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We just received these two very thought-provoking essays on Alzheimer's Disease and brain health. Which one do you find more powerful? why? what feedback would you give the authors? what are the implications of what they write? and, who would you guess wrote them?

I know, many questions. Without further ado, here you are both Essays (We'll share some context, and the author's names, this Friday):

Essay A. Preventing Alzheimer’s at Work

5,000,000: that is the number of people in the United States alone who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Research has shown that those who held jobs such as sanitation workers or trash collectors in their 30s, 40s, and 50s are more at risk for Alzheimer’s disease than people who held jobs such as doctors or scientists at the same age. If everyone knew this, the world would benefit, and it could impact the lives of everyone.

If everyone in the world knew that certain jobs are more at risk for Alzheimer’s, it could affect them in many ways. First of all, students would study harder so that they will get better jobs and reduce unemployment. This information could also benefit people still in these jobs by demonstrating to them that using their brains can help prevent Alzheimer’s. Neurologist David Bennett has explained: “This doesn't mean you should quit your job and go get a Ph.D. Education probably relates to how you use your brain throughout life — your job and leisure activities that stretch the mind."

In addition, it could cause people who have had similar jobs to be tested for Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more regularly, which would be good for them and for the doctors treating them. If more people are tested, those who do have the disease will be able to be treated and will be less affected by it. The doctors who treat them will also be able to do so more effectively if they find out about it earlier. Unfortunately, this could have a negative effect with people who have jobs which are less likely for Alzheimer’s, such as doctors and scientists. However, if these people realized they are still at risk but are just less likely to get it, it would be positive, causing more people to be tested whether they have held a job which is more at risk or not. 

In addition to having a positive effect on people, everyone in the world knowing that certain jobs are more at risk for Alzheimer’s disease would help prevent many cases. More people would probably get tested if they knew, reducing the number of people in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. Also, anything known about the disease can help doctors find ways to prevent it. First of all, this information could help them better analyze patients for Alzheimer’s; secondly, it could be used as a treatment for the disease. This information, although partially related to jobs, is more related to brain use. This shows the importance of using our brains, and how mental health is related to it. In addition, if doctors and their patients knew that brain exercise can prevent Alzheimer’s disease, it could possibly be used effectively as a treatment or even as a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Knowing that brain use affects brain health would also cause everyone around the world to use their brains constantly, no matter what their age or job. If everybody in the world knew that certain jobs are more at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, the information would be very helpful for preventing and treating many cases. 

5,000,000 people in the U.S. are affected by Alzheimer’s, but if everyone in the world knew about that certain jobs are more at risk, this number could be reduced significantly. The information would benefit people, and could cause them to be tested earlier. Also, knowing this would be very helpful as a way to prevent Alzheimer’s and would be a valuable tool for doctors. If everyone in the world knew that certain jobs are more at risk for Alzheimer’s, it would have a major positive effect, and would reduce the number of people who are mentally crippled by this terrible disease. 

References

- “Cognitive Reserve and Alzheimer’s.” pubmed.com. 12 Feb. 2008 . 

- “Cognitive Reserve and Lifestyle” pubmed.com. 12 Feb. 2008 . 

- Elias, Marilyn. “Want a Sharp Mind for Your Golden Years? Start Now.” usatoday.com. 12 Feb. 2008 

- Griffin, Kelly. “You’re Wiser Now.” aarpmagazine.org. 12 Feb. 2008 . 

Essay B. A Slippery Slope to Senility 

Gray hair, glasses and… memory loss? This stereotype of a typical aging individual is not inevitable. A fast spreading epidemic, Alzheimer’s has many aging people understandably scared. However, there is an alternative to becoming senile, and mental exercises can help prevent it. In addition, lifestyle changes can help keep minds sharp and working at their best. Seniors must not wait until the world becomes a confusing blur and names fly out the back door like birds from a cage! 

