MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'brain memory'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:30:02 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852827&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008095.html 23 years ago Su Meck lost her memories at age 22 from a head trauma. Consider Su Meck. The 45-year-old homemaker from Gaithersburg graduated Friday from Montgomery College with an associate degree in music. It’s the culmination of a life that, in most senses of the word, began at 22. So complete retrograde amnesia can happen in real life. In February 1988, a ceiling fan fell on Meck’s head. The blow erased her memory, and she awoke after a week in a coma with the mental capacity of a young child. She no longer knew her husband or her two baby sons. She barely spoke and could not read or write, walk or eat, dress or drive. Imagine trying to... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852827 Sun, 22 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4852827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450256&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007889.html If you think some unpleasantness could happen to you again you are more likely to remember that unpleasantness in detail. So knowledge that you can avoid a recurrence will make it easier for you to forget some painful episode of your life. WASHINGTON—When people think unpleasant events are over, they remember them as being less painful or annoying than when they expect them to happen again, pointing to the power of expectation to help people brace for the worst, according to studies published by the American Psychological Association. In a series of eight studies exposing people to annoying noise, subjecting them to tedious computer tasks, or asking them about menstrual pain, participants recalled such events as being significantly more negative... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4450256 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4450256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389172&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007848.html Instead of repeatedly rereading the same textbook or other material it is better to get repeatedly tested to enhance memory storage and recall. Put down those science text books and work at recalling information from memory. That's the shorthand take away message of new research from Purdue University that says practicing memory retrieval boosts science learning far better than elaborate study methods. "Our view is that learning is not about studying or getting knowledge 'in memory,'" said Purdue psychology professor Jeffrey Karpicke, the lead investigator for the study that appears today in the journal Science. "Learning is about retrieving. So it is important to make retrieval practice an integral part of the learning process." Educators traditionally rely on learning activities... (Sour... FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389172 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4389172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3998936&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007517.html Learning musical pitch discrimination can be done with half the effort. EVANSTON, Ill. --- Scientists long have recognized that many perceptual skills important for language comprehension and reading can be enhanced through practice. Now research from Northwestern University suggests a new way of training that could reduce by at least half the effort previously thought necessary to make learning gains. The research also may be the first behavioral demonstration of metaplasticity -- the idea that experiences that on their own do not generate learning can influence how effective later experiences are at generating learning. "Prior to our work much of the research into perceptual learning could be summed up as 'no pain, no gain,'" says Beverly Wright, first author of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3998936 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3998936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3961804&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007484.html Benedict Carey of the New York Times surveys what is known about techniques for enhanced learning. Varying your study locations is cited as a technique which has been confirmed by much research. For instance, instead of sticking to one study location, simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention. So does studying distinct but related skills or concepts in one sitting, rather than focusing intensely on a single thing. “We have known these principles for some time, and it’s intriguing that schools don’t pick them up, or that people don’t learn them by trial and error,” said Robert A. Bjork, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Instead, we walk around with all sorts of unexamined... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3961804 Sat, 11 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3961804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933115&cid=t_121317_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F03%2F8-tips-for-improving-your-memory%2F Improving your memory is easier than it sounds. Most of think of our memory as something static and unchanging. But it’s not — you can improve your memory just as you can improve your math or foreign language skills, simply by practicing a few tried and true memory building exercises. There are two kinds of memory — short-term and long-term. Short-term memory is the kind of memory our brain uses to store small pieces of information needed right away, like someone’s name when you meet for the first time. Research has demonstrated that short-term memory’s capacity is about seven pieces of information. After that, something has to go. Long-term memory is for things you don’t need to remember this instant. When you study for a test or exam, that’s long... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3933115 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:18:39 +0100 3933115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822877&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007383.html Choose your daydreams about old memories carefully in order to optimize remembering of recent events. You can also choose your memory recall daydreams to help you forget. When your mind drifts, it's hard to remember what was going on before you stopped paying attention. Now a new study has found that the effect is stronger when your mind drifts farther – to memories of an overseas vacation instead of a domestic trip, for example, or a memory in the more distant past. Daydreaming at all impairs remembering what you are doing. So in the middle of your work day if you are trying to keep track of a lot of facts in a problem or task avoid thinking about who... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822877 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3822877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977245&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006703.html A drug that turns off the nogo receptor 1 blocks long term memory formation in mice. Imagine a drug that did the same thing in humans. It would have all sorts of uses and abuses. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered a mechanism that controls the brain's ability to create lasting memories. In experiments on genetically manipulated mice, they were able to switch on and off the animals' ability to form lasting memories by adding a substance to their drinking water. The findings, which are published in the scientific journal PNAS, are of potential significance to the future treatment of Alzheimer's and stroke. It seems likely that drugs which block long term memory formation will be found. Criminals could use... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977245 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2977245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2594606&cid=t_121317_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FCFYfvqHLgKc%2Fomega-3-for-alzheimers-gets-thumbs-down.html An 18 month Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study showed no evidence that Alzheimer's sufferers benefit from taking DHA supplements (omega 3 fatty acid).Previous animal and observational studies suggested that DHA improves memory. While this might be true in healthy individuals, those suffering from Alzheimer's showed no cognitive benefits.I give my mother 2000 mg of Omega 3 fatty acid each day. We take it to reduce cholesterol and tryglicerides. It seems to work for us as we have both lowered our cholesterol and triglyceride levels according to our blood tests.USA Today has a good article up on this topic, go here to continue reading.To read Omega-3 no match for Alzheimer's go here.Or here to read more about the study and results on the Alzheimer's Reading Room.Subscribe to The Alzheimer'... