Improve Your Memory (Level 1 of 3)

Brain Workout

2012-12-24T20:15:00.002-08:00

Brain Workout: Variety Puzzles to Boost Your Memory and Brainpower presents more than two hundred puzzles and mental tests that cover a variety of different themes, styles, and difficulty levels. This collection has been developed by author G. R. Roosta to stimulate and challenge the key components of the brain that control reasoning, language, logic, visual perception, attention, and flexibility. Brain Workout includes fun and challenging activities and mental exercises to help you get your brain in shape and keep it healthy. The puzzles included here are specifically designed to improve memory, attention, and speed, as well as the spatial, verbal, and numerical capabilities of your brain. Studies have shown that puzzles and mental exercises can improve brainpower by stimulating creativity and imagination, along with the analytical, rational, and logical areas of the brain. You can achieve great results with these puzzles by solving ten or more puzzles each day. Stimulate your mind and boost your brainpower through the mental gymnastics of the Brain Workout.

See: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/147595705X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?tag=intell0b-20

Brain Workout: Variety Puzzles to Boost Your Memory and Brainpower

Connections [4]

2011-12-31T10:31:00.000-08:00

You have already done Connections [1], Connections [2], and Connections [3]; now, try Connections [4] as follows!

Look at the following image for 2 minutes; keep in mind how the shapes are connected (note that how many connecting lines exist in the image):

Now, read the following news to spend some time:

Nuts improve mood, brain function, prevent cognitive decline

ISLAMABAD: Nuts, especially walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, combined with the potent polyphenol resveratrol team, together improve mood and protect the aging brain, thus helping to maintain memory and cognition. Researchers reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine have found that nuts consumed over a period of years not only help with weight management issues, but also can reduce systemic inflammation to improve spirits and prevent cognitive decline.

Resveratrol has long been associated with brain health. The Journal of Pineal Research reports that resveratrol demonstrates anti-aging properties in the brain necessary for energy production and optimal brain function. Combining these two natural agents together as part of your healthy diet can improve mood, help retain memories and preserve youthful thought patterns.

Sharpen Your Brain! (for Kindle)

Researchers determined to validate the health-promoting capacity of nuts provided test participants with a diet of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts for a period of 12 weeks. The volunteers for this study were sex and age-matched individuals given a control diet, and were compared to a group not receiving the nut mixture. All participants exhibited symptoms of metabolic syndrome, increasing risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, mood disorders and loss of cognition.

Individuals receiving the nuts had increased levels of serotonin, which will help a person feel better and potentially more satisfied and less likely to suffer from depression and poor mood. Additionally, the nut control group demonstrated reduced inflammatory markers from the high polyphenol content of the nuts. This is an important finding, as individuals exhibiting the signs of metabolic syndrome experience the effects of systemic inflammation leading to accelerated brain aging and cognitive decline.

Mitochondria are the tiny metabolic engines that are responsible for powering each of our trillion or so cells throughout the body. Over time, mitochondria begin to experience loss of function, and cellular decline and aging of the cell begin. Mitochondrial regulation is controlled in large part by the ’longevity’ gene known as Sirt1. Calorie restriction and potent natural nutrients such as resveratrol are known to alter expression of the Sirt1 gene. Researchers have demonstrated that resveratrol is able to restore neural mitochondria function by reviving Sirt1 gene expression; resveratrol provides "a potent anti-aging effect within the brain."

The human brain is a highly metabolic organ, demanding 20% of the total oxygen supply for the body. As such, it is also susceptible to the effects of oxidative stress and free radical damage that cause brain inflammation and advanced signs of aging. Natural nutrients such as resveratrol (25 - 50 mg per day) that cross the blood-brain barrier and foundation monounsaturated fats supplied by most nuts (1 to 2 ounces each day) and seeds protect the brain from damage and dramatically lower the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline.

source: http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=187543

Without looking at the previous image, connect the following shapes as they are connected in the above image:

Memory Challenge - Animal Silhouette [1]

2011-09-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

You have already done some Memory Challenge exercises as in the following posts:

In this post, you will do this with Animal Silhouettes!

Look at the following silhouettes for 1.5 minute (90 seconds):

Now, without reviewing the above images, detect 3 new silhouettes in the following image list:

Scroll down to see the answer!

Answer:

Older Posts:

Image Study [1]

2011-09-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

In one minute, study the following picture very carefully:

Now, scroll down and do not refer to the above image!

Now, answer the following questions! Then, for each correct answer give yourself a 10. There are ten questions. So your total score would be out of 100. You can find the answers at the bottom of this post.

1. Excluding the horizontal line, how many items are in the picture?

2. How many items are above the horizontal line?

3. In which corner is the camel standing?

Top-Left
Top-Right
Bottom-Left
Bottom-Right

4. What is located at the right of the cow?

5. How many birds are there?

6. What can be found right on the top of the ship?

7. Is the dog above the horizontal line or below it?

8. There are two bikes; one above the horizontal line and one below it. Which one is bigger?

9. What is located at the bottom-right corner of the picture?

10. Above the horizontal line, what is located between the bike and the car?

Scroll down to see the answers and check with yours!

Answers:

1. 15
2. 7
3. Bottom-Left
4. Umbrella
5. 1
6. Bike
7. Above
8. The bike above the horizontal line
9. Horse
10. Fighter (airplane)

Languages with more than 100 million native speakers

2011-08-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

There are 10 languages with more than 100 million native speakers. There is a random image chosen for each language in this post. You should memorize these languages and their corresponding images for following this exercise:

The official languages of the United Nations are the six languages that are used in UN meetings, and in which all official UN documents are written.

One of these six languages is French.

The other five languages are included in the above list of "languages with more than 100 million native speakers".

In the following image list you can see the images corresponding to those five languages:

Now answer the following questions:

1. What are the six official languages of the United Nations?

2. What are the ten languages with more than 100 million native speakers?

3. Which languages with more than 100 million native speakers are not official languages of the United Nations?

- Scroll down to see the answers!

Answers:

1. What are the six official languages of the United Nations?

Arabic
English
French
Mandarin
Russian
Spanish

Note: As mentioned in Improve Your General Knowledge in Leisure Time!, in order to memorize the above list, use FRAMES as a peg:

French, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, English, Spanish

2. What are the ten languages with more than 100 million native speakers?

Arabic
Bengali
English
Hindi
Japanese
Mandarin
Portuguese
Punjabi
Russian
Spanish

3. Which languages with more than 100 million native speakers are not official languages of the United Nations?

Bengali
Hindi
Japanese
Portuguese
Punjabi

Image Remembering - Type 1 - No. 2

2011-08-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

You have already accomplished Image Remembering - Type 1 - No. 1. This post provides the same type of memory exercise; however with images that are a little hard to memorize.

Review the following images for 3 minutes, and keep in mind how many times each has been illustrated:

Now, read the following article to spend some time before getting back to the above exercise:

8 Health Benefits of Laughter
by Melissa Breyer
Aug 23, 2011
[source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-health-benefits-of-laughter.html]

Is there anything better than a contagious giggle that you absolutely can’t control? (Ok, maybe not so good in school or church.) Laughter works wonderfully well in the moment, but it also has some surprising long-term health benefits. In the book A Better Brain at Any Age: The Holistic Way to Improve Your Memory, Reduce Stress, and Sharpen Your Wits (Conari Press, 2009), author Sondra Kornblatt explores how laughter can truly make you feel better.

She writes that the new field of gelotology is exploring the benefits of laughter. It was brought to the public’s awareness in Norman Cousins’ memoir Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins found that comedies, like those of the Marx Brothers, helped him feel better and get some pain-free sleep. That’s because laughter helps the pituitary gland release its own pain-suppressing opiates.