Alzheimer’s is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain resulting in dementia; symptoms include restlessness, inability to recognize faces, bad hygiene, forgetfulness, and difficulty with daily functions. This fast-spreading disease has claimed 26 million victims worldwide, with a new diagnosis every 72 seconds. The world must know how to prevent this disease! If no cure is found by 2050, scientists estimate Alzheimer’s will claim 106 million people. Ten to twenty years before symptoms are evident, changes to the brain associated with Alzheimer’s have already occurred; even someone who believes he is very healthy could be sliding down a slippery slope to senility unaware. But preventing Alzheimer’s could change the world. 

Many people wonder how to prevent this degenerative disease. The answer could revolutionize the world, drastically decreasing the number of individuals who Alzheimer’s reduces to a feeble state of dependence. Alcohol, drug abuse, and smoking contribute to Alzheimer’s, so avoiding these substances would be one preventive measure. Interestingly, heart and brain health are closely connected, so things that improve the heart, such as exercise, also improve the health of the brain. Another way of preventing Alzheimer’s is found in the diet: fish oils have been shown to help prevent this disease. In addition, the Omega 3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic can also help prevent it by increasing the production of LR11, a protein that clears away enzymes that make beta anyloid plaques thought to cause Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that although memory is not lost, it cannot be accessed due to plaques in the brain. So if the Omega fatty acids could clear away the plaques, memory would be restored. If individuals acted on these simple preventive measures, they could drastically the future of the entire world by eliminating numerous cases of Alzheimer’s. 

Many people have fallen prey to believing the lie that nothing can prevent Alzheimer's. Actually, the startling outbreak of Alzheimer’s is in part because our culture makes people lazy and reluctant to use their minds. Due to a rumor that the mind cannot make new brain cells after reaching adulthood, most people believe they cannot improve their brains. On the contrary, though, the mind can always create new brain cells. Many companies recently began marketing products such as video games targeted at adults, mind games, and sudoku handhelds to promote brain growth. In addition, simple ways of exercising the brain and creating new neuropathways exist, such as doing normal routines in a different way or learning new skills. Playing simple but challenging games, learning a new language, or simply memorizing things are other possibilities. The world has to hear about these preventive measures so that they can escape Alzheimer’s. If not exercised regularly, brain cells actually die; but if the cells are used, they stay healthy and even grow. Obviously, many ways exist to improve one’s brain that prevent the devastating disease of Alzheimer’s. 

Fortunately for everyone, there is an alternative to losing their minds. Although Alzheimer’s is spreading fast, many brain-stretching games and exercises along with lifestyle changes will keep the brain alert and functioning at its best. So although gray hair and glasses may be hard to avoid, rest assured that senility is avoidable. Start today and keep your mind sharp and memories safe. 

References

- "About Alzheimer's." Fischer Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation. 14 Feb. 2008 . Gorman, Christine.

- "Can You Prevent Alzheimer's?" Time. 14 Feb. 2008 . Shute, Nancy.

- "New Research Suggests Ways to Slow--or Prevent--Alzheimer's". U.S. News. 14 Feb. 2008 .

- "Fish Oil May Help Prevent Alzheimer's." The Washington Post. 14 Feb. 2008 . Dayan, B..

- "Preventing Alzheimer's Disease Early On." Science Daily. 14 Feb. 2008 . Hill, Carrie. "How to Develop Your Personal Plan for a Healthy Brain". About.com. 14 Feb. 2008 .

Ever wondered what explains the sometimes surreal, often misguided, health policies by our government? Well, it is beyond our humble brains to capture and articulate what may be going on...but we now see that lack of access to quality information is certainly not the main problem. Decision-making processes, and structural incentives, would probably merit more attention....

I mention this because we are really impressed by the just-published 24-page special issue on Preventing Memory Loss by Congressional Quarterly Researcher, one of the main publications in Capitol Hill.

The publication is not free, but worth the price for anyone active professionally in the healthcare sector, or interested in learning about latest research and policy trends, from academics to students. You can buy Buy the Electronic PDF ($4.95) or Buy the Printed Copy ($15 - $5 discount using promotion code "L8BRAIN" = $10).

