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 teasers'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:31:22 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984731&cid=t_152996_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FVWUYzDz3gtM%2F I have spent many years working on my health and my happiness. I learned early on how my thoughts and my mind can affect every experience I have. Therefore I began researching and learning about the health of my mind and how I could use my mind to benefit my life and my overall happiness. I figured there are enough obstacles to deal with out there in the big world and I didn’t want to be sabotaging myself from within. There are several different factors that affect health and happiness including nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, stress, family and career. However the one big factor that in my experience often gets overlooked is the health of the mind. It seemed to me that in order to create and maintain a healthy and happy life the work must begin with the mind. Your thoughts are extremely... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984731 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 04:57:09 +0100 4984731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883743&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FHmvYXZVd7PY%2F The use of a variety of brain training interventions is growing in the area of mental health. Emerging evidence suggests that in the near future targeted brain training may even be used to prevent substance abuse. For example, training working memory may reduce sub­stance abusers’ discounting of long-term rewards and punishments — such discounting is one of the reasons why people susceptible to addictions do not benefit from traditional informational/ educational approaches to drug prevention. Let’s explore some expanding applications of brain training, and much more, in this latest edition of the monthly Sharp­Brains eNewslet­ter. Brain Training and Mental Health ADHD: Brain Training, Neurofeedback, Diet, and More: What can be done to fight ADHD and improve the lives of peo­pl... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883743 Tue, 31 May 2011 11:04:42 +0100 4883743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841736&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F5QrUzR8vQNE%2F Laughing feels good. Laughing is indeed good in most cases. A good belly laugh amounts to an aerobic exercise as your blood pressure and heart rate increase, your breathing changes and your diaphragm contracts. Laughing has also been shown to boost the immune system and reduce stress. Laughing is thus good for your brain! Here are two fun ways to take a further look at laughter and the brain : Listen to these laughs and decide whether it is a human or a computer laughing. Try this to find out how much you are stressed. You may be surprised… Enjoy! (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841736 Tue, 17 May 2011 18:59:52 +0100 4841736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4768119&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FB-OzoNkj7bM%2F This article by Greater Good Magazine discusses how med­i­tat­ing can increase the den­sity of gray mat­ter in brain regions asso­ci­ated with mem­ory, stress, and empa­thy.  The Benefits of a One-Time Cognitive Training Program: They last but wane over time as shown in the 3-month follow-up results of the IMPACT study. Can Direct Brain Stimulation Boost Performance? The answer seems to be yes, according to three studies using different types of electrical/magnetic brain stimulation. How the Brain of a Blind Person Rewires Itself: The brain areas devoted to vision in peo­ple with eye sight turn out to be respond­ing to speech in blind people. How are Young Brains Affected by Stress? An interesting article from the Dana Foundation on the consequences of early l... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4768119 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:00:18 +0100 4768119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753831&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F2Ie6h3vlNCc%2F Ready to see how well you can remember random words or, more difficult, names? Click here to test your brain. You will also be able to check your mental speed with a reaction time test. All 3 exercises will give you an idea of where you are at compared to other people of the same age. To improve your performance, you may want to read this post before trying the games: How can I improve concentration and memory? Enjoy. Hope your brain surprises you! (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753831 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:55:01 +0100 4753831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605930&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FmomsnzcNFt4%2F Neurons in the brain transmit information by exchanging electrical and chemical signals. What would happen if these electrical signals were transformed by applying an external current? Could this help boost brain functions? In this article, Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is reported to help people solve brain-teasers. In the study weak currents altered the activity of neurons in the anterior temporal lobes through electrodes on the scalp. Read more In this other article another technique was used: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS works by generating a magnetic field that passes the scalp and the skull. In the study an exploratory use of TMS combined with cognitive training was tested for a few months on 8 Alzheimer’s patients. The results were promising. Read ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605930 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:39:52 +0100 4605930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532379&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FsdlqkXmDu3M%2F This study supports that patients with vit­a­min D defi­ciency show an increased risk of cog­ni­tive decline. Baby Sleeps and Brain Development: How much sleep a 12 month old baby gets can influ­ence the devel­op­ment of his/her exec­u­tive func­tions. PTSD: Can we Disrupt the Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories? A discussion of the dif­fer­ent tech­niques used/ under research that can help PTSD patients. ; Books and Summit Updates Visual Illusions in Art and Science: These surprising classic illusions illustrate how art and magic can help science in undertansing how we perceive the world around us. 2011 SharpBrains Summit Agenda: You can now view the latest Agenda for the whole Summit and a 3-minute clip to learn how the SharpBrains Virtual Sum­mit: Retooling Brai... