Intellectual pursuits may help prevent Alzheimer’s - Health & wellness. Brain Teasers, Puzzles, Riddles, Trivia and Games. New therapy 'can reverse Alzheimer's memory loss' What I was doing vs. what I did: How verb aspect influences memory and behavior. If you want to perform at your peak, you should carefully consider how you discuss your past actions. In a new study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, psychologists William Hart of the University of Florida and Dolores AlbarracÃn from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reveal that the way a statement is phrased (and specifically, how the verbs are used), affects our memory of an event being described and may also influence our behavior.
In these experiments, a group of volunteers were interrupted prior to finishing a word game and were then asked to describe their behavior using the imperfective (e.g., I was solving word puzzles) or perfective (e.g., I solved word puzzles) aspect. The volunteers then completed a memory test (for the word game) or a word game which was similar to the first one they had worked on. The authors note that these findings may be relevant to behavioral therapy. Speaking two languages into old age can stave off dementia, study finds. Nap without guilt: It boosts sophisticated memory. Fatty Foods May Boost Memory. April 27, 2009 Feeling forgetful? Munch on a fatty snack. A hormone released during the digestion of certain fats triggers long-term memory formation in rats, a new study says. Researchers found that administering a compound produced in the small intestine called oleoylethanolamide (OEA) to rats improved memory retention during two different tasks.
When cell receptors activated by OEA were blocked, the animals' performance decreased. Though the study involved rats, OEA's effects should be similar in other animals, including humans, said study team member Daniele Piomelli, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine. Follow the Fat The team suspects OEA's memory-enhancing activity likely evolved to help animals remember where and when they ate a fatty meal, so they could return to that spot later. (Related: "Memory Aids Birds in Migration, Study Finds".) Fats are crucial for a variety of biological functions and structures. (Explore an interactive brain.) Boost Your Memory Power with a 30-Second Eye Exercise.
Social Activity Keeps Elders You... ( Seniors who don't socialize regularly. Seniors who don't socialize regularly risk losing motor function, researchers say ,, MONDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Older people who don't socialize much might be increasing their risk for declining motor function and hastening their death, researchers from Rush University Medical Center report. On the positive side, sociable seniors who keep active physically and mentally tend to stave off the decline in physical ability often associated with aging, the scientists added.
"A broader range of activities in elders, including physical, social and cognitive activities, may slow the rate of age-related decline," said lead researcher Dr. Aron S. Buchman, an associate professor in the department of neurological sciences. "Less frequent participation in social activity was associated with a more rapid rate of motor decline," he added.
The report is published in the June 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. A one-point decrease in social activity '/>"/> Page: All 1 2 3 1. Short stressful events may improve working memory. Experiencing chronic stress day after day can produce wear and tear on the body physically and mentally, and can have a detrimental effect on learning and emotion. However, acute stress -- a short stressful incident -- may enhance learning and memory. Researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown, in trials using rodents as an animal model, that acute stress can produce a beneficial effect on learning and memory, through the effect of the stress hormone corticosterone (cortisol in humans) on the brain's prefrontal cortex, a key region that controls learning and emotion. Specifically, they demonstrated that acute stress increases transmission of the neurotransmitter glutamate and improves working memory. "Stress hormones have both protective and damaging effects on the body," said Zhen Yan, professor of physiology and biophysics at UB and senior author on the study.
The investigators have expanded this research in several directions. Source: University at Buffalo (news : web) Build Your Own Brain Gym: 100 Tools, Exercises, and Games | Healthcare Administration Degree. Posted by Site Administrator in Health Tools May 28th, 2009 By Meredith Walker Stay on top of your game mentally and slow the effects of aging on your brain by keeping it in excellent shape. It’s easy to do and costs little to no money with all the resources available on the Internet.
The following tools, exercises, and games will stimulate your brain and give it the exercise it needs to stay in top form. Mental Exercises These mental exercises can be done every day to ensure your brain gets the necessary work-out. BrainMetrix. Physical Exercises These physical exercises will help keep your brain working at its peak. BrainGym Exercises. Online Brain Games The online games listed here are designed specially for working out your brain.
Strategy Games. Especially for Seniors Stimulating the brain is known to slow dementia and keep the aging brain in great shape. Brain Age. Word Games and Puzzles Thinks.com Jigsaw Puzzles. Riddles Riddles. Trivia Useful Trivia. Learning Tools Instructables.