What can laughter do?:

Lower blood pressure
Increase vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood
Give a workout to the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles
Reduce certain stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline
Increase the response of tumor- and disease-killing cells such as Gamma-interferon and T-cells
Defend against respiratory infections–even reducing the frequency of colds–by immunoglobulon in saliva.
Increase memory and learning; in a study at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, humor during instruction led to increased test scores
Improve alertness, creativity, and memory
Humor and creativity work in similar ways, says humor guru William Fry, M.D., of Stanford University–by creating relationships between two disconnected items, you engage the whole brain.

Humor works quickly. Less than a half-second after exposure to something funny, and electrical wave moves through the higher brain functions of the cerebral cortex. The left hemisphere analyzes the words and structures of the joke; the right hemisphere “gets” the joke; the visual sensory area of the occipital lobe creates images; the limbic (emotional) system makes you happier; and the motor sections make you smile or laugh.

So let’s laugh. What makes you laugh? Tell us your favorite funny movie, or how about a good joke?

OK, now answer the following questions! Do not refer to the above list of images, just use your memory!

1) For how many times this image appeared in the above image list?

2) How about this image?

3) Among these images, which one is depicted more frequently?

4) Among these images, which one is depicted less frequently?

- Scroll down to see the answers!

Answer:

1) 2
2) 4
3) b
4) a

Picture Memory Exercise [1]

2011-08-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

Study the following picture carefully for one minute:

Picture Memory Exercise [1]

Now without reviewing the above picture, do this exercise!

Three pieces of the above picture have been cut as illustrated in the following one. You should find them throughout the thumbnails provided below.

Picture Memory Exercise

No. 1)

No. 2)

No. 3)

Answer:

1) B
2) C
3) D

Easy Exercises to Keep Your Brain in Shape

2011-08-12T01:28:00.000-07:00

Easy Exercises to Keep Your Brain in Shape
August 11, 2011

Living to an old age isn’t much fun if you can’t remember anything. No matter what your age, you can protect your memory and keep your mind sharp with one habit: practice a mental exercise every day. Practice consistently, and by the end of the month, you will have a new brain-boosting habit that will pave the way for a long and memorable life.

Brain-Boosting Exercises

These brain exercises help improve brain capacity in younger people and restore mental faculties that are declining in older people.
1. Use it or lose it with a cognitive workout: Memorize a poem, play chess, enjoy a challenging crossword puzzle, learn phone numbers by heart, add numbers without a calculator, learn the words to a new song, or memorize a shopping list–as long as it’s something new to you. Keep challenging yourself with new tasks.
2. Use your non-dominant hand: If you’re right-handed, use your left hand to eat, comb your hair, brush your teeth, write your name, or try putting your mouse pad on the other side of the keyboard. This practice of non-dominant hand use stimulates communication between the two hemispheres of the brain, helping to improve mental capacity as well as physical balance. Another idea: tai chi and yoga are physical activities that coach people to use the right and left side of the body equally.

Reward yourself

If you stick to the plan nearly every day, think of a way to reward yourself. You will be more likely to follow through with your goal when there is a bonus at the finish line.

Stay on track

To stay on course, ask yourself these questions each day. Keeping a written record of daily answers will help you stick to the plan and may offer insights to keep you inspired.
Are you practicing one brain-boosting exercise every day? What has the experience been like?
How do you feel today compared to the previous day? How about to one week ago? You may notice that you are processing new information more quickly and you may feel more alert.
What obstacles are keeping you from practicing your mental exercise every day? What can you do to remove the obstacle?

Make it happen. An answer for every excuse

Miss a day? Sometimes, when things get busy, you might miss a day or two. But, you are not a failure! Let it go and consider the reasons for missing a few days. What will you do differently for more successful results? Simply recommit, make adjustments, and continue where you left off. Don’t ever give up!
Too boring. Keep your mental activity fun. If none of the above examples work for you, try any appealing activity that requires some mental effort and expands your knowledge. Some examples are learning a new language, instrument, or technological device. Try a sport or other physical activity you have never tried before, like qi gong or a zumba dance class.
Forget to practice. Start simply. If you can’t remember to do a brain exercise every day, try building off of the daily habits you already have. Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand. On your commute, memorize the signs around you and then recall them to memory. In an empty moment, try to remember each birthday of the people you know.

At the end of the month: If you have been practicing one mental exercise a day, it is likely that you have created a new brain-boosting habit. Keep up the good work and stay tuned for next month, where you will learn how staying hydrated helps you cleanse and improve cellular health! Look for my monthly articles to guide you through a healthy and happy 2011.

[source: http://www.lawndalenews.com/?p=5274]

Brain training increases dopamine release

2011-08-07T00:09:00.000-07:00

Brain training increases dopamine release

Source: http://www.domain-b.com/technology/biotech_pharma/20110806_brain_training.html

06 August 2011

It is known that training can improve working memory. In a new study in Science, researchers from Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University, Åbo Akademi University, and the University of Turku show for the first time that working-memory training is associated with an increased release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in specific brain regions.

Sharpen Your Brain! (for Kindle) [Kindle Edition]

Try Effective Brain Workouts & Exercises on Your Kindle!

Do you have an Amazon Kindle? Then in a very short free time that you have; e.g., in a break time at work or school, or in a time of leisure, just diligently spend a couple of minutes on Sharpen Your Brain! While you will have fun by doing its from very easy to very difficult brain workouts for improving cognitive skills, every next month you will find yourself smarter than last month. Do not hesitate to spend a couple of minutes of every day of your life for maintaining and improving your brain! Keep your brain sharp and healthy!

"Working-memory training resulted in increased dopamine release in the caudate, a region located below the neocortex, in which the dopaminergic influx is particularly large", says Lars Bäckman, Professor at Karolinska Institutet, and one of the scientists behind the study. "This observation demonstrates the importance of dopamine for improving working-memory performance."

In the study, 10 young Finnish men were trained in updating working memory for five weeks by means of a letter-memory task. The participants were presented with 7 to 15 letters during 45 minutes three times per week on a screen that was turned off after presentation. The task was to remember the last four letters in the sequence in correct order.

Compared to a control group that did not receive any training, the trained group showed a gradual improvement of working-memory performance.

Results from a PET scan demonstrated an increased release of dopamine in the caudate after training. In addition, dopamine release was seen during the letter-memory task also before training; this release increased markedly after training.

"These findings suggest that the training improved working memory generally", says Professor Lars Nyberg at Umeå University.

The study emanates from a collaborative project among the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet, Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI) at Umeå University, Sweden, Åbo Akademi University, and University of Turku, both in Finland, within a 'Nordic Center of Excellence in Cognitive Control'.

Memory Challenge - Faces 1

2011-08-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Look at the following faces for 2 minutes:

Now, without reviewing the above faces, detect which of the following faces are new:

Scroll down to see the answer!

Answer:

B and F

Finite Trace Exercise 1 [continued]

2011-07-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

Note: If you do not know what a Finite Trace Exercise is you should first read the previous post: Finite Trace Exercise 1.

Here is the exercise to start (note that in this first FTE, there is no time restriction so take your time and relax; however fully concentrated - no interruption):

Below you can find the answer. Compare with your own answer. Your answer should be a string of 20 letters/characters of A, B, C, and *.

For each correct answer give yourself a 5 and no penalty for wrong answers. So if you would have written 20 correct answers your score would be 100! I wish you could get a 100; if not please do this exercise again and again. Remember that this exercise is a real healthy food for your brain to get smarter.

Answer:

ABC**B*AA***AB**CA*A

Finite Trace Exercise 1

2011-07-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Finite Trace Exercise (FTE), defined and developed by G. R. Roosta, is a novel multipurpose cognitive brain exercise which effectively affect the brain's performance; it improves working memory and fluid intelligence as dual n-back tasks do.