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532379 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:07:18 +0100 4532379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522189&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FEu6bR1jN2O4%2F Here is a fun and interactive version of the famous Stroop test. This test is used in neu­ropsy­cho­log­i­cal eval­u­a­tions to mea­sure men­tal speed and flex­i­bil­ity, the hallmarks of executive functions. Performing well on the test requires strong atten­tion and self-regulation. Your job is to name the colors of the words. Do NOT read the words but the color of the ink used to write the words. For example, if the word “GREEN” is printed in a red color, you should say “RED” (and refrain from saying “GREEN”!) Speed matters so try to say the colors as fast as you can. A nice feature here: You will be able to record your reaction times. Ready to have fun? GO (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522189 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:16:23 +0100 4522189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460053&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F2HoNJkXp0Bo%2F CONCLUSION In terms of the first hour or so of play, users in this age group will be most motivated to engage with mobile brain training game technology when it’s perceived as providing a good challenge, of some practical benefit and is in some way familiar. Users will see usability issues, poor communication from the game and games that are inappropriately timed, i.e. too fast, as barriers to engagement. You can help us further understand what constitutes an enjoyable puzzle game experience for seniors by downloading the free iPhone app and participating in the next study. – Donal O’Brien is a PhD candidate at the Sonic Arts Research Centre in Queen’s University Belfast. His work is concerned with mobile digital game design and evaluation for seniors. His main interests are ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460053 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:23:12 +0100 4460053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4414580&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fg8dy8I7Q0iI%2F Memory is more complex that we usually think. Cognitive sciences have identified different memory systems, each supported by different brain regions. One major difference is between long-term and short-term memory (also called working memory). Long-term memory is an unlimited storage of memories dating as far back as you can remember to a few minutes ago. For instance, when you remember your first day in high-school or what you said to your colleague two minutes ago, you are using your long-term memory system. This system depends mostly on parts of the temporal (in blue here) and frontal (in green) regions of the brain. Short-term or working memory is a limited storage used to briefly keep the information needed for the task at hand. For instance, when you keep in mind a phone number while... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4414580 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:59:52 +0100 4414580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411617&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fg8dy8I7Q0iI%2F Memory is more complex that we usually think. Cognitive sciences have identified different memory systems, each supported by different brain regions. One major difference is between long-term and short-term memory (also called working memory). Long-term memory is an unlimited storage of memories dating as far back as you can remember to a few minutes ago. For instance, when you remember your first day in high-school or what you said to your colleague two minutes ago, you are using your long-term memory system. This system depends mostly on parts of the temporal (in blue here) and frontal (in green) regions of the brain. Short-term or working memory is a limited storage used to briefly keep the information needed for the task at hand. For instance, when you keep in mind a phone number while... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411617 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:59:52 +0100 4411617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4304984&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FMS2qn5Ph1As%2F Here is a news digest on brain training to start your stimulating New Year: Brain training games: Do they work? This piece explores the world of computerized brain training software: Who uses them? Are they worth the expense? You can also check out Sharpbrains Program Evaluation checklist to learn about the 10 ques­tions to ask when choosing a brain fit­ness pro­gram. Protect your brain: The new issue for athletes. Learn more about ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), the computerized clinical report which is quickly becoming the norm for high schools and colleges in determining an athlete’s cognitive brain function. For basic information on concussions and concussion-types sport-related damages, click here. Brain training: What’s the “true” pic... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4304984 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:49:57 +0100 4304984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4304985&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FJbWvY_pJnhI%2F Think we all have dif­fer­ent tastes where beauty is con­cerned? Well, cog­ni­tive psy­chol­ogy shows us that an aver­age face (made from sev­eral other faces) is almost always judged as more attrac­tive than its con­stituent faces… Why? It may be for the sim­ple rea­son that an aver­age face is closer to the men­tal idea we have of a pro­to­typ­i­cal face and thus eas­ier for the brain to process. Want to expe­ri­ence it? Fol­low this link to the the Face Research Lab and cre­ate your own aver­age faces. Enjoy. Happy stim­u­lat­ing New Year to you! (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4304985 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:43:45 +0100 4304985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287502&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FzYaMfnKw5AM%2F Reaction time is the time it takes to react to something. It can be considered as an index of your speed of processing: It shows