Exercising the Brain for a Sharper Mind!

To you folks who take a few moments to read my weekly Blog - Many Thanks. It is you who keep me at the keyboard encouraging me to exercise my otherwise lackadaisical mind. It is so easy at my age to think,"Why to bother. I'm wasting my time trying to learn something new at my age!". I reasoned writing a blog each week might be compared to a good workout at the gym. The Blog writing exercises the mind and the gym exercises the body. At least, that is what I would like to believe.

Dr. Norman Doidge's book The Brain that Changes Itself points out that not many years ago, scientists taught that the brain was fixed, leading to the conclusion that any damage was incurable. Modern science now believes the brain has a lifetime ability to change even its own structure. The word on the street is that anything a young brain can do an older brain can do as well. Of course, some of us have to work a little harder!

They call this amazing discovery neuroplasticity. The downside is that it works both ways as our brains are also more vulnerable than we previously thought.

Apparently some companies are developing computer-based cognitive training software 'games'. One ad suggests that the user will be able to "bulk up" their brain power just like muscles at the gym. Now I must admit there is plenty of excitement about these encouraging new insights on brain plasticity.  I hope some day the new knowledge will bring greater hope, especially for those suffering from dementia. Nevertheless, what role games will play is still undecided. A number of prominent experts, in a published article, suggest that 'some claims made by the game developers are exaggerated and misleading.' (The Stanford Letter). As one of the authors said, "You would be better off spending it (money) on a gym membership or a fitness class as these have not been proven".

I admit I tried a few 'brain training' computer games hoping to improve my memory and verbal reasoning skills. I found you learn very quickly, but as the current research suggests, there is probably no long-term improvement. Shucks! 

Obviously, more research needs to be done as no studies have demonstrated that participating in some of these games necessarily changes the brain's plasticity. On the other hand, some of the new rigorous therapies are showing extraordinary improvements.

Google Images

In the meantime, I hope the scientists soon find a way to convince my 'body's plasticity'(!) that I could do without my developing 'pot belly'. The stomach seems to resists every effort to ban it. Apparently, aging male bodies are programmed to include a paunch after a certain age.

In the meantime..

That's Dick's View of the World this Week

Did You Know?  

There are those who suggest we are on the cusp of The Fourth Industrial Revolution and there are those who believe our economy is in a state of stasis. What do you think?