Description

As the nation's baby boomers age, they are increasingly worried that their memories will deteriorate --- and with good reason. An estimated 10 million boomers will develop Alzheimer's disease or another memory-destroying neurodegenerative condition in the coming years. Policy makers and health officials worry that the resulting bulge in the number of sufferers will burden the nation's already strained health-care system. In the wake of these concerns, a vibrant brain-fitness industry is offering a variety of ways to help people keep their brains healthy, including the use of cognition-enhancing drugs and exercise. But many experts say much of what the public is being told is of limited value, at best. Intensified brain research begun years ago at the National Institutes of Health is just now beginning to produce data that scientists hope will advance efforts to prevent memory loss, but they worry that flat federal funding since 2003 may compromise the drive for solutions.

The writer

Marcia Clemmitt is a veteran social-policy reporter who joined CQ Researcher after serving as editor in chief of Medicine and Health, a Washington-based industry newsletter, and staff writer for The Scientist. She has also been a high school math and physics teacher. She holds a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences from St. Johns College, Annapolis, and a masters degree in English from Georgetown University.

Table of Contents  

The Issues

291 • Do we know how to retard memory loss?
• Is memory loss a bigger problem today than in earlier generations?
• Are we on the way to curing Alzheimer’s disease?
• Should the use of memory-enhancing drugs be encouraged for people with normal memories?

Background

298 Multiple Memories
The brain has several different memory processes.
301 The Connection Machine
One brain cell can affect 10,000 others.
302 Slipping Memories
Decline begins by age 20.
303 Mental Strengths
All-important “gist” memory doesn’t fade with age.
304 Brain Disease
Alzheimer’s is the most common condition. 

Current Situation

304 Public Funding
Memory-research funding has remained flat since 2003.
306 Research Advances
New discoveries about memory have been made.
 

Outlook
307 Fitter Brains?
Entrepreneurs are developing “brain fitness” products.
 

Sidebars and Graphics

292 Alzheimer’s More Common Among Older Women
About one-in-six women 55 and older have or will develop Alzheimer’s.
293 Alzheimer’s Deaths Rise as Others Decline
Deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased 45 percent.
294 Alzheimer’s Risk Increases With Age
Nearly half of those over 85 have the disease.
296 Marketing ‘Brain Fitness’
The U.S. market grew to $225 million in 2007.
297 Unlocking the Mystery of Memory
High-tech tools reveal the brain in action.
299 Chronology
Key events since 1885.
300 Tips on Holding onto Your Memory
Good nutrition, exercise and stress reduction can help.
303 Spending on Research Has Been Flat
No major increases since 2004.
305 At Issue

Should we encourage use of scientific techniques to enhance memory and other cognitive functions?

For Further Research

309 For More Information
Organizations to contact.
310 Bibliography
Selected sources used.
311 The Next Step
Additional articles.
311 Citing CQ Researcher
Sample bibliography formats. 

Reprinted with permission from CQ Press, Preventing Memory Loss, CQ Researcher.

Last year, Jeffrey Gonce, a Psychology teacher at Red Land High School (West Shore School District, PA) asked his students to "complete a project describing a recent brain (or genetic) study that affects behavior." The students could opt to post their articles online, and Jeffrey was kind enough to send us a link to read the results. We enjoyed reading them all, and published in our blog this beautiful essay, titled "Tis better to give than receive", written by Alexandra, which  was subsequently included in a number of neuroscience an psychology blogs. Earlier this year we highlighted this piece on Musical training as mental exercise for cognitive performance, written by Megan.

This quarter, Jeffrey also sent us his students' essays, and we are going to recognize and publish this great essay by high school student Kristin H.

--------

Alzheimer's Disease

-- By Kristin H.

Alzheimer's is a disease which causes people, generally of an older age, to lose memory and forget how to accomplish simple tasks. Dementia is the disease which Alzheimer's is a part and about four million Americans were diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1999, a number which is expected to grow (Altman 8-9). Dementia is an unspecific brain disease commonly associated with memory loss and another serious brain dysfunction. Dementia is an incurable disease ("Dementia"). A new drug treatment that replaces the enzyme missing in an Alzheimer's brain may be able to cure Alzheimer's disease in it's late stages (Coghlan).

