The Science and Practice of Brain Fitness

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]