how fast you can execute the mental operations needed by the task at hand. Reaction Time is a basic measure used in many psychology studies. Participant are most often asked to push a button when done with the task, which can be as varied as detecting an object, memorizing a word, or identifying an emotion. As brain processing is quite fast, reaction times are usually measured in milliseconds (a thousandth (1/1000) of a second). What is your average Reaction Time? Ready to try? Click here to start. Fun twist: Try before and after your Christmas dinner! Merry Christmas from the SharpBrains Team (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287502 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:34:47 +0100 4287502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249144&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FxAEgL8C2KQY%2F The frontal lobes of the brain (in gray here) have been compared to an orchestra conductor, ­influencing, directing, and moderating many other brain functions. Indeed, the frontal lobes support the so-called executive functions: decision-making, problem-solving, planning, inhibiting, as well as other high-level functions (social behavior, emotional control, working memory, etc.). Ready for an executive workout? The functions of the frontal lobes are crucial for work and life in general. How can we preserve and enhance these functions? Research tells us that cognitive or brain reserve (i.e., the brain’s resilience to pathology) can be increased by mental exercise. Mental exercise has to be challenging (to trigger the formation of new synapses and neurons) and repeated (a single teaser wi... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249144 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:48:25 +0100 4249144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214311&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F_hBTJuht35c%2F Over the last four years we have posted over 100 puzzles, teasers, riddles, illusions, and every form of mental exercise that both challenges and enlightens our minds. Below you have a selection of the ten most popular ones among SharpBrains readers. Enjoy! Top Ten Brain Teasers and Games for Kids and Adults alike 1. Can you count?: Basketball attention experiment (Interactive). 2. Which way is the bus heading?. 3. Words in your brain: do you know where words are “stored” in your brain?. 4. Please Spot the Differences. 5. Do you think you know the colors?: Quick, try the Stroop Test. 6. Clinically proven Stress Management tip. 7. Riddle for the Whole Brain: The Blind Beggar. 8. What is going on with these pictures?. 9. Puzzles Teasers for the Weekend: a few challenges to ex... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214311 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:51:17 +0100 4214311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214312&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fb9JuzFV0A6s%2F These fantastic pictures by Carl Schoonover in “Portraits of the Mind: Visualizing the Brain from Antiquity to the 21st Century” will have 2 effects on your brain: 1) stimulate the neurons in your occipital lobes (as you know, the part at the back of your  brain that is devoted to vision) and 2) activate your reasoning skills as you reflect on what the mind is… See more photos here. (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214312 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:34:16 +0100 4214312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214314&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FDez2pHrB7PU%2F Everyone these days is talking about education and testing reform, but why is relevant brain research often ignored? Which organ if not the brain does the learning and teaching part? Renowned educator and brain expert Dr. Robert Sylwester shares his recommended Top Brain Books for Educators and Learners to help inform the conversation. A must read! Save the Date: the 2011 SharpBrains Summit, the second edition of our annual industry and research conference, will take place virtually from March 28th to March 31st 2010. Details will follow soon. Without further ado…please enjoy the November edition of our monthly eNewsletter: Research Bites Football and brain damage: In high-contact sports such as football, even hits not lead­ing to con­cus­sions can affect the brain. How to take o... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214314 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:33:36 +0100 4214314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183396&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fmiilgyg-0P8%2F When I give a presentation about brain health and fitness, there are always a few people who come tell me afterward that they do crossword puzzles everyday. They heard that mental exercise is good for the brain so they are pleased and proud to report that they do the best they can to maintain their brain functions. But are they really? What if I was a gym instructor? Would the same people tell me proudly that to keep their whole body in shape they do biceps movements everyday, and that’s all they do? I DO feel like I was this gym instructor when I hear the crossword puzzles claim! Solving crossword puzzles repetitively is not the best habit for two reasons. First, the first crossword puzzles one did were truly stimulating but the marginal value declines with repetition. You may remember ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183396 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:09:00 +0100 4183396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119372&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FB0tuOcj_dkI%2F Visual illusions are fun and interesting: They can tell us a lot about our brain. The brain has two hemispheres, each divided into four lobes. Each lobe is responsible for different functions. For instance the frontal cortex (in blue here) is responsible for decision making and planning; the temporal lobe (in green) for language and memory; and the parietal lobe (in yellow) for attention and spatial skills. The occipital lobe (in red) is entirely devoted to vision: It is thus the place where visual illusions happen. The frontal lobe represents 41% of total cerebral cortex volume; the temporal lobe 22%; the parietal lobe 19%; and the occipital lobe 18%. There is thus a huge part of our brain devoted to processing visual information. How the visual system processes shapes, colors, sizes, etc... