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Michael Merzenich, neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, is ruthless as he describes how my 37-year-old brain is going to turn to mush over the years to come.
“You’re going to slowly decline in operating speed,” he says. “Your brain will become noisier and noisier in its processing.” And I will have more and more trouble figuring out exactly what it was I just heard or saw. The villain: age-related cognitive decline, which Merzenich says is a combination of physical changes and something called negative brain plasticity—the cerebral equivalent of what has happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biceps.
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Add CommentI tried Attengo training program for almost 4 months and Im satisfied from the results so far, especially in focusing and processing speed. It also improved my self-confidence while discussing to friends. I do recomend on this program.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFaran.L
I tried Attengo training program for almost 4 months and Im satisfied from the results so far, especially in focusing and processing speed. It also improved my self-confidence while discussing to friends. I do recomend on this program.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFaran.L
I tried Attengo training program for almost 4 months and Im satisfied from the results so far, especially in focusing and processing speed. It also improved my self-confidence while discussing to friends. I do recomend on this program.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFaran.L
I'm not Nintendo's publicist but as always they are reinventing the video games and in this case they did it quite well.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://esns.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/ESS_BILBAO
Well, it's certainly not as sophisticated...but it's free, entertaining and enlightening. The Brain Makeover will help you become a science literate in no time at all.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://sciencecheerleader.com/brain_makeover/
I also work with a company that produces Brain fitness games..
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFit brains has a balanced collection of activities designed to exercise the mind.
http://www.fitbrains.com
How about fallout 3? I think this stuff is good at improving many cognitive areas.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou must be joking. $400 for "brain trainers?" Sounds like you're just trying to take advantage of older people. There are lots of alternatives, just about any puzzle based game will do. Just about any challenging activity would do. You can buy an X-box and 20 games for that. Ripoff.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'm 66, and my I am certainly not what I was at 40 or 50, but, I don't feel dumb, stupid or slow or mushy! Perhaps that has to do with the fact that I read 3-7 books per week; stay current on the world happenings; politics, religion and science are included; my grandchildren. But, then, at 20-40 I could do the work of 2-4 people so perhaps I have slowed down. There was a time when I could handle a 17 station call director, transfer calls, take message and remember who was at the head of the line, while doing other things too!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI can't do things that don't interest me and video games just don't interest me. I like to read things about science, business and investing but I hate games.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI agree with psngray - $400 is twice what I pay for my membership in a U.. wide Health Club. Nothing can be that good!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAt 63 I am able to do more - faster -than when I was 40. The secret - I stopped watching television and I read, play Sudoku (in ink - no side scribbles) - in general exercise my brain as much as I do my body (minimum of 5 hours vigorous cardio per week).
The article is a pure marketing ploy, trying to sell oeople stuff they do not need!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDoes anyone know where I can get the Sierra Dr. Brain games on line. They were great for my children as they were growing up and I would love to be able to play them again.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am subscribed to Lumosity at www.lumosity.com and recommend it to anybody who wants to increase their IQ ,it has worked for me,lots of fun and cheap too.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne need only look at the prices to know we are seeing a con-job in this software. If they sold it for $20 it might be useful.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is a marketing fact that mediocre products are perceived to be more valuable if they are overpriced.
