Image: IMAGE COMPOSITION BY SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND; JULIE FELTON ISTOCKPHOTO (brain); DEAN TURNER ISTOCKPHOTO (background)
In Brief
- Scientists are finding that the adult human brain is far more malleable than they once thought. Your behavior and environment can cause substantial rewiring of your brain or a reorganization of its functions.
- Studies have shown that exercise can improve the brain’s executive skills, which include planning, organizing and multitasking. What you eat can also influence how effectively your brain operates.
- Activities such as listening to music, playing video games and meditating may boost cognitive performance as well.
Amputees sometimes experience phantom limb sensations, feeling pain, itching or other impulses coming from limbs that no longer exist. Neuroscientist Vilayanur S. Ramachandran worked with patients who had so-called phantom limbs, including Tom, a man who had lost one of his arms.
Ramachandran discovered that if he stroked Tom’s face, Tom felt like his missing fingers were also being touched. Each part of the body is represented by a different region of the somatosensory cortex, and, as it happens, the region for the hand is adjacent to the region for the face. The neuroscientist deduced that a remarkable change had taken place in Tom’s somatosensory cortex.
This article was originally published with the title Six Ways to Boost Brainpower.
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45 Comments
Add CommentThose interested in the workings of mind and its rewiring for improving cognitive ability, memory and emotional equilibrium may visit the following webpages:-
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://rewiringthebrain.net/
http://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=39251
"Three quarters of the caffeine we ingest comes from coffee. Try to limit yourself to fewer than 100 cups a day."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisROFL! Jeez, that's gonna be tough for some of us, eh?
"That much coffee contains about 10 grams of caffeine, enough to cause fatal complications."
Who wuuda thunk?! Ha - my smile for the day!
solving few math questions a day can also improve brain activity.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy grandmother swore by jigsaw puzzles as she grew older.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI swear AT jigsaw puzzles and swear BY crosswords.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThinking and analyzing date helps boost brain power I guess
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSudoku while on the treadmill before playing World of Warcraft while eating a veggie tray and injesting the obligitory 100 cups of coffee all the while listening to Mozart. I'll have to give that a try
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'd like to know what video games are best a stimulating the brain and what, if any, are the long term effects of video playing. How does this stack up against reading, participaitng in role-playing games, etc. Also, if classical music increases mild production in cows, why?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisha!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thislet's do it.
If only people Could do more meditation, music, and motion, the world would be as one.
Have some class, lay off the jocks...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell, I would think having tea instead of coffee (especially yerba mate or gotu kola, but not black tea) along with peppermint tea would help just as much (if not more) than coffee. If coffee creates anxiety, and anxiety makes it hard to think about anything other than what makes you anxious; I really don't see the benefit.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHi Bluefire ,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCan u give some link/ references to this subject matter....
I would like to know if video chess games are more efficient than just violent games, for brain power. I would also like to know if there are other good substitutes for cocaine or coffee, like tea or cocoa. Are compositions of classical music more efficient than BG's Saturday Night Fever songs? Are walnuts more efficient than peanuts? Is singing (in the bath or bed) itself a stimulant--compared to listening?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI would like to know if video chess games are more efficient than just violent games, for brain power. I would also like to know if there are other good substitutes for cocaine or coffee, like tea or cocoa. Are compositions of classical music more efficient than BG's Saturday Night Fever songs? Are walnuts more efficient than peanuts? Is singing (in the bath or bed) itself a stimulant--compared to listening?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this3.5 grams works
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisscreening scientific comments?what kind of publication is this?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'm myself a musician and a Medical Doctor and I found playing music really improved mi concentration and mental prfomance.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'm a musician and a medical Dr. and playing music improved my memory, my concentration and my AJA reactions.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI can memorize long immunological pathways with no effort
I'm accostumed to memorize two hours of music for a show, so the previous comes an easy task.
I play drums and coordination in four limbs gets my brain pretty concentrated.
For the comment left by principalh at 04:20 PM on 02/29/09 I clicked on the "Report Abuse" by accident - there's absolutely nothing wrong with the comment. Rather my cursor was in the wrong place when I clicked.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThank you.
Titbits versus Tidbits
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe word un the UK is Titbits probably from feeding small birds with brain food and nothing to do with female mammary glands. Tidbits according to my dictionary is a quaint Americanism coming from a dialect for tender. But Americans never could spell English words correctly, yet they profess to teach it.
Titbits versus Tidbits
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe word in the UK is Titbits probably from feeding small birds with brain food and nothing to do with female mammary glands. Tidbits according to my dictionary is a quaint Americanism coming from a dialect for tender. But Americans never could spell English words correctly, yet they profess to teach it.
organic fish oil,vit b,daily exercise,chess,green leafy veg,organic protein source,yoga,avoid living in citys,reduse stress,stone age lifestyle,etc etc..we humans are grown from nature not factorys and farms,mindsets of stressed out individuals trying to control you! get a grip on your lifestyle.dont let texts of old uneducated peoples contol whats is right and wrong,you are capable of making good judgement ,but hey ,talk to somone who cares..P.D.siap....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSciGill, firstly, this article has nothing to do with spelling variations.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSecondly, since you bring it up, as a university instructor of English -- over the years in my native U.S., mainland China, Macau, and Thailand -- and as a person who attended primary school in a British-style school complete with gowned headmaster (who also happens to be my Godfather), I have *always* taught that BOTH British and American spellings are correct. God did not inscribe either alongside the Ten Commandments, did He?