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2594606 Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:08:15 +0100 2594606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523679&cid=t_121317_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FSheRaRuFLeA%2Fcan-alzheimers-be-cured.html P. Murali Doraiswamy is co-author of the Alzheimer's Action Plan.If I was going to buy one book on Alzheimer's it would be the Alzheimer's Action Plan.I refer to this book often. It sits right on top of my desk. It is an excellent resource. I also refer to the book when I get questions from readers via email.The interview below is concise and answers several of the most frequently asked questions about Alzheimer's diseaseFor more Insight into Alzheimer's DiseaseSubscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading RoomCan Alzheimer's Be Cured?P. Murali Doraiswamy is the head of biological psychiatry at Duke University and is a Senior Fellow at Duke’s Center for the Study of Aging. He’s also the co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan, a guide for patients and family members struggling with the disea... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523679 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:34:24 +0100 2523679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2408700&cid=t_121317_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FJRv2GdngmoI%2Fmental-activity-and-exercise-trial-for.html This study indirectly addresses an issue that is on the mind of many on this list, and the growing number of people related to someone suffering from Alzheimer's -- what can I do to ward off dementia or Alzheimer's.The test are designed to see if exercise and mental activity improve memory in older people. Right now, the only testing location is in San Francisco, Ca (University of California, San Francisco).The researchers are seeking additional funds to lengthen the research period and expand the study. Detailed Description:SPECIFIC AIMS AND HYPOTHESESAim 1: To determine whether a 12-week, computer-based mental activity program improves cognitive function in non-demented, inactive elders.We hypothesize that this mental activity program will improve cognitive function—especially visuosp... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2408700 Fri, 15 May 2009 14:13:25 +0100 2408700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222579&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006000.html News you can use. A Yankee Doodle Dandy has a good memory. Who knew? Doodling while listening can help with remembering details, rather than implying that the mind is wandering... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222579 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2222579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167630&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005940.html Cornell University professors Valerie Reyna and Charles Brainerd find that people do a poorer job of remembering negative experiences. "You may not remember the specifics of what happened to you,... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167630 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2167630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2137598&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005916.html Your memories move around. "It has long been known that older memories are more resistant to hippocampal damage than newer memories, and this was thought to reflect the fact that... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2137598 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2137598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907601&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005651.html In a Plos One paper some Swiss and German researchers report in a paper entitled Sleep Loss Produces False Memories that sleep deprivation at time of retrieval enhanced false memories.... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907601 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1907601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1049143&cid=t_121317_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F190389643%2F Who has not heard "Use It or Lose It". Now, what is "It"? Last week I gave a talk at the Italian Consulate in San Francisco, and one of the areas attendants seemed to enjoy the most was learning what our brains are and how they work, peaking into the "black box" of our minds. Without understanding at least the basics, how can we make good decisions about our own brain health and fitness? Let's review at a glance: The brain is composed of 3 "brains" or main sub-systems, each named after the evolutionary moment in which the sub-system is believed to have appeared. A) Neocortex, or Human Brain, is the most recent area, where we perform high-level thinking and complex integrative tasks. Other mammals do have this part too, but in smaller proportion of... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1049143 Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:30:12 +0100 1049143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1013357&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004765.html "Your honor, I swear my memory of this business deal comes from my medial temporal lobe." Trust your memories from the medial temporal lobe (MTL) of your brain but don't... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1013357 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1013357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=979700&cid=t_121317_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F175003828%2F Context: Last February we had the chance to attend a great conference on how brain research is influencing education. Highly recommended. Caroline wrote our impressions, summarized as "It was a fascinating mix of neuroscientists and educators talking with and listening to each other. Some topics were meant to be applied today, but many were food for thought - insight on where science and education are headed and how they influence each other". See some of our take-aways below. Announcement: the 2008 edition of this conference, titled Using Brain Research to Enhance Learning, Attention & Memory For Educators, Parents and Clinicians, will take place in San Francisco,  on February 7-9th, 2008. The organizers have kindly invited me to deliver a lecture on Interventions to Sha... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=979700 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:22:35 +0100 979700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=821953&cid=t_121317_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F8%2F25%2F1984-has-it-finally-arrived.html  By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D Remember George Orwell’s society, subdued by Big Brother’s complete control of thought and feeling? 1984 came and went, and nothing happened; we dodged the bullet. Or did we? Memories… “I cannot but remember such things were, That were most precious to me” Macbeth, William Shakespeare. One of the fondest memories of my youth is dancing a tango called “memories” (I’m giving away my age) in a sidewalk café on the Mediterranean coast on a warm summer evening. Strange what our brain chooses to retain forever…Even stranger is what experiences most of us forget, while others remember forever. I am talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, which many of us participating in the horrors of war ... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=821953 Sat, 25 Aug 2007 06:12:29 +0100 821953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=638061&cid=t_121317_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004267.html New neurons continually formed in the brain from neural stem cells are more plastic and probably enhance learning abilities. The steady formation of new brain cells in adults may represent... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=638061 Wed, 23 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 638061