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119372 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:02:00 +0100 4119372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013346&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FiVuc_6nKUho%2F Are you familiar with mental rotation? As the name indicates it refers to moving things around in your head. It is one of the numerous visuospatial skills that humans have. Let’s take an exam­ple. Can you pic­ture in your head an arrow point­ing to the right? Now, turn this arrow so it points to the left. Done? You have just per­formed a men­tal rota­tion. Although it is rare to consciously imagine objects moving, peo­ple automatically use this abil­ity when they read maps, use tools, play chess, arrange fur­ni­ture, drive in traf­fic, etc. Men­tal rota­tion relies mostly on the pari­etal areas of your brain (yellow sec­tion in the brain image above). Here is a brain exer­cise to stim­u­late your men­tal rota­tion skills. The top shape is your model. Among the 3 ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013346 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:43:13 +0100 4013346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907690&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F2Ucn0GO8ZUs%2F How often do you listen to the office gossip while filling in forms? Or read a document while talking on the phone with a client? Or think about your problems at work while helping your child with his homework? We are constantly assaulted by lots of information and often required to perform several tasks at once. It is not easy to stay focused. However being able to stay focused is crucial to achieve success. Indeed, if you are listening to the office gossip while filling in forms, you will probably make mistakes. If you try to read a document while talking on the phone with a client, you will probably sound distant and uninterested to your client and may not get the contract you expected to get. If you think about your problems at work while helping your child with his homework, you will ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907690 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:28:11 +0100 3907690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790798&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F1ozO8acVTn4%2F Quick note: Yahoo! has created an expanded section with optical illusions and brain teasers, and we were glad to contribute to it. You can enjoy it Here. Once you are done, you can find many more brain teasers here. (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790798 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:02:19 +0100 3790798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706638&cid=t_152996_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F185764%2F Coffee may prevent Alzheimer’s, but what’s the catch? According to a story yesterday on NPR’s Morning Edition, researchers recorded improvements in lab mice with Alzheimer’s, but only if the critters got a ton of caffeine. Theoretically, the human equivalent would mean drinking at least five cups of regular coffee every day, but at this point these findings are inconclusive. So keep doing your crossword puzzles. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706638 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:19:26 +0100 3706638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3656811&cid=t_152996_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-stuttering-be-contagious%2F2010.06.12 Recently I was seeing a patient who was left with somewhat of a stutter after a prior stroke. It was a long history and probably longer for the patient, who had to work very hard to be understood through an unwanted speech impediment. Inexplicably, when I walked out of the room I started to stutter, too – I wasn’t trying to make light of the patient’s problem, and I had to stop talking for a few moments before I could speak in my normal cadence.  It was super-strange, like my brain heard the new cadence and said “Oh, that’s how you do it.”  Awful. It was embarrassing and weird. Fortunately the patient didn’t hear it, and I apologized to the staff who did. I have no idea why my mouth-brain connection picked that anomaly to repeat. Strange. Anyone el... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3656811 Sat, 12 Jun 2010 20:00:38 +0100 3656811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3044879&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F2wBLXqKGsKE%2F Discussion on the future of computerized cognitive behavioral therapy; United BioSource acquires Cognitive Drug Research; innovative partnership between Navigenics and Posit Science; new research on brain impact of Tetris; how a drop in visual skills may precede Alzheimer’s Disease;  excellent report by the National Academies for the US Army available for free now. Brain Teaser Who will you believe, me or your own eyes? discover the 3 Winners of the 2009 Best Visual Illusion of the Year Contest. Neuroscientists Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik, who help organize the contest, will give a fun demo on Magic and the Brain at SharpBrains Summit, to discuss the limits of human perception and cognition. Enjoy the final month of 2009! (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3044879 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:30:59 +0100 3044879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2943946&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FL4Vkd6TGdG4%2F Here you have the October edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, using the box at the top of this page. We recently run an online survey among subscribers of our monthly eNewsletter, and over 500 people said we have helped them make better personal or professional decisions on how to maintain and improve brain fitness. Most gave very illuminating examples, which we are reading and enjoying as we speak. Respondents also had many good questions to ask, so I have selected 15 common ones, paraphrased/ synthesized them below, and answered them by linking to our most relevant posts and resources. I hope you enjoy the FAQ session. Q: I teach a brain fitness class at my librar... