Archive for September, 2006

September 29, 2006: 2:03 am: AlvaroUncategorized

Attention and working memory

Do we have selective attention? Do we all have "attention deficits"? or are they "working memory" challenges? Let's try this little experiment, conceived by Simons and Chabris for their classic study on sustained inattentional blindness (1999).You will watch a brief video clip, and your challenge is to count the total number of times that the basketballs [...]

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: 1:46 am: AlvaroUncategorized

Neurotech Leaders Forum today

The first day of the 6th Annual Neurotech Leaders Forum took place today. Good group, with content focused on a) the basic scientific underpinnings of the neurotechnology sector, delivered by Warren Grill, Associate Professor of BioMedical Engineering at Duke University, and b) market segmentation and trends, by Neurotech Reports' founder James Cavuoto. James defines the neurotechnology market as [...]

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September 28, 2006: 12:51 am: AlvaroUncategorized

Emotions and faces: part of Executive Intelligence

Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, when discussing different Frontal Lobe, functions in his Wisdom Paradox book, adds that "Executive intelligence" includes "the ability to penetrate other people’s minds, and that starts with an interest in other people’s minds." What do we call a window into other people's emotions? A face. Paul Ekman has conducted extensive research on identifying emotions through [...]

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September 27, 2006: 3:12 am: AlvaroUncategorized

Executive Functions and MacArthur “Genius Grants”

The MacArthur Foundation has awarded the 2006 MacArthur "Genius Grants" to 25 individuals for their "their creativity, originality, and potential to be significant contributors in their fields". We are happy that some friends received the award, and that we will be able to interview them here, in this blog. How were they able to accomplish such [...]

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September 21, 2006: 8:33 pm: AlvaroUncategorized

Brain exercise: how is this possible?

These 3 pictures represent a simplified image of brain activity taken from right above our heads, with our Frontal Lobes at the top of each image. Dark color indicates most activity, light color some activity. (Basic brain anatomy here).  The 3 images show the brain activity happening in 3 different moments in time when one person [...]

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September 15, 2006: 4:15 pm: Cognitive Psychology Arena - New US TitlesUncategorized

An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology Processes and Disorders, 2nd Edition by David Groome A comprehensive undergraduate textbook which uniquely provides, in a single volume, chapters on both normal cognitive function and related clinical disorder. Published September 2006 by Psychology Press.

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September 14, 2006: 10:19 am: AlvaroUncategorized

Brain exercise: Better than coffee

Quick! say aloud what color you see in every word, NOT the word you read.  The Stroop test is used in neuropsychological evaluations to measure mental vitality and flexibility, since performing well requires strong inhibition capability. Enjoy the day. For more, click on Top 10 Brain Teasers and Games, with a neuroscience angle Brain exercises, Brain Fitness, Brain games, [...]

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September 13, 2006: 11:17 pm: AlvaroUncategorized

Brain Fitness Programs: The Brain Fitness Revolution is here with us

Roger Dooley, author of the Neuromarketing blog, wrote in April an impressive overview of the Brain Fitness field in the FutureLab blog. Enjoy his entry Marketing Neuroscience: Brain Fitness. Let me quote a couple of sentences which summarize the post: "The two big driving forces for the brain fitness movement are demographics, particularly the aging baby boom [...]

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September 12, 2006: 8:03 pm: AlvaroUncategorized

“Use It or Lose It”: what is “It”?

Who has not heard “Use It or Lose It”. Now, what is “It”? And, is “It” only one thing or a number of integrated elements, each of which are heavily involved in specific “brain exercises”, and all of which are important to maintain Brain Fitness. Let’s review at a glance: The brain is composed of 3 “brains” or [...]

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September 10, 2006: 11:46 pm: AlvaroUncategorized

Brain exercise: what do you see?

What do you see?  -If you see an old lady, can you also see a young lady? -If you see a young lady, can you also see an old lady? Both are there! Lesson: there are frequently different, and equally valid, ways to read a situation. We better listen to complementary perspectives and ensure constructive teamwork. Enjoy the day. Brain [...]

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September 9, 2006: 5:50 pm: AlvaroUncategorized

SharpBrains at Cisco Systems: Exercising Mental Muscles for Corporate Success

A couple of weeks ago we had a very fun team-building session, titled SharpBrains at Cisco Systems: Exercising Mental Muscles for Corporate Success, during the retreat of a Cisco Systems group. We covered recent brain research and its implications for learning and training, and we introduced a lot of fun games and activities. Some key take-aways [...]

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September 8, 2006: 10:26 pm: AlvaroUncategorized

The Executive Brain and How our Minds Can Grow Stronger

Last week I had the pleasure to meet, in his NYC clinical practice, with our scientific advisor Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, renowned neuropsychologist and author of The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind and The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older Which brings me back to the beginning [...]

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