Rebecca Rupp says memory allows people to "shape our characters, build our careers, forge our relationships, and (create the) irreplaceable histories of ourselves. Without (memory), we are hollow persons, not only empty of a past, but lacking a foundation upon which to build the future" (Altman 27). In a brain affected by Alzheimer's disease, neurons, nerve cells, are unable to work properly (Altman 29-30). Studies have shown that Uch-L1, an enzyme which rids the brain of protein, begins to disappear as the presence of the protein amyloid beta plaque begins to increase in an Alzheimer's brain as opposed to a normal brain. The abundance of the amyloid beta plaque partially disables a neuron's ability to communicate with other neurons (Coghlan). Certain proteins that are found in the Alzheimer's brain can cause cell deaths (Alexander). The combination of these dysfunctions, generally affecting the cortical and limbic regions, parts of the brain which affect emotions and memory, are what causes the memory loss and other symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease (Alexander).

Doctors currently only use treatments and therapies intended to stifle the symptoms as opposed to curing the disease. There are currently only two drugs, Tacrine and Donepezil, that have been approved for use in the United States by the F.D.A. Both are quick fixes for symptoms and the effects of the drugs never last long (Altman, 55). Current medications are aimed at preventing more Alzheimer's plaques or destroying the plaques. The new treatment works differently, aiming at another part of the dysfunctional brain (Coghlan).

At Columbia University, scientists tried this new treatment on mice that they hope will one day be able to help humans who are affected by Alzheimer's disease. Michael Shelanski, leading the research team, bred mice to have a rodent's Alzheimer's disease. Pieces of certain rodents' brains were subjected to the amyloid beta protein. The other rodents had been born with a brain that would naturally produce the protein. The different kinds of brains were then treated with Uch-L1 and brain functions began to improve and return to normal (Coghlan).

A spokeswoman for the UK Alzheimer's Society said, "Currently, there's only one type of drug available, and this only stabilizes symptoms for a limited period but research on the new approach is still in the early stages...so further trials are urgently needed" (Coghlan). Currently, the Uch-L1 would enter the body through a shot in the abdomen. Researchers are hoping to develop a pill which would have the same effect as the injection (Coghlan). Currently and in the future, researchers will likely continue experimenting with the drug both to find the outcome when used on humans and to find a successful oral treatment. From this current research and possible new treatment, it seems that things are looking up for Alzheimer's patients who are currently diagnosed without any hope of a recovery.

Bibliography

1.Alexander, Gene. "Alzheimer's Disease." Access Science. Online. McGraw-Hill. Red Land High School Lib., Lewisberry, PA. 21 Feb. 2008 .
2.Altman, Linda Jacobs. Alzheimer's Disease. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books Inc., 2001.
3.Coghlan, Andy. "New Treatment 'rescues' brains of Alzheimer's mice." 24 Aug. 2006. NewScientist.com News Service. 19 Feb. 2008
4."Dementia." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 9 Sept. 2007. Medline Plus. 26 Feb. 2008

One of the most original minds we have ever encountered is that of Robert Sapolsky, the Stanford-based primate (plus neuroscientist, traveller, writer, and more). We highly recommend most of his books. Above all, for anyone interested in brain health, this is a must read (and very fun): Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide To Stress, Stress Related Diseases, and Coping.

We are honored to bring you a guest Article Series by Robert Sapolsky, thanks to our collaboration with Greater Good Magazine, a UC-Berkeley-based quarterly magazine that highlights ground breaking scientific research into the roots of compassion and altruism.

Enjoy this first installment, out of three. Very timely given the so-called "war on terror". Come back on Saturday April 12th for the second one, or subscribe to our RSS or newsletter to keep in the loop. 

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Peace Among Primates

Anyone who says peace is not part of human nature knows too little about primates, including ourselves.