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2943946 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:32:09 +0100 2943946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2904997&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FL4Vkd6TGdG4%2F We recently run an online survey among subscribers of our monthly eNewsletter, and over 500 people said we have helped them make better personal or professional decisions on how to maintain and improve brain fitness. Most gave very illuminating examples, which we are reading and enjoying as we speak. Respondents also had many good questions to ask, so I have selected 15 common ones, paraphrased/ synthesized them below, and answered them by linking to our most relevant posts and resources. I hope you enjoy the FAQ session. Q: I teach a brain fitness class at my library/ senior center/ school, using much of your info. Can you share some of your presentations? A: Yes, we have just decided to share, using a Creative Commons Attribution No Derivatives License, the full presentation of my recen... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2904997 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:32:09 +0100 2904997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511976&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F_61B2ooGmnw%2F Given the whole distracting "controversy" of whether Nintendo Brain Age "works" or not, I have started to use the following "brain teasers" in my talks in order to help the audience gain a more useful perspective of what is going on. They worked great both in the Medicare Readmissions Summit in DC a few weeks ago, and at the Games for Heath Conference last week. Q: How many soldiers in the US Army have gone through computerized cognitive testing before being deployed, and why? A: Over 150,000, in order to establish an objective starting baseline and identify potential PTSD and TBI problems upon their return Q: How big is the ongoing investment by OptumHealth, a division of UnitedHealth Group (UNH), in developing computerized cognitive assessments to inform cli... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511976 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:07:33 +0100 2511976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2474483&cid=t_152996_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F12%2Ffriday-fun-time-im-playing-with-your-mind%2F Feels good, doesn’t it? The last day of the week, winding down for a weekend of relaxation, family, all that good stuff… To help you prepare I’ve found some fun mind stuff just to keep you on your toes until the end of the working day! First up: think you have a good brain? Feel like testing it? Cognitive Fun has a whole lot of great cognitive tests to tickle your fancy. See how well you can recognise musical intervals, visual memory, the Eriksen Flanker test (no, it has nothing to do with ball handling skills), spatial working memory – oh the list goes on. You can make up a (free) account, and come back to test your skills, as well as check your results against the collected results of others who have whiled away their last working hours on these clever games. For... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2474483 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:27:19 +0100 2474483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382640&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FqaQH2_3wovU%2F Here you have the April edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, using the box at the top of this page. We are excited to release our 2009 market report The State of the Brain Fitness Software Market 2009. To be formally released on May 4th but available now for our clients and readers, this report aims to inform decision-makers at healthcare, insurance, research, public policy, investment and technology organizations about important developments in the brain fitness and cognitive health space. 2009 Market Report The State of the Brain Fitness Software Market 2009: This new 150-page report finds sustained growth in the brain fitness software market (from $225m in 2007 t... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382640 Fri, 01 May 2009 13:53:07 +0100 2382640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347890&cid=t_152996_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fhealthbolt-funtimes-word-play%2F Have you heard about The Mensa Invitational ? It’s a ‘play on words’  list that’s been floating around the internet and emails for a few years now. image from sxc.hu Each of the words that have had a single letter added, deleted, or to create a new word with a humorous meaning. Here’s the list so far… Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfort... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347890 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:29:57 +0100 2347890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2320463&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FDJUyXt6ocL8%2F Learning can be incidental. We all memorize facts without paying much attention to these facts or without willing to memorize them. However, when one really wants to memorize a fact, it is crucial to pay attention. Many studies have shown that compared to full attention conditions, dividing attention during study time leads to poor memory performance. This exercise will help you practice focusing your attention. It may seem easy but make sure you count twice! Count the number of “Y” in this text: Yesterday, Lucy went all the way to Boston. She wanted to buy new shoes. She had to go in many shops before she found the shoes she wanted. She was happy to stop at a restaurant to have some tea and cookies before she took the train back home. Count the number of “E” in this text: Last sum... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2320463 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:19:54 +0100 2320463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2273744&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FVHbJTIaDVM4%2F Reminder: 2009 Brain Awareness Week started today. You can find excellent resources and a calendar of events, Here. Next time you are in a public space (perhaps now you are at home, as I am as I write these lines), look left, look in front, look right. Perhaps you can see someone who would benefit from the awareness that he or she is endowed with that wonderful, unique, organ! (Note: don't watch TV, or you will spend your day calling all those 1-800 numbers...) And, of course, what a better week to read some of our Neuroscience Interviews, discover a new brain book, and try a Brain Teaser?  awareness, Books, brain, brain awareness week, brain teaser, Brain teasers, interviews, neuroscience, organ (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2273744 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:02:18 +0100 2273744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2151002&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sharpbrains.