What is the Best Brain Exercise?

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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What is the best brain exercise?

This is a question that remains unanswered by current science.  However, one could easily be confused by the competing claims in the growing market of "brain training" programs and exercises.  Importantly, as we describe in this blog from time to time, conversing and socializing both constitute excellent work-outs for the brain involving multiple realms of cognition.

The online version of the Daily Mail ran a story today that referred to an un-cited research study making this same point.  According to the story, researchers in Zurich had performed a review of the published literature on the benefits of brain training and intellectual activities specifically designed to improve cognitive function.  They found that, in many studies, subjects who performed the activity under review performed no better than subjects who were instructed to have a conversation.

I remain optimistic that we will identify brief, pleasurable activities that exercise the brain and improve its function.  However, to date, the best advice is probably to stay socially and intellectually engaged across a wide range of circumstances and topics.

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11 comments :

  1. I play games for my brain activities. lulz

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  2. Interesting.
    I like it. I'll always post in my blog. LOL

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  3. My mom told me playing Farmville is her brain exercise. I don't know if I should take her seriously.

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  4. I think maybe brain-death is the one and only form of not doing brain-exercise!

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  5. http://talentoyoutube.blogspot.com/

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  6. A healthy, active brain can prevent the onset and symptoms that relate to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and the natural process of aging upon memory. Implementing these steps into your daily routine can help keep your mind sharp and active. These will help you maintain your cognitive capacities as you get older.
    1. Use the art of focusing and meditation
    2. If you want to memorize information, mentally repeat it
    3. Summarize the information you’d like to remember
    4. Create acronyms to help you remember details
    5. Create associations

    Read more Carebuzz

    Thank you,
    Carol

    Carebuzz

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  7. Wonderful stuff you've got going on here :)


    Carla,
    Meratol Reviews

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  8. Oh, forgot to ask, can I post this on my blog (giving you credit, obviously)?

    Carla,
    Meratol Review

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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. To Xcorpiao Pirado: please email me the link to your blog at dfortier@braintoday.com

    ReplyDelete