In this FTE exercise, you will see an ordered list of pictures.

When you look and pass a picture you should not review it; so move/scroll forward-only.

Read the following instruction, then take a pen and paper and get ready for your first Finite Trace Exercise!

Look at the first, second, and third picture, respectively. Then look at the fourth one. If the fourth picture is as the same of the first picture then write down an A in your paper; if it is as the same of the second picture write down a B, and if it is as the same of the third picture write down a C. In the case that it is not the same as any of them then draw an asterisk (*). Next, look at the fifth picture; again, if it is as the same of 3 pictures back; i.e. the second picture write an A, if the same of 2 pictures back write a B, and if it is as the same of the previous picture write a C. If it is different from the last three pictures draw an asterisk (*).

In this order when you reach to the sixth picture, you should compare it with the last three pictures; i.e. the third, the fourth and the fifth pictures. This comparison is done with the current picture and what you have in your mind from when you viewed the three previous pictures; remember that you should not scroll up to see any of the previous pictures at any time during this exercise.

Example:

1: Look at picture one:

2: Look at picture two:

3: Look at picture three:

4: Look at picture four:

Is it like picture one? No
Is it like picture two? Yes - so write a B in your paper.

5: Look at picture five:

Is it like picture two? No
Is it like picture three? No
Is it like picture four? No
As it is as the same of none of the last three pictures write an asterisk.

6: Look at picture six:

Is it like picture three? No

Is it like picture four? No

Is it like picture five? Yes - so write a C in your paper.

Now, check your paper. Your answer should be like:

B*C

[continued ... (see the next post)]

Detect the New Car!

2011-07-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

Look at the following 10 cars for 2 minutes:

In the following list, there are 11 cars; 10 as in the previous list and one is a new car. You should detect which one is new; i.e. which one is not depicted in the above list. Note that while you are on this list, you should not return back to the above list!

10.

11.

Find the answer at the end of this post!

Answer: No. 5

Chain of Names (No. 6 [English Names])

2011-07-18T00:31:00.000-07:00

Do the Chain of Names No. 6!

This would be your sixth time of doing the Chain of Names exercise; now, you should try to get a better result than the fifth time.

Chain of Names 1) http://iymbas.blogspot.com/2010/04/chain-of-names-no-1-human-english-names.html

Chain of Names 2) http://iymbas.blogspot.com/2010/05/chain-of-names-no-2-english-names.html

Chain of Names 3) http://iymbas.blogspot.com/2010/06/chain-of-names-no-3-english-names.html

Chain of Names 4) http://iymbas.blogspot.com/2010/08/chain-of-names-no-4-english-names.html

Chain of Names 5) http://iymbas.blogspot.com/2010/10/chain-of-names-no-5-english-names.html

Chain of Names (No. 6 [English Names])

Write down a list of English names of human, starting with Andrew.

Sharpen Your Brain! (for Kindle) [Kindle Edition]

Try Effective Brain Workouts & Exercises on Your Kindle!

Missing Object [5]

2011-07-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

In this post, you would perform another Missing Object test which is a little harder than the previous tests (see: Missing Object [1], Missing Object [2], Missing Object [3], Missing Object [4]).

In this test, you must see three lists of photos in this order:

List 1) Look at 35 photos in 5 minutes (try to spend around 8 seconds for each photo to make sure that you would have time to look at all the photos in this 5 minutes).

List 2) Look at 30 photos out of List 1 in another 5 minutes.

List 3) You will see a list of 20 photos; where you should detect which ones were missing; i.e. they were in List 1 but not in List 2. In this list there are 5 photos included in List 1 but not appeared (missing) in List 2. So your answer should include only 5 photos. Note that some of the photos in List 3 are included neither in List 1 nor List 2.

You should NOT get back to a previous list at any time during this exercise.

Let's start! Look at List 1 for 5 minutes:

List 1

List 2

You have 5 minutes to look at the photos of List 2.

List 3

In this list you should detect 5 photos which are included in List 1 but are not included in List 2.
You can find the answers at the end of this post.

Answer:

Memory Challenge - Quotes 1

2011-07-09T22:53:00.000-07:00

Enjoy reading the following 25 quotes in 10 minutes; however, keep in mind who has said each!

1. If you cannot answer a man's argument, all it not lost; you can still call him vile names. [by: Elbert Hubbard]

2. Protect me from knowing what I don't need to know. Protect me from even knowing that there are things to know that I don't know. Protect me from knowing that I decided not to know about the things that I decided not to know about. Amen. [by: Douglas Adams]

3. A wise saying is something you keep picking up off the floor in front of your fridge. [by: Robert Brault]

4. A scout troop consists of twelve little kids dressed like schmucks following a big schmuck dressed like a kid. [by: Jack Benny]

5. Can we actually "know" the universe? My God, it's hard enough finding your way around in Chinatown. [by: Woody Allen]

6. A signature always reveals a man's character - and sometimes even his name. [by: Evan Esar]

7. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together. [by: Carl Zwanzig]

8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. [by: Jack Handey]

9. A prisoner of war is a man who tries to kill you and fails, and then asks you not to kill him. [by: Winston Churchill]

10. It used to take me all vacation to grow a new hide in place of the one they flogged off me during school term. [by Mark Twain]

11. Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself. [by: Rita Mae Brown]

12. The first thing men notice about a woman is her eyes. Then, when her eyes aren't looking, they notice her breasts. [by: Conan OBrien]

13. I usually lump organized religion, organized labor, and organized crime together. The Mafia gets points for having the best restaurants. [by: Dave Beard]

14. Love your enemies. It makes them so damned mad. [by: P.D. East]

15. He who believes that the past cannot be changed has not yet written his memoirs. [by: Torvald Gahlin]

16. The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us. [by: Bill Watterson]

17. The remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he really is very good, in spite of all the people who say he is very good. [by: Robert Graves]

18. Maybe this world is another planet's hell. [by: Aldous Huxley]

19. Man was predestined to have free will. [by: Hal Lee Luyah]

20. An expert is a man who tells you a simple thing in a confused way in such a fashion as to make you think the confusion is your own fault. [by: William Castle]

21. Anybody can win, unless there happens to be a second entry. [by: George Ade]

22. After all, what is your host's purpose in having a party? Surely not for you to enjoy yourself; if that were their sole purpose, they'd have simply sent champagne and women over to your place by taxi. [by: P.J. O'Rourke]

23. All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific. [by: Jane Wagner]

24. Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. [by: Charles Schulz]

25. A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized. [by: Fred Allen]

Read the following article to spend some time before going back to the above exercise:

Want To Improve Memory? Strengthen Your Synapses. Here's How

Nurturing neuronal connections can protect your memory and help you stay mentally alert.

A sharp mind and strong memory depend on the vitality of your brain's network of interconnecting neurons, and especially on junctions between these neurons called synapses. Since many of the brain changes that accompany aging and mental disorders are associated with deterioration or loss of synapses, learning ways to strengthen and protect these important connections may help you delay or avoid cognitive decline.

These findings appear in the February issue of Mind, Mood and Memory, a newsletter from Massachusetts General Hospital, a leading center of excellence in the field of cognitive fitness. (For more information click on http://www.mindmoodandmemory.com )

The synapse is the point of communication between one neuron and a neighboring neuron, muscle cell or gland cell. It is the site where virtually all important brain activity emerges. At this gap between the message-relaying axon of one brain cell and the message-receiving dendrites of its neighbor, chemicals called neurotransmitters are released and absorbed in a process of information transmission that spreads throughout extensive networks of cells.