--By Robert M. Sapolsky

It used to be thought that humans were the only savagely violent primate. “We are the only species that kills its own,” narrators intoned portentously in nature films several decades ago. That view fell by the wayside in the 1960s as it became clear that some other primates kill their fellows aplenty. Males kill; females kill. Some use their toolmaking skills to fashion bigger and better cudgels. Other primates even engage in what can only be called warfare—organized, proactive group violence directed at other populations.

Yet as field studies of primates expanded, what became most striking was the variation in social practices across species. Yes, some primate species have lives filled with violence, frequent and varied. But life among others is filled with communitarianism, egalitarianism, and cooperative child rearing.Patterns emerged. In less aggressive species, such as gibbons or marmosets, groups tend to live in lush rain forests where food is plentiful and life is easy. Females and males tend to be the same size, and the males lack secondary sexual markers such as long, sharp canines or garish coloring. Couples mate for life, and males help substantially with child care. In violent species, such as baboons and rhesus monkeys, the opposite conditions prevail.

The most disquieting fact about the violent species was the apparent inevitability of their behavior. Certain species seemed simply to be the way they were, fixed products of the interplay of evolution and ecology, and that was that. And although human males might not be inflexibly polygamous or outfitted with bright red butts and six-inch canines designed for tooth-to-tooth combat, it was clear that our species had at least as much in common with the violent primates as with the gentle ones. “In their nature” thus became “in our nature.” This was the humans-as-killer-apes theory popularized by the writer Robert Ardrey, according to which humans have as much chance of becoming intrinsically peaceful as they have of growing prehensile tails.

That view always had little more scientific rigor than a Planet of the Apes movie, but it took a great deal of field research to figure out just what should supplant it. After decades’ more work, the picture has become quite interesting. Some primate species, it turns out, are indeed simply violent or peaceful, with their behavior driven by their social structures and ecological settings. More importantly, however, some primate species can make peace despite violent traits that seem built into their natures. The challenge now is to figure out under what conditions that can happen, and whether humans can manage the trick ourselves.

Old primates and new tricks

To an overwhelming extent, the age-old “nature versus nurture” debate is silly. The action of genes is completely intertwined with the environment in which they function; in a sense, it is pointless to even discuss what gene X does, and we should consider instead only what gene X does in environment Y. Nonetheless, if one had to predict the behavior of some organism on the basis of only one fact, one might still want to know whether the most useful fact would be about genetics or about the environment.

Two classic studies have shown that primates are somewhat independent from their “natures.” In the early 1970s, a highly respected primatologist named Hans Kummer was working in a region of Ethiopia containing two species of baboons with markedly different social systems. Savanna baboons live in large troops, with plenty of adult females and males. Hamadryas baboons, in contrast, have a more complex and quite different multilevel society. When confronted with a threatening male, the females of the two species react differently: A hamadryas baboon placates the male by approaching him, whereas a savanna baboon can only run away if she wants to avoid injury.

Kummer conducted a simple experiment, trapping an adult female savanna baboon and releasing her into a hamadryas troop and trapping an adult female hamadryas and releasing her into a savanna troop. The females who were dropped in among a different species initially carried out their species-typical behavior, a major faux pas in the new neighborhood. But gradually, they absorbed the new rules. How long did this learning take? About an hour. In other words, millennia of genetic differences separating the two species, a lifetime of experience with a crucial social rule for each female—and a miniscule amount of time to reverse course completely.

The second experiment was set up by Frans de Waal of Emory University and his student Denise Johanowicz in the early 1990s, working with two macaque monkey species. By any human standards, male rhesus macaques are unappealing animals. Their hierarchies are rigid, those at the top seize a disproportionate share of the spoils, they enforce this inequity with ferocious aggression, and they rarely reconcile after fights. In contrast, male stump tail macaques, which share almost all of their genes with their rhesus macaque cousins, display much less aggression, looser hierarchies, more egalitarianism, and more behaviors that promote group cohesion.

