Archive for March, 2009
One of the most publicized issues in brain fitness is computer-based training to help you improve your mental functions. Several companies advertise computer software programs to increase brain abilities. Some of these programs are pretty expensive, and when I’ve given talks to consumers I’m often asked whether they’re worth it.
Several studies have shown that computer training can improve mental abilities. It’s not clear that any one program is better than any other. Having worked with a number of these programs, I see some elements in common that I think are likely make them helpful.
Working with computers seems to help people develop sustained attention. When a computer is giving you new tasks like math problems every few seconds, you have to pay close attention for as long as you’re working. Some programs promote sustained attention to what you hear and others do it for what you see. Both modalities may be helpful.
Another cognitive ability that is improved by computer training is processing speed. Processing speed may be a key ability that underlies other mental abilities. We slow down as we age, but training is clearly effective in speeding us up.
One widely-cited study showed that a particular kind of working memory training (dual n-back task) improved performance on a measure of fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence is the kind that declines most drastically with age, so this finding is especially intriguing.
So if you’re interested in maintaining and improving your brain fitness, it makes sense to spend some time every day in computer-based activities that engage your attention and demand that you think quickly. You can use one of the expensive computer packages, but I think you are likely to get similar effects from less expensive and even free programs. See my computer training page for links to computer training programs, with my comments on each. Click here to go to the computer training page.
A study in the March 6 issue of the journal BMJ finds that men who increase their level of physical activity after age 40 had lower risk of death after 35 years. The study was completed in Sweden by researchers at Uppsala University and the Karolinska Institute. The change in mortality still held true in statistical models that included things that might be related to someone exercising, such as smoking, weight, self-reported health, and alcohol use. Those who had the lowest level of physical activity had greater risk of dying over the 35-year follow-up.
The authors studied a group of 2,841 men (yes, men only) who were born between 1920 and 1924 in the area around Uppsala, Sweden. They were followed up on several occasions, the most recent in 2006. At the end of the study, 20% more of the men in the most active group were still alive compared to men in the least active group. Again, this was after controlling for a number of variables that might have also been different in the two groups.
Most interesting to me was how activity levels were defined. The researchers asked participants only four questions. The first asked whether the man spent most of his time reading, watching TV, or engaged in sedentary activities. Persons who answered yes were placed in the lowest activity group. The second question asked whether the man walked or bicycled freqently for pleasure. Persons answering yes to this question were in the middle group. The last two questions asked whether the men participated regularly in sports or other active recreational sport, and whether they engaged regularly in hard physical training. People who answered yes to either of these questions were placed in the high activity group.
People in the lowest activity had the highest chances of dying in the followup period, while those in the middle activity group had an intermediate risk of death. Those in the highest activity level group had the lowest risk of death.
Based on this study, almost any increase in physical activity is probably beneficial. Many other studies have shown that increasing physical activity helps you lose weight, makes it more likely that you’ll quit smoking, and means that you’ll feel better about your health. This study is new in showing that the health benefits of exercise may have effects that last a lifetime.
This article is freely available on the Web at the BMJ site: Click here to view the abstract. You can read the entire article by clicking on the words “Full Text” at the upper left of the page.
In the past few weeks, I’ve talked about managing stress and anxiety. I’m reminded by a study in last week’s British Medical Journal that when it comes to brain fitness, the number one tip may be: exercise regularly.
A number of studies have shown that exercise improves cognitive function in persons over 50. It’s not clear why, exactly, but there are several possibilities. I’ve always been a fan of the idea that getting oxygen in your brain can help it work better. Some studies have shown that exercise stimulates the body’s production of a substance called brain-derived neurotropic growth factor (BDNF). Increases in BDNF may help brain make new connections among nerve cells and may help the existing nerve cells work better.
The new study in the BMJ followed more than 2,000 Swedish men for about 35 years. They were 50 years of age and older in 1970, and then followed at intervals. The men who exercised more frequently were more likely to be alive in 2006 than were those who reported a sedentary lifestyle. This was still true after controlling for things such as weight, diabetes, and smoking. Read more about the study in my health aging blog by clicking here. The full study report is available on the BMJ site. Click here to read it.
Remember to check with you doctor before you begin any exercise program. The American Heart Association, though, has published guidelines for exercise for everyone, including persons 65 years of age or older. Most people can exercise safely, but if you have a chronic health condition you should discuss the type of exercise and its frequency with your doctor.
Positive Science’s brain fitness software is the subject of a paper in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The paper presents results of the IMPACT study, a test of the effects of their software on elders’ cognitive functioning. The study is noteworthy for having been carried out at three sites by reputable scientists, and its design made it a genuine test of the effects of Posit’s program.