There are trillions of synapses in the brain: Each one of our more than 100 billion neurons may be connected to hundreds of other cells by as many as 10,000 synapses. Together they form a complex and flexible instrument upon which the music of our thoughts, behaviors and feelings is played out.

Research has established that, among its many functions, the synapse plays an important role in learning and memory. New information is absorbed and retained through a process characterized by changes in synaptic interconnections among neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, regions of the brain associated with memory. But the ability to learn and remember, along with other mental and emotional processes, can be influenced by the effects of lifestyle and environment on the synapses. Studies suggest that neurons that are adversely affected by factors such as stress, lack of stimulation, or neurotoxins may be hampered in their ability to form new patterns of connectivity and may lose synaptic connections.

"Psychiatry essentially deals with brain issues that transpire at the synaptic level and at connections between neurons in different brain regions," says Eric M. Morrow, MD, PhD, Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a researcher in neuroscience and genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Most medications that have been developed to treat mood and other neuropsychiatric disorders work at this level. In psychiatry, the emphasis is generally on problems and benefits that come from the functioning of the brain's synapses and chemicals, whereas treatment for lesions of the brain such as those associated with stroke or brain injury is done by neurologists.

"Researchers are developing ways to study neurotransmitters in the synapse to measure their effects on brain plasticity (ability to change in response to experience), learning and memory, and to discover their association with disorders such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease and depression," he adds. "While the associated symptoms of mental health are not subtle, visualizing the functioning brain at the level of the synapse is difficult. This is a very challenging but important problem. New tools are on the way that may one day help scientists develop a deeper understanding of synaptic function."

How the synapse functions

Neurons send and receive messages using their single axon a tubular filament that conducts electrical signals away from the cell and dendrites projections with a tree-like structure that receive signals from other cells across a synapse. When one cell communicates with another, it sends a wave of electrical activity down its axon to one of a cluster of presynaptic terminals branches at the end of the axon that are positioned close to a neighboring cell's dendrites.

In most cell communication, once a signal reaches the presynaptic terminal, the nerve impulse is transformed into a message composed of one or more neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are then released into a gap called the synaptic cleft, where they relay their message by binding with receptors on the post-synaptic membrane of the neighboring cell.

It is generally agreed that learning occurs when the acquisition of new information causes synaptic changes, but scientists are not yet certain precisely how these changes come about. Several theories have been proposed. In one, called the Hebbian theory, it is thought that any two cells or systems of cells that are repeatedly activated at the same time will tend to become "associated," so that activity in one makes it more likely the other will become active. Repeated co-activation of connected cells is thought to make physical changes in the brain such as the development of new synapses between neurons or more receptors in the post-synaptic membranev that lead to a lasting memory.

Another theory ascribes learning to the strengthening of existing synapses. It is thought that the developing brain overproduces synapses early in life. Subsequently experience, by activating certain nerve cells repeatedly and ignoring others, determines which synapses become mature and stable and which ones wither away in a process of synaptic pruning. Over time, this process leaves us with only highly functional synapses. Learning and memory are thought to result when repeated stimulation of sets of neurons causes the communication across synapses to be strengthened, a condition called long-term potentiation.

Keeping synapses healthy

Maintaining brain cells and synapses in good condition is critical, since mental performance is totally reliant on the health of the brain's complex network of trillions of synapses. Deterioration or loss of synapses can result in changes in mood and cognition, and in alterations of brain functioning such as those associated with neurological disorders or aging.

Stress is a major cause of synapse dysfunction.. Research shows that prolonged exposure to stress can interfere with the function of neurotransmitters. Excessive amounts of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate may accumulate in the synapse. In high concentrations, glutamate becomes a toxin that can interfere with learning and cause cell damage in the brain's memory regions. Research presented at the 2006 American Psychological Association convention suggests that repeated stress remodels the brain and causes neurons in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex to shrink. Stress can also lead to depression, which is associated with memory difficulties.

A number of studies suggest that lack of stimulation is associated with a reduced number of synaptic connections in the brain, a factor that may increase vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease (AD). For example, scientists who used an electron microscope to compare post-mortem brain tissue from the prefrontal cortex of 16 subjects found that those whose professions required greater amounts of skill or education had 17 percent more synapses for each neuron than those with less education. Another study suggests that seniors who enjoy a variety of intellectually challenging activities (such as playing a musical instrument, solving puzzles or reading) have a lower risk of developing dementia. It is thought that the larger number of neuronal interconnections associated with regular intellectual activity may provide extra insurance against cognitive decline.

The synapses are vulnerable to neurotoxins, as well. Excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to certain pesticides and heavy metals, and to drugs such as phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine can cause memory problems and synaptic loss. The toxin from the bacteria that causes poisonous botulism acts directly on the synapses by blocking transmission of neurotransmitters, as does the deadly toxin curare.

Following these tips may help you keep your mind active and alert by protecting and strengthening your synapses:

1. Reduce stress: Make time for leisure activities. Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation. Cut down on unnecessary responsibilities and avoid over-scheduling.

2. Stimulate your brain: Avoid routine. Enjoy new sensory experiences. Challenge your mind and body with new situations.

3. Exercise: A brisk walk or other cardiovascular workout oxygenates the brain and promotes brain growth factors.

4. Challenge your mind: Tackle puzzles, games and demanding intellectual tasks. Make an effort to learn new information through classes or reading

5. Stay healthy: Eat a nutritious diet, get adequate sleep, avoid smoking, and if you use alcohol, drink in moderation.

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source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/60455.php

Let's back to "Memory Challenge - Quotes 1"! Now, without reviewing the above quotes, answer the following questions by identifying the author of each quote in question:

1. A scout troop consists of twelve little kids dressed like schmucks following a big schmuck dressed like a kid.

a. Winston Churchill
b. Jack Benny
c. Torvald Gahlin

2. If you cannot answer a man's argument, all it not lost; you can still call him vile names.

a. Elbert Hubbard
b. Jack Benny
c. Bill Watterson

3. A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.

a. Jane Wagner
b. Hal Lee Luyah
c. Fred Allen

4. Maybe this world is another planet's hell.

a. Aldous Huxley
b. Elbert Hubbard
c. Conan OBrien

5. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

a. Evan Esar
b. Carl Zwanzig
c. Dave Beard

6. Love your enemies. It makes them so damned mad.

a. Jack Benny
b. Torvald Gahlin
c. P.D. East

7. He who believes that the past cannot be changed has not yet written his memoirs.

a. Rita Mae Brown
b. Jack Handey
c. Torvald Gahlin

Answer:
1) b. Jack Benny
2) a. Elbert Hubbard
3) c. Fred Allen
4) a. Aldous Huxley
5) b. Carl Zwanzig
6) c. P.D. East
7) c. Torvald Gahlin

Memory Challenge - Article 1

2011-07-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

Read the following article carefully in 6 minutes; then you are asked questions to challenge your memory:

USC: Restoring Memory, Repairing Damaged Brains

Biomedical engineers analyze—and duplicate—the neural mechanism of learning in rats

LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scientists have developed a way to turn memories on and off—literally with the flip of a switch.