Working with captive primates, de Waal and Johanowicz created a mixed-sex social group of juvenile macaques, combining rhesus and stump tails together. Remarkably, instead of the rhesus macaques bullying the stump tails, over the course of a few months the rhesus males adopted the stump tails’ social style, eventually even matching the stump tails’ high rates of reconciliatory behavior. It so happens, moreover, that stump tails and rhesus macaques use different gestures when reconciling. The rhesus macaques in the study did not start using the stump tails’ reconciliatory gestures, but rather increased the incidence of their own species-typical gestures. In other words, they were not merely imitating the stump tails’ behavior; they were incorporating the concept of frequent reconciliation into their own social practices. Finally, when the newly warm-and-fuzzy rhesus macaques were returned to a larger, all-rhesus group, their new behavioral style persisted.

This is nothing short of extraordinary. But it brings up one further question: When those rhesus macaques were transferred back into the all-rhesus world, did they spread their insights and behaviors to the others? Alas, they did not—at least not within the relatively short time they were studied. For that, we need to move on to a final case.

(To be continued, in a second installment, on Saturday April 12th).

-- Robert M. Sapolsky, Ph.D., is the John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University. He wrote the classic Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress Related Diseases and Coping. His most recent book is Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals. A longer version of this essay appeared in Foreign Affairs. We bring you this post thanks to our collaboration with Greater Good Magazine, a UC-Berkeley-based quarterly magazine that highlights ground breaking scientific research into the roots of compassion and altruism.

, a UC-Berkeley-based quarterly magazine that highlights ground breaking scientific research into the roots of compassion and altruism., a UC-Berkeley-based quarterly magazine that highlights ground breaking scientific research into the roots of compassion and altruism., a UC-Berkeley-based quarterly magazine that highlights ground breaking scientific research into the roots of compassion and altruism.For related essays on stress and stress management, you will enjoy these 2 pieces by researcher Gregory Kellett

- Relaxing for your Brain's Sake

- Stress and Neural Wreckage: Part of the Brain Plasticity Puzzle

We human beings are social animals. It seems intuitive (even for introverts!) that social contact has benefits. Obviously we need other people to fulfill basic needs such making sure that our genes outlive. Maybe less obviously we seem to need other people to maintain adequate levels of mental well being and motivation.

Even less obviously, social contact may help us improve our brain functions…

Mental fitness seems to depend on a large part on being connected with other people. For instance people with low social support seem to be more prone to mental illness (McGuire & Raleigh, 1986). In 2007, Gladstone and colleagues studied 218 patients with major depression and found out that low social support, especially coming from the family, was associated with chronic depression.

Merely imagining loneliness can negatively affect our behavior…

Baumeister et al. (2005) showed that compared to people who were not told anything, people who were told that they would likely end up alone in life:

- were less able to make themselves consume a healthy but bad-tasting beverage
- quit faster in trying to solve hard and frustrating puzzles.
Telling people that their future would be marred by a tendency to be accident prone (injuries and the like) did not affect their behavior. This shows how much social contact is crucial for human beings!

A new study, published in 2008 by Ybarra and his colleagues went even further by showing that socializing and mental exercises have very similar effects in terms of improving brain functions!

Download paper: Mental Exercising Through Simple Socializing: Social Interaction Promotes General Cognitive Functioning (PDF)

Ybarra hypothesized that social interaction could facilitate cognitive functioning.

First, they collected data from 3600 people aged 24 to 96. They assessed how often these people talked on the phone with friends, neighbors and relatives and how often they got together with the same parties. They also assessed mental functioning of their sample using the mini-mental exam.

Even after controlling for physical health and daily activity levels, they found that the more socially engaged people were, the higher their cognitive performance.

Great news, right? Stay connected and your neurons will stay healthy!

The limitations of this type of study are numerous though. Most of all the result is a CORRELATION. That is, the result shows that people who are socially engaged are also doing well in terms of brain function. This does not mean that being socially engaged results or CAUSES good brain functioning.

