Researchers in Ireland have found that brain exercises in the form of rote memorization of poems, articles, and short stories leads to memory improvement.

The study was done on healthy adults aged between 55 and 70. They underwent six weeks of intensive brain exercises involving rote memorization of a newspaper articles or poems of 500 words, followed by six weeks of rest.

Interestingly, the improvement was not seen immediately. When the study participants were tested 6 weeks later, however, a clear improvement in verbal and episodic memory was noted.

Furthermore, changes were actually detected in the hippocampus via high tech brain scans called Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS).

Dr. Richard Roche, a co-author of the study from the Department of Psychology at National University of Ireland in Maynooth:

The brain is like a muscle that should be exercised through the retirement years as a defense against dementia, cognitive lapses and memory failure

You can read more about the rote memory training study here. For an earlier smartkit article that discusses how brain training exercises can improve memory and cognitive function, click here.

For computer software that can enhance cognitive function, check out this review of  Mindfit  

[Reference: McNulty, J,. Paul Brennan, M.D., Colin P. Doherty, M.D., D. McMackin, M.D., S. Sukumaran, M.D., I.H. Robertson, Ph.D., M.A. Mangaoang, Ph.D., S.M. O'Mara, D.Phil., Sinead L. Mullally, Ph.D., J. Hayden, B.A., J. Prendergast, B.Sc., and M. Fitzsimons, Ph.D.. The Identification of Neurometabolic Sequelae Post-learning Using Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Presented November 26 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)]

Share This Post:

It is commonly said that "elephants never forget". From the website Elephant Voices:

Based on the evidence available, elephants seem to remember for years other individuals and places and learned skills. In experimental trials involving a large set of visual symbols and acoustic tones or commands captive elephants show exceptional ability to learn and retain information over long periods. Accounts by practised observers indicate that elephants are able to remember the voices (and perhaps scents) o individual people for over 12 years

How to explain this phenomenon? Recently came across some interesting research out of Caltech that looked at elephant brains with MRI technology:

The elephant has an unusually large and convoluted hippocampus compared to primates and especially to cetaceans.( MRI image above comes from the John Allman Lab at the California Institute of Technology).

In humans and other mammals, the hippocampus is the brain structure largely responsible for memory formation.

Within 5-8 years, I suspect neuroimaging technology will be far enough advanced that a quick 5 minute human brain scan will be able to assess hippocampal anatomy & connectivity, and rate a person’s:

1. Natural ability to memorize various pieces of information (semantic, episodic, procedural, etc…)
2. Susceptibility to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia- decades before actual memory impairment sets in

On a further note regarding elephant intelligence, a recent study [Reference below] reveals that elephants can recognize themselves in mirrors- a sign of self-awareness.

To date, only 3 other animals have shown themselves capable of this task:

• humans
• dolphins
• apes

Reference: Plotnik JM, de Waal FBM, Reiss D. Self-recognition in an Asian elephant. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Nov 7;103(45):17053-7

Share This Post:

The neurologic theory of Consolidation states that things you learn during the day are etched more permanently down in memory at night while you sleep. In other words, sleep plays a major role in learning and memorizing.

New proof of this process comes from researchers out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who recently published their work in the December 18th issue of Nature Neuroscience.

The research basically shows that the hippocampus, which initially records information while awake, rewinds and replays its stored data at night and passes it along to the neocortex while you’re sleeping . The neocortex is thought to be the long-term home of memories, and is also the place where higher order thinking takes place.

So basically, no sleep, no transfer of knowledge to long-term memory.

And if you’re not getting a full 8-10 hours of sleep per night, you’re probably shortchanging your true learning potential.

Share This Post:

Snoring can be one of the signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a relatively common disease that affects children and adults. There’s been quite a bit of press lately about it- and for good reason: sleep apnea, which tends to be greatly underdiagnosed, can have a tremendous affect on your brain power.

Furthermore, unlike many neurologic conditions, it is usually easy to treat. Patients are usually prescribed a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask to wear at night over their nose.

[above picture taken from the Mayo Clinic Website)

A new study out of Brown University Medical School looked at how memory ability faired with CPAP usage.

• Of those who used it less than 2 hours per night (i.e., poorly compliant), 21% had normal memory function
• Of those who used it 2-6 hours per night, 44% had normal memory function
• Of those who used it more than 6 hours per night (optimal treatment, compliant), 68% had normal memory function

“Patients with OSA often complain of daily forgetfulness, e.g., losing their keys, forgetting phone numbers, or forgetting to complete daily tasks,” said senior study author Mark S. Aloia, PhD, who published his research in the December issue of the medical journal Chest. “Where memory is concerned, we may have the ability to reverse some of the impairments by providing effective and consistent use of CPAP treatment.”

Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that compliance is an issue, as many patients don’t get used to the CPAP machine and find it intrusive.

You may want to read an earlier post about how sleep apnea can:

• Damage the hippocampus- one of the main memory centers of the brain, and also
• Lower children’s IQ test scores

Another post discusses how enlarged tonsils can lead to sleep apnea, which in turn can lead to ADHD in children.

For a list of sleep apnea symptoms and associated features, click here.

Share This Post:

Reading through the latest issue of Neurology Today, came across some interesting tidbits on how beneficial exercise can be for your brain:

• As mentioned in earlier posts, exercise leads to the creation of new brain cells in the hippocampus (the memory engine of the brain)
• A study from the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that seniors who exercise three or more times per week were 60 percent less likely than their sedentary counterparts to develop dementia during the course of the six-year study
• Dr. Muriel Koehl and colleagues from the University of Bordeaux now believe that beta-endorphin, which is released during exercise, may play a pivotal role in regulating new brain cell growth. Endorphins are morphine like chemicals in the brain that mediate pleasure.
• A study from Neurology found that vigorous exercise in youth reduced the risk of Parkinson’s disease in men by 60 percent.

Share This Post:

In an earlier post, I mentioned how a large amount of new research shows that chronic stress plays a major role in destroying the memory engine (hippocampus) of your brain.

Additionally, I’ve also pointed out how many studies now implicate stress as playing a major role in:

• Diabetes
• Atherosclerosis (which leads to heart attacks and strokes)
• Cancer

Now new studies suggest it actually causes premature aging of your immune system. From a recent article in Forbes:

Research suggests that stress can shorten the chunks of DNA at the tips of chromosomes in cells, making it harder for them to work properly, according to the Elissa Epel, a psychologist at the University of California at San Francisco. The bits of DNA “are like the plastic caps on the ends of our shoelaces. They prevent the ends from fraying,” she said.

Share This Post: