.

Brain injury is hard to treat because there is not currently any really effective medications. The most common treatment tool for brain injury is surgery where blood is drained from the brain or a portion is removed. After surgery there is usually also a long road of recovery and therapy afterwards. So it is one of those things where it will probably get worse before it gets better.

Another struggle with treating brain injury is that medicine has found out over time that women are far more likely than men to get positive results from surgery. This makes things tricky since brain injury is often caused by sports or military experience which can have a heavy male skew. Science and research has attributed this difference to the act that progesterone works as a neuro protective hormone.

Researchers are currently working on new brain injury medications that are based on the use of progesterone to help increase the chances of recovery.

The more we learn about the brain the more advanced we will become and find the efficient regimen to help people who suffer from traumatic brain injury. Keeping an healthy diet and training your cognitive skills can only help you in the short-term.

Can Music Also Improve Brain Fitness?

2012-05-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

We all know music is good for your soul but new research is suggesting it may be good for your brain fitness as well especially in young people. A new study conducted at York University showed major cognitive improvement in children who took part in a 4 week music training program.

The children’s cognitive skills were tested and also confirmed by brain imaging. The imaging showed that in fact brain changes had taken place as a result of the music program. The scientists were astonished by the significant jumps in cognitive skills in a short 20 day period.

Science has already determined long before the musicians have distinctly different brains which may be a result of always being exposed to music. In musicians you will see things like someone who plays the piano will have an enlarged region of the brain that controls finger movements. Also brain scans have shown that kids 9-1 who play musical instruments have significantly more grey matter than children who don’t.

For many years there has been a phenomenon called the Mozart effect. The basic idea is listening to Mozart makes your smart or improves brain fitness. This has not been a consistent effect when it was actually studied but some doctors have in fact seen the effects of it.

The study that was done by York University gave much more concrete answers as to whether music can improve brain fitness. Another test done with 48 pre-schoolers also supported the theory that music is a great for the brain. The children were divided into two groups.

Both groups did computer based brain fitness activities designed to improve cognitive skills. The first group used brain games that focused on music such as rhythm, pitch, melody, voice and musical concepts. The second groups brain games were based on shapes, colors, lines, dimension and perspective.

The children were tested for verbal and spatial intelligence before and after the training. They also conducted brain imaging which measure the time course of brain activity. The results were consistent and very dramatic. They strongly affirmed the correlation between music and brain fitness in children.

Although this information may eventually be used to treat brain disorders right now the conclusion is clear. Giving your children the opportunity to listen to and learn to play music is going to be good for brain development and overall brain fitness. Music changes the brain and anything that does that make it healthier.

Maintain That Young And Youthful Brain With Mental Training

2012-05-01T09:00:00.005-04:00

Whether it is mentally or physically, few people actually want to age. Of course, exercising can help you stay fit and eating a healthy, nutritious diet comes with a plethora of perks.

And now, a U.S. study reveals that brief mental training sessions can actually slow age-related mental decline and improve overall quality of life.

Following a five-year study that tracked 2,800 Americans aged 65 to 94, there is reason to be optimistic for the future. Researchers from six U.S. institutions discovered the findings after giving seniors a brief series of mental training sessions. The training consisted of 10 one-hour sessions with eight booster sessions for some.

This puts to sleep the fear for some that becoming further educated in new aspects of life fades the older you get. By investing a little bit of effort into learning new and challenging things after the age of 65, performance growth can be seen.

There is no secret that getting out and exercising can help you maintain a physically fit body. The same holds true mentally as there is a lot to come from cognitive training. It does not require hours upon hours of training, but simple short sessions throughout the week can deliver outstanding results.

During memory training in the study, seniors learned four strategies to help improve their memory. First, they were asked to try to remember things on a list by linking it to something meaningful. Next, put the items into categories to simplify the recall process.

The third aspect consisted of visualization. The goal is not to memorize a word, but to create a detailed image of it in your mind. And lastly, link items on a list by associating them into a story of some sorts.

During the reasoning training, seniors learned how to analyze new material while reaching a conclusion about it. During processing training, they sat at computer screens that flashed an image at them and the images became more complex over time.

What researchers found is that seniors who underwent each type of brain training reported less difficulty in performing their day-to-day tasks.

The general consensus of researchers agree that doing something for your brain is far better and important than doing nothing. And with a little bit of hard work here and there throughout the week, mental training can pay off significantly for seniors.