This correlation can be interpreted in several ways:
a) being socially engaged results in good brain functioning
b) good brain functioning results in being socially engaged
c) being wealthy (for instance) may result both in being socially engaged and good brain functioning

Fortunately, Ybarra and colleagues were quite aware of the limitations of correlations. They proceeded to conduct another study to show that social interaction indeed CAUSES better cognitive performance.

They randomly assigned participants (aged 18-21) to three groups:
- a social group, in which the participants engaged in a discussion of a social issue for 10mn
- an intellectual activities group, in which the participants solved stimulating tasks (crossword puzzles and the likes) for 10mn
- a control group, in which the participants watched a 10mn clip of Seinfeld

After they participated in the discussion or watched the clip or solved the puzzles, the cognitive functioning of all the participants was assessed. Two tasks were used (for those you are interested: these were a speed of processing task and a working memory task). 

Here is what Ybarra et al. found (see the graph)

People in the intellectual activities group did better in the cognitive tasks than people who merely watched a movie.
… this shows one more time that stimulating your neurons is a great way to boost your performance

People who were in the social group did better in the cognitive tasks than people who merely watched a movie.
…. This is the first time that social interaction is shown to directly CAUSE better cognitive functioning. This is a very exciting result. Remember that participants engaged in discussion for only 10m!

The benefit from social interaction was as great as the benefit from intellectual activities.
What we would like to know next would be whether these types of effects are additional!

Why would social interaction boost brain function?

Ybarra and colleagues offer the following reasoning. Social interaction involves many behaviors that require memory, attention and control. These mental processes are also involved in many cognitive tasks. Thus social interaction would act as a prime, it would “oil” these processes so that they are ready to be used when a cognitive task is to be solved.

This is a tentative explanation that may require some refinement but the results are here! Social interaction seems to benefit the brain. Let’s talk then! And limit TV time…

--- This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Copyright 2008. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area.

The next Learning & the Brain conference edition is April 26-29, 2008, in Cambridge, MA. We recommend it highly for educators interested in learning more about latest brain research findings and implications for teaching. See Detailed program.

Description: Cognitive neuroscience has discovered that the brain is not ‘hardwired’ from birth, but holds a remarkable lifelong power to change—a phenomenon called ‘plasticity.’ Positive or negative environments, exercise, nurturance, learning, and other experiences continue to change the brain throughout life.

These revolutionary findings point to new possibilities for ‘rewiring’ the brain to help overcome learning disorders and to enhance memory, learning, IQ and achievement in all learners.

- Brain-based teaching for children, adolescents and adults
- How stress and early adversity shape brains and later learning
- New insights into reading and math disorders and interventions
- Influences that change the brain and affect learning
- Cutting-edge environments, technology and insights into adult learning
- Techniques for treating mood, ADHD, stress and learning problems
- How the brain can be retrained to improve attention and memory
- The role of brain plasticity in resilience, empathy and teaching
Registration fees: the general registration fees are $525 per person, if you register before April 14th, 2008.

Special Discount for SharpBrains readers: you can register for $495 before that date,  making sure to write
SharpBrains1 in the comments section of How did you hear about the conference? in this Registration Page. 

Our co-Founder Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg will be presenting a couple of panels on cognitive fitness, so make sure to attend his presentations if you end up attending!

Salon.com published yesterday a thought-provoking article focused on Posit Science's Brain Fitness Program, titled Buff Up Your Brain, that combined a) some pretty good analysis and great points about that specific program and justifiable (to a point) criticism of the commercial tone of a recent PBS Special, with b) the error of confusing a tree with the forest, that led the author to make several unwarranted claims regarding the field.

Computerized cognitive training has been around since way before Posit Science, and will be here way beyond Posit Science (and SharpBrains, and Salon.com), and their auditory processing product-featured in the PBS Special- is not, in our view, the most particularly impressive example. Well-directed cognitive exercise can enhance mental skills and transfer to real-life outcomes, acting as a good complementary tool, when used properly, to other lifestyle options and tools.

