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The Science and Practice of Brain Fitness
Alvaro Fernandez. June 10th, 2008
An Introduction to SharpBrains
Brain Fitness Market Research and Advisory Services: Independent, not affiliated with products/ vendors. For institutions: Market Research, Consulting and Training Services.
For individuals: Blog and Educational Website
Co-Founded by neuroscientist Elkhonon Goldberg and executive & educator Alvaro Fernandez.
Member of Scientific American Partner Network.
Over 10 scientists, educators, as blog Expert Contributors.
Featured by NYT, US News & World News, Reuters…
Learn more: www.sharpbrains.com
You can find all teasers that follow at: www.sharpbrains.com/teasers
Contact: Alvaro Fernandez at information@sharpbrains.com
Industry-leading publications
10-Questions Checklist to Evaluate Programs Making Brain Fitness
Claims (Free)
Brain Fitness 101 eGuide: Answers to Your Top 25
Questions (Free)
State of the Brain Fitness Software
Market 2008 ($495)
An Introduction to our Webinar Series
#1: “The State of the Brain Fitness Software Market, 2008”
May 27th
#2: “Brain Rules for Thinking Smarter”, with John Medina
June 3rd
#3: “The Science and Practice of Brain Fitness”, based on classes ad speaking engagements
June 10th
Key take-aways
Groundbreaking studies show the value of Mental Stimulation and Stress management, on top of nutrition and physical exercise.
We have “3 brains” and 7 key “mental muscles”.
Good brain exercise requires:- Novelty- Variety- Challenging Practice
There is an increasing number of science-based computer-based programs to train specific cognitive skills. None is a General Solution/ “magic pill”.
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Executive
Sensory
Language
Visual
And let’s create some synapses
Which word in the English language is most often pronounced incorrectly?
Would you rather a crocodile attack you or an alligator?
What is the next number in the sequence 2 5 7 12 19 31 _
Let’s work out some neurons while checking our attention and processing speed
Quickly, name the colors of the following words
How Accurate is your Memory?
Which penny is the right one?
Draw the face of a penny.
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Executive
Sensory
Language
Visual
The “3 brains”
1) Reptilian: breathing, movement
3) “Human”: thoughts
2) Mammalian: emotions
Graph by Rita Carter, Mapping the Mind
Parts of the cortex- the “human” brain
VisualOccipital Lobe
Auditory and languageTemporal Lobe
Movement, orientation, calculation and certain types of recognition.
Parietal Lobe
Deals with the most integrated brain functions: thinking, conceptualizing and planning.
Frontal Lobe
Graph by Morphonix
New research at the intersection of Cognition and Emotion
Some areas that typically improve as we age Self-regulation Emotional functioning Wisdom: move from Problem solving to Pattern recognition
Some areas that typically decline as we age Effortful, deliberative and resource-intensive Processing speed Memory: working, recall, source Attention: selective, divided Mental imagery Problem-solving
For all, our actions influence the rate of improvement and/ or decline
Source: Laura Carstensen, several papers (2005)
The source of a few miscommunications
Graph by Rita Carter, Mapping the Mind
What happens when we learn something new
Graph by Rita Carter, Mapping the Mind
New Old
The promise of neuroplasticity
Salk Institute: enriched environments for mice London cab drivers: vigorous cognitive
stimulation offset detrimental ageing effect Jugglers: the visual brain grows Studies on bilingual people School Sisters of Notredame in Mankato,
Minnesota, and the Cognitive Reserve Cognitive Therapy Meditation Biofeedback
© SharpBrains.
Intervention modalities
Program for Working Memory Training
Stress management: the balloon gains altitude and overcomes obstacles as you relax
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Executive
Sensory
Language
Visual
What does a complete brain workout look like?
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
Motor coordination
Draw a circle with the right hand and a square with the left one
Now, draw a square with the right hand and a circle with the left one
Sign up for a dancing class!
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
Visualization for relaxation
Travel back to a time Index: when you felt a healthy exhaustion
Middle: loving exchange
Ring: most caring gesture you have ever received
Little: most magnificient place you have seen
Source: Five Good minutes, by Jeffrey Brantley
The interaction of Emotion, Focus and keeping an Open Mind (basket example)
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
What is a memory and what is a pattern
Usual perception: memories are like snapshots taken by a camera
Reality: memories are circuits of neurons. We recreate experiences, not retrieve copies
Intuition: condensation of analytic experiences.
Illustration by Elkhonon Goldberg, The Wisdom Paradox
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
Sensory Activities
Chocolate melting experiment: eyes closed,let the chocolate melt in your mouth
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
Haiku
Write a haiku that expresses what area of brain research you are most interested in and why.Haiku: A Japanese lyric verse form that has three
lines of five, seven, and five syllables.
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
Visual: Which one doesn’t fit
Content
First, let’s warm-up
Science and trends
Training the 7 main “mental muscles” Motor coordination
Emotions
Memory
Sensory
Language
Visual
Executive
Executive Functions: What box should come next?
Towers of Hanoi: What is the minimum number of moves you need to place the disks in column C (you can not place a large plate on top of a smaller one)?
A B C
Key take-aways
Groundbreaking studies show the value of Mental Stimulation and Stress management, on top of nutrition and physical exercise.
We have “3 brains” and 7 key “mental muscles”.
Good brain exercise requires:- Novelty- Variety- Challenging Practice
There is an increasing number of science-based computer-based programs to train specific cognitive skills. None is a General Solution/ “magic pill”.
Thanks for your attention!
For information and teasers:
Visit www.sharpbrains.com
contact Alvaro at information@sharpbrains.com