Nov 24, 2008 12:06 am US/Eastern
Brain Workouts Promise A Stronger Mind
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ―
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The highly interactive system throws out a daily mix of puzzles, memory games and math challenges for people at senior living facilities.
CBS
Education may be potent medicine for keeping Alzheimer's disease at bay, according to a study in November's "Archives of Neurology."
Researchers at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that even those with brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's still scored well on cognitive testing if they had higher college education.
Beyond that, anyone can start building brain muscle right now. If a young mind is a sponge, it does not have to mean an adult mind is a leaky bucket.
Dr. Susan McPherson is a neuropsychologist at the University of Minnesota's Center for Memory Research and Care.
She says it may take a senior citizen five to 10 tries to memorize a list of 10 items compared to just two or three tries for a 20-year-old, "but when we come back 20 minutes later, both people remember 80 to 90 percent of what they learned."
Technology is striving to make it easier for us to boost memory. Minnesota's largest non-profit senior service provider, Ecumen, helped test [m]Power by Dakim in a national pilot program.
The highly interactive system throws out a daily mix of puzzles, memory games and math challenges for people at senior living facilities. It remembers each player's skill levels and charts progress. The [m]Power system should be available for home use by next April.
There are software programs like Brain Center America's Neuroactive series for home PCs.
Online subscription services such as Lumosity are popping up as well. A wide variety of entertaining Lumosity games challenge recall and reasoning skills. The company's own research says its cognitive training program significantly improves visual attention and working memory. A company spokesperson says independent, third party research studies are underway.
The process of forging new intellectual pathways in the brain is called neuroplasticity. It can be accomplished in many ways other than high-tech exercises. It can be as simple as learning a new language or taking up a musical instrument.
McPherson says social interaction is also a proven brain booster. Exercise and good nutrition play important roles as well.
McPherson says if your memory concerns involve repeating the same question several times, or a spouse notices you are forgetting important conversations, it is a good time to consult a doctor.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
CBS News Interactive: Healthwatch
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