Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Michel Noir has a Ph.D. in Educational Sciences, along with a Master of Political Sciences and a Post-Graduate diploma in Cognitive Psychology. He is the CEO of Scientific Brain Training (SBT).
Bernard Croisile, M.D., Ph.D., is one of France's leading neurologists, specializing in aging and the brain. In addition to his involvement with SBT, Croisile is the head of the Department of Neuropsychology at the Neurological Hospital in Lyons, France.

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BEEF UP Your BRAIN

The BIG BOOK of 301 Brain-Building Exercises, Puzzles, and GamesBy Michel Noir Bernard Croisile

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 HAPPYneuron, Inc.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-07-170058-0

Contents

Introduction

Does Your Brain Need Beefing Up? The human brain is one of the most complex organisms known. When working at optimum levels, it can process loads of data as quickly as a computer. Although a computer's hard drive can ultimately store much more data, our brains can store "data" in ways that a computer never could—instantly recalling how crème brûlée smells, feels, and tastes when this dessert is mentioned. Unfortunately the brain doesn't always remain working at optimum levels ... unless you work on it!

More and more, scientific evidence is proving that our minds don't have to deteriorate as they age. There are preventive measures we can take that will significantly increase the probability of staying mentally and physically fit throughout our lives. This is good news of course, because mental fitness and agility translate to an enhanced quality of life. Physical exercise, good nutrition, social connection with others, and mental stimulation all play important roles in ensuring that our brains remain sharp and agile at any age.

Scientists the world over have been doing research for decades on how some people can stay "with it" while others cannot. The Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, demonstrated recently that older adults could improve their cognitive abilities with proper training and that some of these gains could be maintained several years later. In this experiment conducted by a number of researchers, more than 2,800 adults aged 65 to 94 received training in memory, reasoning, or processing speed. After about ten hours of training, each group improved significantly in the area in which they were trained. Even five years later subjects maintained many of their improvements.

Research on the physical results of thinking hard—as one is bound to do when solving a puzzle—has shown that just using the brain actually expands the links that interconnect brain cells. The more we think, the better our brains function ... regardless of age. The renowned brain researcher Dr. Marian Diamond says, "The nervous system possesses not just a 'morning' of flexibility, but an 'afternoon' and an 'evening' as well." Dr. Diamond found that whether we are young or old, we can continue to broaden our minds. The brain can change at any age.

Other studies reveal that physical health is a key component of mental health, too. According to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, brain power decline can be prevented and possibly even reversed by engaging in regular aerobic exercise. Leading cognitive neuroscientists Art Kramer (U.S. Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois) and Kirk Erickson (University of Pittsburgh) offer a critical evaluation of the large number of studies that show how aerobic exercise and physical activity can be beneficial to the aging brain.

The expression "use it or lose it" applies to muscles in our bodies as well as to neural pathways and connections in our brains. And what is more exhilarating than learning something new at every stage of our lives? Scientists all over the world agree that the evidence is now overwhelming: mentally stimulating lives beef up your brain power. Numerous landmark studies have found that engaging in mentally stimulating activities throughout our lives can help keep our minds sharp. Several of the studies cite participating in challenging, interactive games as one effective method to keep the brain challenged and agile, and several studies look specifically at targeted skills training. That's why we've put together Beef Up Your Brain—every time you do some of the puzzles in this generously portioned book, it's like taking your brain to the gym.

So suit up, and let's get started!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from BEEF UP Your BRAINby Michel Noir Bernard Croisile Copyright © 2010 by HAPPYneuron, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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