The righlty respected Oxford English Dictionary acknowledged, last I knew, *22* "national Englishes," including those who don't spell precisely the same as a native of, say, London might. Nor, for that matter, as a native of Chicago might.
Now, to turn to the article itself: Ms. Anthese has accomplished something all too rare in scientific articles: giving us information about research then telling us ways in which we can actually *apply* the research in our daily lives. Exercise. Diet. What we listen to. Etc. etc. etc. So, a hat's off to the author -- thanks.
dear si,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthe game of chess helps to establish clear thinking an d concentration.
also lots fun.
lukewmeehan
dear sir,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthe game of chess adds to clear thinking and concentration.
these two feel real well while playing.
Video games I believe help rapid cognition. Thinking fast on your feet the way the saying goes, which takes you out of stressful situations in normal daily life routines, building confidence and brain muscle.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut like the saying goes, "a little bit of that and not to much of this."
This is a very interesting article. I spent a short while mind mapping the content for three reasons a) its a good example to show students how to summarise a large portion of text and b) because it will help me recall the article c) its fun and boosts my brain power! To see my Mind Map follow the link below:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://destech.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/6-ways-to-boost-your-brain-power/
Tim Fulford
swearing is a sinfull habit
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thissinful habit:swearing
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCan you give me the names of video games that improve attention
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTrue.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat I believed is that brain development depends up on the need. More you need, more it will develop. It's all in your mind. Especially your sub-conscious mind. Whatever thoughts you have in it, it sometimes come true by depending up on the relationship with one's own self.
I see brain as a saucer which is full of secrets. Sometimes in science, when we think outside of the conventional way to improve it, it works. Of course every organ in our body requires some fuel, so we have to act(eat) according to the need.
Sometimes I experienced that if you go blank for few days or months! And after that when you try using your brain, it requires some hard exercise to get yourself back on the track. And when you are continuously using it by developing some thoughts than it goes smooth & sound. And it always increases your grasping power.
[i.e. put some coffee in the saucer, and leave it for few time(hours). You will obviously think of making it hot again]
Great to see some scientific backup to the effectiveness of meditation.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAdded to spiri2al.com
http://www.spiri2al.com/Meditation/six-ways-to-boost-brainpower-scientific-american/
Great to see some scientific backup on the efficacy of meditation!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAdded to spiri2al.com
http://www.spiri2al.com/Meditation/six-ways-to-boost-brainpower-scientific-american/
Interesting that a magazine calling itself Scientific anything would have an article with no references and lots of "studies show..." claims. It would be more credible if the studies were identified. It is a big difference if the study is done by Joe Blow vs a post-doctoral team at MIT.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAnything which can push your brain into many novel areas and stretches its capacity are good for the brain. Try the new free mental fitness site:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.myfitbrain.com
It's so great that we are able to prevent a lot of the loss of brain function as we age just by making some minor lifestyle changes. I also recently found a cool website that has brain games you can play for FREE. Check it out: www.myfitbrain.com. Gotta love the price...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs a physician with an anti-aging practice, I can strongly support the value of exercise in combating disease states including the aging process. And what better for your health and longevity than the combination of music, socialization, and exercise than dance!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs a physician with an anti-aging practice, I agree that the effect of exercoise in chronic disease states is markedly helpful. What better way of combining exercise, music, and socialization (important in longevity studies) than with dance?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thistest
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe reference to "dumb jocks" is really not a useful comment. I have a question however. Does the increase in cortisol associated with exercise and would be chronic in "dumb jocks" have an adverse effect on the hippocampus ?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPBS TV has an excellent documentary that they run occasionally, most often during money raising, that illustrates the plasticity of the brain and has availible a video game type DVD/Tape that challenges our minds. It was created by doctors for the specific purpose of slowing ageing and even improving cognition!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn the end this kind of magazine, while informing and interesting, is not the kind of reference that you would cite in a thesis or paper like an accepted journal, and therefore it is not held to the same referencing standards as a journal or similar. However, I found this article interesting and informative.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisneed a bit more concrete data. FOr eg. what sort of music? classical, pop, rock? coffee? instant ?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisapart for all these, how do we make sure that as we age, re group the activities to achieve benefits?
I think brain games work pretty well. Games like braintraining on the DS, I don't think so. You'll just get better at the games instead of improving your actual cognitive skills. The creators themselves admitted that. It's for entertainment purposes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut, if you take a site like http://braingymmer.com with games all based upon neuroscientific research, or another similar site, I think you can actually achieve some nice results with daily training.
At least I feel like it's helping for me, and I train about 15 minutes a day.
Awesome article! We agree 100% and this is why we came up with games that help increase memory and brain agility!
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