Crossword puzzles, sudoku, online chess. All for the cost of an internet connection. Hundreds of $'s for the same effect? I need some hip-boots for that kind of dung. Why is SA promoting this?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOn-line chess. Sudoku. Crossword puzzles. All for the price of an Internet connection. Hundreds of dollars for the same benefits? I smell a scam that SA should be reporting as such, not providing a forum for.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDr. Brain was a tough, fun game. Esp. the Lost Mind of Dr. Brain....they should bring that series back.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPSNGRAY, I'm with you! I don't have that kind of money for brain games. I guess I will have to grow old sooner. I' m going to check out the free ones and the on-line trials.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI read the article "Brain Trainers" in SciamMind and was interested in further research into cognitive software for adolescents. I am the Academic Director at a private boarding school and many of our students show more than one standard deviation between their verbal IQ scores and their processing IQ scores. They also have various Executive Function differences. Since I'm currently enrolled in a Masters Program in Educational Leadership at the University of Utah, my interest was peaked by the review. I feel that Seniors are a target audience, but perhaps teenagers are too.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this- MGD
I read the article "Brain Trainers" in SciamMind and was interested in further research into cognitive software for adolescents. I am the Academic Director at a private boarding school and many of our students show more than one standard deviation between their verbal IQ scores and their processing IQ scores. They also have various Executive Function differences. Since I'm currently enrolled in a Masters Program in Educational Leadership at the University of Utah, my interest was peaked by the review. I feel that Seniors are a target audience, but perhaps teenagers are too.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this- MGD
If anyone is looking for a US version of the BrainTwister dual n-back exercise (at a lower cost), you should take a look at Mind Sparke's Brain Fitness Pro. With Mac and Windows versions and comprehensive stats it's a great option.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.mindsparke.com
Martin Walker
Well… I visit your website first time and found this site very useful and interesting! Well… you guys doing nice work and I just want to say that keep rocking and keep it up!!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisElenora
<a rel="dofollow"href="http://www.trainwithmeonline.com"rel="dofollow">workouts</a>
Well… I visit your website first time and found this site very useful and interesting! Well… you guys doing nice work and I just want to say that keep rocking and keep it up!!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisElenora
<a href="http://www.trainwithmeonline.com">workouts</a>
This conversation is going nowhere. It’s lacking the place of a good Leader to head the things to come out on conclusion.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisElenora
[url=http://www.trainwithmeonline.com]workouts[/url]
The RGRM Method has been used in Sweden for over 19 years with amazing success with the plasticity of the brain and music. There will be a 20 million kronar research starting in Sept. '09 on this method. RGRM International is now coming to the USA. There is a representative in Michigan...rgrminternational.com. We would love to challenge any other brain enhancement trials there are anywhere. For more information, please check the website.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was diagnosed las winter as possibly suffering from mild cognitive impairment, benchmarked, and told to return for more tests at the end of this year.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTaking a doctor's advice that it wouldn't hurt to exercise my brain, in fact that it might actually do some good, by nothing more than dumb luck I progressed from "MyBrainTrainer.com" through "Lumosity.com" into "Happy-Neuron.com". This certainly proved to have been my ideal training regimen.
Embarking upon MyBrainTrainer with a pathetically low score in almost every area, I made it to "Brain Master" pretty quickly - within ten or twelve weeks. Primarily this series of mental exercises games focuses on developing response speed, and it works extremely well. This was an ideal entry point.
Lumosity took longer to conquer , and its games are the most fun of these three mind trainers. Even thought I earned high scores from the outset for my mental speed (thanks to My Brian Trainer) I moved from an overall 50-plus percentile into the 94th percentile within about four months. By then I was looking for a greater challenge, and I found it.
Happy-Neuron addresses both visual and auditory training. Like Lumosity, its games deliver a lot of fun while they challenge, and like My Brain Trainer, they especially reward speed. When I started six weeks ago,I entered at Happy-Neuron's "gold medal"status (levels are bronze, silver and gold). To date my over-all progress score has increased by more than 20% - and "Platnium" medal status may be within reach.
Each of these three mind training exercises has immeasurably aided my recall, mental alacrity and perception. I still dip back into My Brian Trainer and Lumosity as I struggle to reach the summit of Happy-Neuron, and they serve as great refresher courses.
Coupling these mental exercises with increased physical workouts has compounded their benefit.
My greatest fear when I faced my 69th birthday was what I then viewed as almost inevitable onslaught of Alzheimer's Disease. Now, nine months later, my worst fear is that I might not make it to Happy-Neuron "Platinum' level status before I turn 70. What an extraordinary difference these three mind exercise routines have made to my life!
Lumosity will beg you for 10 min for most of days, and you will be very happy for that:)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLumosity will beg you for 10min for most of days, and you will be happy for that:)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAbven, it's been over two years since you posted about your good experience using Luminosity and other products. Can you give us an update? How are you doing these days?
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