Using an electronic system that duplicates the neural signals associated with memory, they managed to replicate the brain function in rats associated with long-term learned behavior, even when the rats had been drugged to forget.
"Flip the switch on, and the rats remember. Flip it off, and the rats forget," said Theodore Berger of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Berger is the lead author of an article that will be published in the Journal of Neural Engineering. His team worked with scientists from Wake Forest University in the study, building on recent advances in our understanding of the brain area known as the hippocampus and its role in learning.
In the experiment, the researchers had rats learn a task, pressing one lever rather than another to receive a reward. Using embedded electrical probes, the experimental research team, led by Sam A. Deadwyler of the Wake Forest Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, recorded changes in the rat's brain activity between the two major internal divisions of the hippocampus, known as subregions CA3 and CA1. During the learning process, the hippocampus converts short-term memory into long-term memory, the researchers prior work has shown.
"No hippocampus," says Berger, "no long-term memory, but still short-term memory." CA3 and CA1 interact to create long-term memory, prior research has shown.
In a dramatic demonstration, the experimenters blocked the normal neural interactions between the two areas using pharmacological agents. The previously trained rats then no longer displayed the long-term learned behavior.
"The rats still showed that they knew 'when you press left first, then press right next time, and vice-versa,'" Berger said. "And they still knew in general to press levers for water, but they could only remember whether they had pressed left or right for 5-10 seconds."
Using a model created by the prosthetics research team led by Berger, the teams then went further and developed an artificial hippocampal system that could duplicate the pattern of interaction between CA3-CA1 interactions.
Long-term memory capability returned to the pharmacologically blocked rats when the team activated the electronic device programmed to duplicate the memory-encoding function.
In addition, the researchers went on to show that if a prosthetic device and its associated electrodes were implanted in animals with a normal, functioning hippocampus, the device could actually strengthen the memory being generated internally in the brain and enhance the memory capability of normal rats.
"These integrated experimental modeling studies show for the first time that with sufficient information about the neural coding of memories, a neural prosthesis capable of real-time identification and manipulation of the encoding process can restore and even enhance cognitive mnemonic processes," says the paper.
Next steps, according to Berger and Deadwyler, will be attempts to duplicate the rat results in primates (monkeys), with the aim of eventually creating prostheses that might help the human victims of Alzheimer's disease, stroke or injury recover function.
The paper is entitled "A Cortical Neural Prosthesis for Restoring and Enhancing Memory." Besides Deadwyler and Berger, the other authors are, from USC, BME Professor Vasilis Z. Marmarelis and Research Assistant Professor Dong Song, and from Wake Forest, Associate Professor Robert E. Hampson and Post-Doctoral Fellow Anushka Goonawardena.
Berger, who holds the David Packard Chair in Engineering, is the Director of the USC Center for Neural Engineering, Associate Director of the National Science Foundation Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems Engineering Research Center, and a Fellow of the IEEE, the AAAS, and the AIMBE.
SOURCE USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Challenge: Fill the blanks; the place holders by brackets [ ]. Each pair of brackets represent only one (missing) word of the above article.

1. Using an electronic system that duplicates the neural signals [ ] with memory, they managed to replicate the brain function in rats ....

2. ... building on recent advances in our understanding of the brain area known as the [ ] and its role in learning.

3. Deadwyler of the Wake Forest Department of [ ] and Pharmacology, recorded changes in the rat's brain activity ....

4. ... the experimenters blocked the normal neural interactions between the two areas using [ ] agents.

5. Using a model created by the [ ] research team led by Berger, the teams then went further and developed an artificial hippocampal system that could duplicate ....

6. Long-term memory capability returned to the pharmacologically blocked rats when the team activated the electronic device [ ] to duplicate the memory-encoding function.

7. ... a neural prosthesis capable of real-time identification and manipulation of the encoding process can restore and even enhance cognitive [ ] processes ....

8. The paper is entitled "A [ ] Neural Prosthesis for Restoring and Enhancing Memory."

Answer:

1. associated
2. hippocampus
3. Physiology
4. pharmacological
5. prosthetics
6. programmed
7. mnemonic
8. Cortical

Memory Challenge - Favorite Chairs

2011-07-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

Study the following images for 2 minutes; on each image you can see the name of three persons whose favorite chair has been depicted on the same image.

Note that in this exercise, each person has only one favorite chair.

Read the following piece of news to spend some time before continuing on the above memory challenge:

Specific Pattern Training Can Improve Memory
By RICK NAUERT PHD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 28, 2011

Emerging research discovers that training to recognize visual patterns can imbued brain memories for an extended period.

In an article published in the journal Psychological Science, researchers at McMaster University found that when participants were shown visual patterns — faces, which are highly familiar objects, and abstract patterns, which are much less frequently encountered — they were able to retain very specific information about those patterns one to two years later.

“We found that this type of learning, called perceptual learning, was very precise and long-lasting,” said lead author Zahra Hussain, Ph.D.

“These long-lasting effects arose out of relatively brief experience with the patterns — about two hours, followed by nothing for several months, or years.”

Over the course of two consecutive days, participants were asked to identify a specific face or pattern from a larger group of images. The task was challenging because images were degraded — faces were cropped, for example — and shown very briefly.

Study members had difficulty identifying the correct images in the beginning of the training, but accuracy rates steadily climbed with practice.

About one year later, a group of participants were called back and their performance on the task was re-measured, both with the same set of items they’d been exposed to earlier, and with a new set from the same class of images.

Researchers found that when they showed participants the original images, accuracy rates were high. When they showed participants new images, accuracy rates plummeted, even though the new images closely resembled the learned ones, and they hadn’t seen the original images for at least a year.

“During those months in between visits to our lab, our participants would have seen thousands of faces, and yet somehow maintained information about precisely which faces they had seen over a year ago,” said Allison Sekuler, Ph.D., co-author of the study.

“The brain really seems to hold onto specific information, which provides great promise for the development of brain training, but also raises questions about what happens as a function of development. How much information do we store as we grow older and, how does the type of information we store change across our lifetimes? And what is the impact of storing all that potentially irrelevant information on our ability to learn and remember more relevant information?”

The experts are curious on how the information overload will affect children. “We don’t yet know the long-term implications of retaining all this information, which is why it is so important to understand the physiological underpinnings,” said Patrick Bennett, co-author and professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behavior at McMaster.

“This result warrants further study on how we can optimize our ability to train the brain to preserve what would be considered the most valuable information.”

Reference: http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/06/28/specific-pattern-training-can-improve-memory/27304.html

Now let's back to our Memory Challenge - Favorite Chairs memory exercise by answering the following questions!

Question 1: What is Barbara's favorite chair?

Question 2: What is Mark's favorite chair?

Question 3: Whose favorite chair is the Aeron Chair?

Question 4: Whose favorite chair is the Art Deco Club Chair?

Question 5: Which chair is the favorite chair of three persons who are all male?

Answer:

Question 1: Knotted Chair

Question 2: Adirondack Chair

Question 3: Carmen, Andrew, and Simon

Question 4: Chris, Peter, and Tina

Question 5: Rocking Chair

Forget Something? 10 Easy and Not So Easy Tips to Improve Memory

2011-06-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

Forget Something? 10 Easy and Not So Easy Tips to Improve Memory
By Vonnie Kennedy
June 17, 2011

Why is it that I can't remember where I put the receipt to a blouse I bought last week, but I can quickly recall who sang "Wild Thing," a popular song in the 60s?

As we age, we often experience those senior moments that frustrate us to no end. Need some tips to help to improve your memory? I've listed several below; some are easy, but others take some effort.

Easy:

1. Chew Gum: Japanese researchers believe chewing gum increases heart rate which delivers extra oxygen to the brain.

2. Take a Nap: Nap Researchers from the University of California claimed that napping can restore brainpower by up to 40 percent.

3. Eat Olive Oil and Avocados: According to scientists at the University of California, Irvine, some of the compounds in olive oil and avocados can activate memory-enhancing signals in the amygdala, "the part of the brain that handles emotional memories."

4. Increase Your Magnesium: By taking the recommended daily allowance (420 mg per day for men and 320 mg per day for women) of this mineral, it may help enhance cognitive abilities. Magnesium is also found in fish, apples, bananas and whole-grain cereals.