For example, we read that "At present, the only way a brain fitness program can demonstrate its value is through traditional "neuropsychological testing."" and that "But it isn't easy to create a double-blind study for a computerized brain exercise program."

I suspect the author is not familiar with Dr. Torkel Klingberg's work, for one, summarized in this list of scientific papers: http://www.klingberglab.se/pub.html,

or many of the others mentioned in the End Notes of our recent report, such as

- 4*Willis et al: “Long-Term Effects of Cognitive Training on Everyday Functional Outcomes in Older Adults.” Journal of the American Medical Association. Volume 296, 23: 2805-2814, 2006.
- 6*Green & Bavelier. "Action video game modifies visual selective attention". Nature 423:534-537, 2003.

- 22*Kasten et al. Computer-based training for the treatment of partial blindness. Nature Medicine, 4, 1083–1087, 1998. 

- 23*Cicerone: "Evidence-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation: Updated Review of the Literature From 1998 Through 2002". Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005. Cicerone: "Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation: recommendations for clinical practice." Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2000.

- 24*Olesen et al: Increased prefrontal and parietal brain activity after training of working memory. Nature Neuroscience, 7(1): 75-79, 2004.

- 37*Gopher et al:"Transfer of skill from a computer game trainer to flight", Human Factors 36, 1--19, 1994.
- 38*Hart & Battiste:"Flight test of a video game trainer."Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 26th Meeting (pp. 1291-1295).
- 39*Shebilske et al: "Revised Space Fortress: A validation study". Behavior Research Methods, 37, 591-601. 2005.

Or the ones we review in more detail, from researchers such as John Gabrieli and Karlene Ball.

So, please, let's clarify: are we talking about a tree, or perhaps even several trees, or the forest?

And, when talking about one specific tree, can we please clearly state what tacit hypothesis is being refuted: whether it is  a "general solution" or not (in our view, no program is) or a specific tool, that, like any tool, can be useful in the proper context?

And now, good night!-as we saw recently, sleep is a much needed, inexpensive yet time-consuming, brain fitness program...

A couple related posts

- It is Not Only Cars That Deserve Good Maintenance: Brain Care 101

- 10-Question Program Evaluation Checklist

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We are proud to announce that we now belong to the exclusive Scientific American Partner Network. Scientific American Mind spoke highly of our website last year, so it was only natural (but made us very pleased) that we were invited to join their new blogger network. We remain an independent company, so there will be few obvious changes - mainly some more links between their website and ours and new banner ads administered by Scientific American's great team. 

News

Brain Fitness Software Report: Reviews:  our just released Market Report is earning a growing number of accolades as a must-read publication for executives and investors interested in emerging brain health trends and opportunities.  

Brain Rules- science and practice: molecular biologist John Medina releases a new book to make brain science accessible and relevant to all, and writes a fun article challenging the very existance of classrooms and cubicles.

Health & Wellness

Sleep, Tetris, Memory and the Brain: As part of our ongoing Author Speaks Series, we are honored to present this excellent article by Dr. Shannon Moffett on the importance of sleep.

Relaxing for your Brain's Sake: What stresses you out? Whatever it is, how you respond to it may have more consequences than you think, as researcher Gregory Kellett shows.

Meditation and The Brain: a new study shows that compassion meditation changes the brain (literally).

Products

Nintendo Brain Training and Schools: despite unclear evidence of efficacy, some UK schools seem to be adding Nintendo games in the classroom (the good news is that playing is never bad).

Posit Science & InSight for Visual Processing: Posit Science announces a new program for visual processing training and we have a few questions for it.

Brain Teasers

Boost your visuospatial skills: Dr. Pascale Michelon offers this fun mental rotation challenge.

Events

Two excellent blog carnivals-enjoy these superb editions, and discover many new quality blogs along the way:

-Encephalon Goes to Paris (Hilton) [Of Two Minds]: best of bi-monthly neuroscience and psychology blog posts 

-This Is, Like, Totally Rad Grand Rounds on April 1st, Okay?: best of weekly health and medicine posts