For those of you not familiar with Posit’s programs, they are based on key ideas developed by the company’s president Dr. Michael Merzenich. He has argued that it’s possible to change the functioning of the brain through targeted computer training, and the software focuses on key abilities such as the ability to detect rapidly-changing sounds and following lengthy sets of directions. Users of the software are encouraged to use it for about one hour a day, five days a week, for eight weeks.
One of the best things about this study is the control group used by the investigators. People in the control group (the one compared) were asked to do cognitive stimulation activities that are similar to those many people believe might be helpful — viewing an educational video and answering questions about it.
The IMPACT study showed that people who completed the computer-based training did better on outcome measures than the people in the control group. These outcome measures were neuropsychological measures in a battery given to participants both before and after they either used the program or were in the control group.
Statistical analyses showed that people who used the computer program scored better on these measures than the people in the control group. The authors conclude that the program may be helpful.
The differences between the groups were statistically significant, and that’s important for all of us to know. But it’s also important to look at how big the effect of using the program was. One measure, the Auditory Verbal Learning Test or AVLT, showed a significant difference. The AVLT asks someone to remember a list of 15 words. In this study, the people who used the computer program remembered, on average, about six tenths of a word more after using it.
This doesn’t mean the program isn’t useful. This amount of improvement is similar to that seen with some prescription medications used for Alzheimer’s disease, for example, and some people may have done much better than the average. It also doesn’t tell us how much change would occur for people who use the program over longer periods, too. But it seems to me that most people would want a clear idea of how well the program works before investing in it.
With all the uncertainty in the economy, more and more people are asking about how to manage anxiety. Although several types of medications can be helpful in coping with anxiety, some of them (drugs in the group of benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Xanax, and Ativan) can actually have a negative impact on your memory. Other patients whom I see simply don’t want to take medicines for their anxiety. Since anxiety and stress can make your memory worse, managing your anxiety should be near the top of your brain fitness list.
Top ways to manage anxiety without medications:
Find out what you’re anxious about, and do something about it. Many patients have vague anxiety and aren’t quite sure what it’s about. See if you can figure it out. Talk to a friend about how you feel. Sometimes just talking about a problem can help make it clear. Another person’s viewpoint may help you to see a problem in another light.
Exercise. Both aerobic (walking, running, bicycling, swimming) and nonaerobic (weight training) can help you manage anxiety. People usually feel less anxious after exercising. If you aren’t exercising now, check with your doctor to make sure it’s OK to start. Even 10-15 minutes a day of walking can make a difference.
Relax and breathe. Researchers long ago noticed that it’s almost impossible to breathe deeply and feel anxious at the same time. Take 10 minutes twice a day to sit quietly, relax the muscles in your neck and back, and breathe fully. If you do this for a week you’ll feel better.
Meditate. Researchers have shown that almost any kind of meditation improves anxiety. I believe that meditation that helps you develop attentional focus will not only relieve stress and anxiety but also improve your memory. Mindfulness meditation is one form of meditation that is very helpful.
Distract yourself. Sometimes you can’t solve a problem but just have to live with it. Even after you exercise and meditate, you may still have to confront a problem over which you have little control. Try to find things that you enjoy doing that can help give you a break from feelilng anxious. Hobbies can often help people distract themselves. Doing something that is intellectually challenging is also good for your brain health.
Latest
- Brain Fitness and The Mind of a Monk
- Brain Fitness Tip: Training Without a Computer
I saw an interesting blog post yesterday evening on the site of the Huffington Post about the potential benefits of meditation – or at least about what one woman thinks might be the benefits. (more…)
Although many people are excited about the potential for using computers to train their brains, we shouldn’t forget that other techniques have been used to the train the brain for many centuries. I’m thinking about the large number of techniques for meditation. While free computer software still requires an investment in a computer, meditation only asks you to sit or lie quietly and focus your mind.
A recently-published study shows parts of the brain in long-term meditators are larger than the same parts of the brain in people who don’t meditate. The article by Eileen Luders and her colleagues appeared in a recent issue of the journal Neuroimage (Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 672-678, April 15, 2009). The study showed that portions of the orbitofrontal cortex and the hippocampus were larger in persons who had been regular meditators for 5 or more years. The study is interesting because the parts of the brain that were larger are often thought to be important in helping people keep themselves emotionally balanced.
A number of strategies are likely to be helpful for meditators. There has been a great deal of interest over the last several years in mindfulness meditation. Researchers have studied how it can be used in reducing anxiety and depression. Mindfulness is based on Buddhist meditation (for a brief article, click here) but you don’t have to be a Buddhist to practice meditation. In fact, one of the most important persons who has promoted mindfulness is Jon Kabat-Zinn, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts. You can see a video presentation by him on YouTube by clicking here.