5. Enjoy the Smell of Fresh Cut Grass: Neuroscientists at the University of Queensland, Brisbane have discovered the following: "the scent of fresh-cut grass triggers two sections of the brain -- the amygdala (which deals with emotions) and the hippocampus (which deals with memory)." Don't feel like mowing the lawn? Google some combination of the terms "scented candles or fragrance oil: fresh-cut grass". You'll find an array of choices for purchase.

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Not So Easy:

6. Exercise: Neuroscientist Peter Snyder, a researcher at Brown University's Alpert Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital has found a significant chemical change in the hippocampus during aerobic exercise due to the boost in a brain protein called BDNF. Yes, we all know that exercise is necessary for everybody!

7. Lose Weight: According to an article entitled: "Weight loss improves memory, research shows", in USA Today, written by Nanci Hellmich, if we have a healthy body, we will have a healthier brain. Okay, we know that, too.

8. Stay Mentally Activity: Doing crossword puzzles, reading something different than you normally would, driving alternate routes, and learning something new are all excellent ways to keep your memory stimulated.

9. Social Interaction: Depression and stress can contribute to memory loss. Too tired to go out after work? Push yourself!

10. Declutter: Tips listed by the Mayo Clinic Staff in their article: "Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory", included getting organized. Whether it be at home, work, and/or your wallet, making sure things are in order can definitely help your memory.

Try a few of these tips and maybe you'll discover a decrease in your "senior moments".

By the way, the receipt for that blouse was in my wallet, right where I put it, and the song Wild Thing was a hit in 1968 by The Troggs.

Source: http://www.empowher.com, Forget Something? 10 Easy and Not So Easy Tips to Improve Memory.

Connections [3]

2011-06-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

You have already done Connections [1] and Connections [2]; now, try Connections [3] as follows!

Look at the following image for 2 minutes; keep in mind how the shapes are connected (note that how many connecting lines exist in the image):

Now, read the following news to spend some time:

Brain training computer games ‘can improve your child’s grades within weeks’

By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
Last updated at 1:51 PM on 14th June 2011

Brain training computer games can improve children's grades within weeks, scientists have found.

A study showed that video puzzles designed to exercise a child's 'working memory' boosted reasoning and problem solving skills for at least three months.

The findings are the latest to show that giving the grey matter a daily work out can sharpen wits and intelligence.

Brain training video games have been heavily promoted by computer company Nintendo in the last few years as a way of stimulating the mind and improving IQ.

However, some studies have challenged whether the games - which test memory, recall and mental problem solving - do any good.

The new research, by psychologists at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, tested the effects of brain training on 62 school children with an average age of eight and nine.

Half the children were given a daily 15-minute work-out using a selection of video games that tested working memory - the brain's ability to 'hold' information while it solves a problem.

Examples of working memory in action range from following a teacher's instructions to drawing on past experience to answer questions at job interviews.

It has an impact on every aspect of how the brain works.

In one test, the children were shown a picture of a lily pond and the image of a frog that appeared for three seconds at any one of six locations.

The youngsters had to press a key every time the frog was at the same location it occupied a given number of times before - and another key if it was in a different location.

The rest of the children used the time to test their general knowledge and vocabulary, the researchers report in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Even three months after the training ended, the students given the brain training did better on tests of abstract reasoning and problem solving, they found.

Dr Susanne Jaeggi, who led the study, said: 'The current findings add to the literature demonstrating that brain training works, and that transfer effects may even persist over time.'

However, the effectiveness of brain training varied hugely from one child to another, and is not guaranteed to work for all youngsters, they found.

Two years ago a study at Stirling University found that simple brain training games intended to boost working memory improve grades within a matter of weeks. Some students benefitted so much they shot from the bottom to the top of the class.

However, other commercially available programmes failed to help children, they found.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk, Brain training computer games ‘can improve your child’s grades within weeks’.

Without looking at the previous image, connect the following shapes as they are connected in the above image:

Image Remembering - Type 1 - No. 1

2011-06-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

Image Remembering - Type 1 - No. 1

Like "Word Remembering - Type X", the mind workouts entitled as "Image Remembering - Type X", developed by G. R. Roosta, form one of the best methods for improving human memory, precision, and cognitive control.

Review the following images for 3 minutes, and keep in mind how many times each has been illustrated here:

Now, read the following article to spend some time before getting back to the above exercise:

10 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power

By Cynthia R. Green

Published May 26, 2011 | FoxNews.com

Brain fitness is a hot topic at work. Our jobs require sharp intellectual performance for everything from recalling important client or product information to learning training materials or just keeping track of key documents. No wonder corporate leaders and entrepreneurs alike have taken notice of this current health trend.

Although the science of brain health remains young, the research clearly indicates that there is much we can do to improve how well we multitask and remember details such as names. Building better brain health can help us boost these skills and also lower our risk of serious memory loss.

The findings can be surprising, as they often suggest activities that we don’t usually associate with brain fitness, such as staying socially active or getting regular exercise.

Here are 10 brain-smart things you can start doing right now to boost your brain power at work. You can do them in five minutes, or spend more time on them over the course of the day if your schedule allows. All are geared to giving your brain an awesome on-the-job workout.

Slideshow: Foods to Boost Your Brain Power

1. Rearrange Your Desk. Clear some clutter from your life. Folks who are organized remember better. Why? Because they have mastered one of the secrets to better memory -- getting organized. Spend five minutes organizing your desk, getting rid of what is non-essential. Keep out papers that require immediate attention, filing away what you can. Look over how your desk is organized and see if you can think of a better way to put it all together.

2. Read a Poem. Reading poetry gets us to think out of our workday "box" and is a wonderful source of intellectual challenge and pleasure. Find a poem and spend five minutes reading and musing it over. Bring a book of favorite poetry to keep on your desk or visit the website of the Academy of American Poets at www.poets.org. You can even sign up for their "Poem a Day" program and get a poem sent to your inbox each day.

3. Take a 5-Minute Yoga Break. This tip is all about bringing a little "ohm" into your life. Yoga is the perfect brain-health exercise. It supports aerobic workouts by building strength and stamina, trains our focus, and is a terrific resource for maintaining emotional balance. The Kripalu Center offers a series of such breaks you can download to your computer or other media player on their website at www.kripalu.org.

4. Doodle. Do you doodle? Many of us (including folks such as Bill Gates and former President Clinton) do. But did you know that doodling is good for your brain health? Recent research suggests that doodling helps us maintain focus and remember more effectively. A recent study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that subjects assigned a doodling task performed 29 percent better than their non-doodling counterparts on a surprise memory test covering the material they were learning simultaneously. Doodling improves attention, making it more likely that you will acquire things that you later want to recall. So when you are in a meeting or on a conference call, go ahead and doodle -- no need to apologize.

5. Keep Up Your Social Network. Studies have shown that folks who are more social have an associated reduced risk for memory loss. In one recent study, Harvard researchers found that persons with lower levels of social interaction were much more likely to show memory problems after six years than their more social peers. Remember, no man -- or woman -- is an island. Reach out from behind that desk and connect with your family and friends for five minutes. It’s good for your soul and good for your brain.

6. Play Online. Research has shown that we can better maintain intellectual skills critical to our work performance by giving them a good "workout." One of the best ways to keep these skills sharp is to play games against the clock, since timed activities force us to focus, think fast and be nimble in our approach. Games we play online tend to be timed and can give our brains a terrific skills challenge. So take a few minutes during lunch or as your schedule permits to get your brain in the game.

7. Jump Some Jacks. Here's a tip that's pretty basic, but packed with brain boosting power. Aerobic exercise is one of the best things we can do for our brain, as it revs up our daily performance and reduces our long-term dementia risk. Jumping jacks are a simple calesthenic exercise you can do in a small space that will quickly get your blood pumping.

8. Wear Your Watch Upside Down. Give your brain a little stretch each time you check your watch by wearing your watch upside down. This subtle change doesn't take much effort, but will force your brain to think out of its comfort zone in making sense of time gone a bit topsy-turvy. These kinds of "neurobic" activities may seem simple and fun, yet are a terrific way to challenge your brain's flexibility and routine.

9. Plan Some Brain Healthy Meals. Invest five minutes in laying out a meal plan for the upcoming few days. Giving some thought in advance to what you are going to eat will increase the chances that you will make brain healthy food choices. Deciding ahead can also get you organized and save you time shopping and cooking your meals (and who doesn't need more time?).

10. Learn How to Remember a Name. Here's a smart tip we can all really use: Spend time learning some simple memory strategies to boost your memory for names. For example, try repeating information as you hear it. This easy technique will force you to focus on what you are learning and give you the chance to rehearse it, increasing the odds that you'll remember it. Or use my Connections Technique and make a connection between what you are learning and something that you already know. Meeting Florence? Connect her name to a famous Florence, such as Florence Nightingale, or to the city of Florence in Italy.

Cynthia R. Green, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized clinical psychologist and brain health/memory fitness expert, and the founder of Memory Arts. Dr. Green is also the author of several books, including “Total Memory Workout: 8 Easy Steps to Maximum Memory Fitness” (Bantam Books). Read more about her on her website http://www.totalbrainhealth.com/.

[source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/23/10-ways-boost-brain-power/]

OK, now answer the following questions! Do not refer to the above list, just use your memory!

1) For how many times did the fish image appeared in the list?

2) In this list, which image has been illustrated more frequently?

3) Which one less frequently?

4) Which one in average?

5) Can you name the distinct images?

http://www.amazon.com/Improve-Your-Memory-Level/dp/B0036FTMSW

Answer:

1) For how many times did the fish image appeared in the list?
Three

2) In this list, which image has been illustrated more frequently?
Flower

3) Which one less frequently?
Luggage

4) Which images have been illustrated for five times?
Luggage, Sun, and Sunglasses

5) Can you name the distinct images?

Orange Juice
Umbrella
Flower
Sun
Fish
Flip Flops (Slippers)
Luggage
Sunglasses
Sign Pole
Lamp
Ball
Hat

Word Remembering - Type 2 - No. 1

2011-06-06T01:12:00.000-07:00

Word Remembering - Type 2 - No. 1

The mind workouts, entitled as "Word Remembering - Type X", developed by G. R. Roosta, and being posted in this blog, form one of the best methods for improving human memory, precision, and cognitive control.

Review this list of words for 10 minutes:

brash
pluck
gutsy
meek
ascertain
tingle
tingly
ambivalent
sprain
outright
irksome
elation
serene
sizable
gratify
fickle
stamina
amphibian
indigenous
endemic
venomous
magnate
philanthropist
sanction
proponent
unwittingly
shabby
hobo
threadbare
mandate
maritime
wield
undue
embroil
prevalent
caste
rampant
compulsion
impend
fiery
upstart
meander
buyout
underwriter
dishevel
credenza
potentate
swig
stipulate
arbitration
derogatory
prejudicial
prejudicious
concession
recount
prevail
stoke
portrayal
unflattering
pounce
stain
clipping
cadence
presence
teetotaler
notoriously
averse
ferocious
stalk
exhortation
seesaw
decimate
implosion
implod
downturn
trickle
unprecedented
scrutiny
hedge
diversification
divulge
plutocrat
trot
reticent
prelude
synergistic
feign
indigence
pique
flabbergaste
unhinge
composure
patronize
engross
molest
dumbfound
audacious
misgiving
pun
glisten

Now, read the following article to spend some time before getting back to the above exercise:

Magnesium Improves Memory Power
By eNotAlone.com
Published: January 29, 2010
Neuroscientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, found that increasing the intake of magnesium in the diet may be a valid strategy to enhance cognitive abilities and boost brain power.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that is present in dark, leafy vegetables such as spinach, and certain fruits, beans, and nuts. The experts say that insufficient levels of magnesium reduce, and even impair cognitive function, leading to faster deterioration of memory in aging humans. Those who get less than 400 milligrams of the mineral a day are at risk for allergies, asthma and heart disease, among other conditions.

In 2004, Professor Guosong Liu, Director of the Center for Learning and Memory at Tsinghua University, led a study examining whether increased levels of one such dietary supplement, magnesium, can improve brain power. Professor Liu and his team discovered that magnesium might have a positive influence on learning and memory. They followed up by developing a new magnesium compound - magnesium-L-threonate (MgT) - that is more effective in comparison with conventional oral supplements at boosting magnesium in the brain, and tested it on rats.

The investigators examined how MgT stimulates changes in synapses, the junctions between neurons that are essential when it comes to transmitting nerve signals. They revealed that in young and old rats, MgT increased plasticity, or strength, among synapses and promoted the density of synapses in the hippocampus, a region in the brain that plays critical role in spatial navigation and long-term memory. The scientists note that the control rats in their experiment were fed a normal diet which is widely accepted to contain a sufficient amount of magnesium, and that the observed effects were due to elevation of magnesium to levels higher than provided by a normal diet.

The researchers concluded that in spite of the fact that the experiments were conducted on rats, the results have implications for humans as well. They also say that further studies and research are needed in order to examine what is the relationship between dietary magnesium intake, body and brain magnesium levels, and cognitive skills.

Half the population of the industrialized countries has a magnesium deficit, which is known to be increasing with aging. If normal or even higher levels of magnesium can be maintained in our bodies, it will be possible to significantly slow age-related loss of brain function and perhaps even prevent or treat diseases that are associated with cognitive function. The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium for adults between 19 and 30 years old is 400 milligrams daily for men and 310 milligrams a day for non- pregnant women. For adults from 31 years and older, the daily recommended dose is 420 milligrams for men and 320 milligrams for non-pregnant women.

The new study is published by Cell Press in the January 28th issue of the journal Neuron.

[source: http://www.enotalone.com/article/21122.html]

OK, now, in 5 minutes answer the following questions! Do not refer to the above list in this 5 minutes, just use your memory!

1) Which word is the shortest (number of letters)?

2) In this list, there are sixteen 9-letter words. List 8 of them!

3) There is one 13-letter, one 14-letter, and one 15-letter words; can you remember these words?

4) Words with what length have the highest number?

5) What are the lenghts of the words?

OK, now, take a pen and paper and try to remember and write down the words just in another 5 minutes!

Answer:

1) Which word is the shortest (number of letters)?
pun

2) In this list, there are sixteen 9-letter words. List 8 of them!
ascertain
amphibian
proponent
prevalent
potentate
stipulate
portrayal
ferocious
implosion
plutocrat
indigence
composure
patronize
dumbfound
audacious
misgiving
3) There is one 13-letter, one 14-letter, and one 15-letter words; can you remember these words?
unprecedented
philanthropist
diversification
4) Words with what length have the highest number?
7-letter words
5) What are the lenghts of the words?
3, 4, 5, ..., 15

Recall [Test Your Memory - Bird List - 1]

2011-06-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

Note: If you have not done the exercise of the previous post, Test Your Memory - Bird List - 1 yet then first go to that exercise and after that, do the following exercise in a next day.

Take a pen and paper. Without reviewing the list of birds presented in Test Your Memory - Bird List - 1 (also presented at the bottom of this post), write a list of those birds in 20 minutes. In this 20 minutes, impose the ultimate recall on your mind as much as you can in order to write more and more bird names out of the aforementioned list. It is OK to be interrupted by hearing a noise, taking a cup of tea, listening to a piece of news, etc. in this 20 minutes.

List of Birds (copied from Test Your Memory - Bird List - 1)

thrush
woodpecker
vulture
ostrich
turkey
raven
penguin
bittern
eider
gull
parrot
owl
avocet
egret
willet
goose
gadwall
flamingo
bluejay
flicker
blackbird
finch
pheasant
sparrow
bobwhite
flycatcher
vireo
swallow
booby
frigatebird
chickadee
crow
brant
gannet
albatross
swan
bunting
goldeneye
chicken
dove
cardiral
grackle
longspur
rooster
catbird
grebe
waxbill
scoter
condor
grosbeak
siskin
coot
grouse
killdeer
crane
heron
yellowthroat
cuckoo
hummingbird
wren
curlew
ibis
weaver
dipper
jay
waxwing
dowitcher
junco
thrasher
tern
teal
warbler
tanager
surfbird
stork
stilt
spoonbill
snipe
skimmer
shrike
shoveler
shearwater
sapsucker
sandpiper
robin
roadrunner
redstart
rail
quail
puffin
pintail
phoebe
petrel
oystercatcher
ovenbird
oriole
nuthatch
nightingale
mockingbird
magpie
loon
lark
kingfisher
kestrel

Test Your Memory - Bird List - 1

2011-05-30T01:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of birds; review this list for 10 minutes:

thrush
woodpecker
vulture
ostrich
turkey
raven
penguin
bittern
eider
gull
parrot
owl
avocet
egret
willet
goose
gadwall
flamingo
bluejay
flicker
blackbird
finch
pheasant
sparrow
bobwhite
flycatcher
vireo
swallow
booby
frigatebird
chickadee
crow
brant
gannet
albatross
swan
bunting
goldeneye
chicken
dove
cardiral
grackle
longspur
rooster
catbird
grebe
waxbill
scoter
condor
grosbeak
siskin
coot
grouse
killdeer
crane
heron
yellowthroat
cuckoo
hummingbird
wren
curlew
ibis
weaver
dipper
jay
waxwing
dowitcher
junco
thrasher
tern
teal
warbler
tanager
surfbird
stork
stilt
spoonbill
snipe
skimmer
shrike
shoveler
shearwater
sapsucker
sandpiper
robin
roadrunner
redstart
rail
quail
puffin
pintail
phoebe
petrel
oystercatcher
ovenbird
oriole
nuthatch
nightingale
mockingbird
magpie
loon
lark
kingfisher
kestrel

Now, read the following article to spend some time before getting back to the above exercise:

Want to improve your memory? Try 'Moonwalking with Einstein'
http://www.citizen-times.com/
May. 27, 2011

It is not necessary to have a photographic memory to become a memory champion, and one can improve memory using mnemonic techniques. Joshua Foer, a journalist by profession, wrote about his experience and journey to become the “U.S. Memory Champion” in the book “Moonwalking with Einstein.” It is a commendable effort to address and explain the intricacies of the art and science of remembering everything.

Underlining its importance, Foer says that a great memory is the essence of expertise because who we are and what we do is dependent on what we remember. Our identity itself depends on memory, without which we cannot connect our past and future with the present.

The author presents comprehensive research on how memory works and how it can be improved using mnemonics. Our lives and memories are anchored by major events and novelty unfolds our memory.

Routine events are hard to remember, whereas unbelievable, extraordinary and abnormal events are likely to be remembered for a long time. When it comes to text, speeches and poems, we must recognize that we tend to pay attention to the big picture and not the details.

Further, our internal memories are associational and nonlinear. So, one of the memory techniques is to convert routine things like digits, dates and names into visual and engrossing images in an imaginary space. The author argues that an image cannot be created without dwelling on these words, names and digits. He says that the art of memory is learning how little of an image you need to make it memorable.

Foer suggests that how you spend your time practicing is far more important than the amount of time you spend. He supports this observation by citing research findings that the number of years one has been doing something correlates weakly with level of performance.

Unless you constantly and consciously challenge and then monitor improvement in performance, you cannot reach new levels of performance. The author suggests that we can do this by pushing ourselves beyond the comfort zone. Learning from mistakes is a key aspect to improve our performance.

The book is useful in providing detailed information about how one can make efforts to improve memory and its importance in our daily lives despite having the greatest external memory repository — the Internet and the plethora of search engines that can help you retrieve any external information. Further, it is important to realize that human minds have more potential than we realize.

This book assumes significance for any student because memory plays a critical role in learning and acquiring new knowledge. The author argues that learning and memorizing complement each other; you cannot learn without memorizing and you cannot memorize without learning.

He further contends that today's education must foster learning the art of remembering to supplement commonly known tenets of progressive education, such as fostering reasoning ability, creativity and independent thinking.

Vittal Anantatmula, an associate professor in the College of Business at Western Carolina University, teaches project management and is the director of graduate programs in project management.

[source: Want to improve your memory? Try 'Moonwalking with Einstein']

OK, now, take a pen and paper and just in 15 minutes write a list of birds out of the above list! Do not refer to the list, just use your mind! Your mind should be kept totally busy during this 15 minutes only by remembering the birds!

Check your list! How many items are in there?

90+ Perfect! Your memory is already in an excellent shape!

70+ Good!

50+ You have an average memory!

Less? You need to be more serious on training your memory. After 24 hours, do this exercise again. Do this exercise again and again, until you could write a list with, at least, 50 items.

9 Things You Can Do to Be Happy in the Next 30 Minutes

2011-05-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

9 Things You Can Do to Be Happy in the Next 30 Minutes

Surprising ways to instantly improve your mood.
by Gretchen Rubin

Being happier doesn't have to be a long-term ambition. You can start right now. In the next 30 minutes, tackle as many of the following suggestions as possible. Not only will these tasks themselves increase your happiness, but the mere fact that you've achieved some concrete goals will boost your mood.

1. Raise your activity level to pump up your energy. If you're on the phone, stand up and pace. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Put more energy into your voice. Take a brisk 10-minute walk. Even better...

2. Take a walk outside. Research suggests that light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. For an extra boost, get your sunlight first thing in the morning.

3. Reach out. Send an e-mail to a friend you haven't seen in a while, or reach out to someone new. Having close bonds with other people is one of the most important keys to happiness. When you act in a friendly way, not only will others feel more friendly toward you, but you'll also strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people.

4. Rid yourself of a nagging task. Deal with that insurance problem, purchase something you need, or make that long-postponed appointment with the dentist. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a rush of elation.

5. Create a more serene environment. Outer order contributes to inner peace, so spend some time organizing bills and tackling the piles in the kitchen. A large stack of little tasks can feel overwhelming, but often just a few minutes of work can make a sizable dent. Set the timer for 10 minutes and see what you can do.

6. Do a good deed. Introduce two people by e-mail, take a minute to pass along useful information, or deliver some gratifying praise. In fact, you can also...

7. Save someone's life. Sign up to be an organ donor, and remember to tell your family about your decision. Do good, feel good―it really works!

8. Act happy. Fake it 'til you feel it. Research shows that even an artificially induced smile boosts your mood. And if you're smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

9. Learn something new. Think of a subject that you wish you knew more about and spend 15 minutes on the Internet reading about it, or go to a bookstore and buy a book about it. But be honest! Pick a topic that really interests you, not something you think you "should" or "need to" learn about.

Some people worry that wanting to be happier is a selfish goal, but in fact, research shows that happier people are more sociable, likable, healthy, and productive―and they're more inclined to help other people. By working to boost your own happiness, you're making other people happier, too.

[source: Time Inc. Lifestyle Group: 9 Things You Can Do to Be Happy in the Next 30 Minutes]