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F02%2F01%2Fupdate-learning-about-learning-more-on-brain-age%2F Here you have the January edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. Bird's Eye View Brain fitness heads towards its tipping point: How do you know when something is moving towards a Gladwellian tipping point? When health insurance companies and public policy makers launch significant initiatives. Dr. Gerard Finnemore provides a market overview, based on SharpBrains' client webinar held last December. Ten Reflections on Cognitive Health and Assessments: Here are 10 highlights from several stimulating January events:?? Symposium on Adaptive Technology for the Aging (by Arizona State University), Health Bloggers' Summ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2151002 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:18:41 +0100 2151002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160941&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F531109481%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area. Brain games, brain teaser puzzles, France, frontal lobes, Greece, improve memory, logic puzzle, logical skills, memory, mind teasers, proverbs, South Africa, temporal lobes, usa (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160941 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:08:18 +0100 2160941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2079029&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F493454114%2F Here you have SharpBrains' 30 most popular articles, ranked by the number of people who have read each article in 2008. Please note that, since the first article already includes most of our most popular brain teasers, we have excluded teasers from the rest of the ranking. (If those 50 are not enough for you, you can also try these brain teasers). --- Blog Channel Article Brain teasers 1. Top 50 Brain Teasers and Games to Test your Brain It is always good to stimulate our minds and to learn a bit about how our brains work. Here you have a selection of the 50 Brain Teasers that people have enjoyed the most. Health & Wellness 2. The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains Let's review some good lifestyle options we can follow to maintain, and improve, our vibrant brains. My fa... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2079029 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:55:23 +0100 2079029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1992276&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F465573115%2F Here you have the November edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest, attention and participation in our SharpBrains community. As always, we appreciate your comments and suggestions. Summit of the Global Agenda How can we persuade business leaders, policy-makers and researchers of the urgency to develop and promote an integrated "Healthy Living" agenda focused on maintaining lifelong physical and cognitive health, vs. the usual mindset focused on dealing with specific diseases and problems once they arise? In The Future of the Aging Society: Burden or Human Capital?, I summariz... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1992276 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:41:47 +0100 1992276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1969863&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F455956914%2F Over the last 2 years we have posted close to 100 puzzles, teasers, riddles, and every kind of form of mental exercise (including lengthy interviews with top neuroscientists!).Which ones have proven most stimulating (of the puzzles and teasers, not the interviews)? Well, we could answer that question in a variety of ways, but I'd suggest this metric: by averaging two ranks for each of the brain teasers: the rank for the number of comments left, and the rank for total traffic received. Without further ado...here you have: Top 15 Brain Teasers and Games for Mental Exercise 1. Can you count?: Basketball attention experiment (Interactive). 2. Which way is the bus heading?. 3. Words in your brain: do you know where words are "stored" in your brain?. 4. Please Spot the Differences. 5.... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1969863 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:38:56 +0100 1969863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1915410&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F433602787%2F You may have already seen that our Teasers section contains not only our selection of Top 50 Brain Teasers and Games, but also a regularly updated page with latest Games for the Brain. Below you have the brain games and teasers we have added in 2008 so far. Ready? - October 2008: Top Brainy Haikus. Yours?. - September 2008: What is going on with these pictures?. - September 2008: 7 Brainteasers for Job Interviews. - August 2008: Can you use mental self rotation to read a map?. - August 2008: Spot the Differences! how many are there?. - July 2008: Top 25 Brain and Mind Haikus. Yours?. - June 2008: Consider Linda's job prospects. - June 2008: Spot the Difference for a frontal/ occipital/ parietal workout - May 2008. Word game: stimulate your temporal lobe. - April 2008. Your Haiku, Please... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1915410 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:03:35 +0100 1915410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1853992&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F411408487%2F Thank you to everyone who has written so many fun haikus over the summer (following the post Top 25 Brain and Mind Haikus. Yours?). These are the 10 I have enjoyed the most: (Also, Can you write a haiku describing anything crossing your mind now? Remember the simple rules: write 3 lines, which don't need to rhyme, containing 5,7, and 5 syllables. You can leave your haiku as a comment below for extra points...) ----- Top 10 Brainy Haikus - enjoy! - Amit: Love, college, career. A new world of transitions. Will I survive? Yes. - Kathy: My release technique, Forgive, forget, love all, Meditate on that! - Alan: Through the microscope, slice of brain stains pink and blue, the wonder of thought. - Justin: Justin the genieus Must spell check the word genius to post this Haiku - Tim: writing quick... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853992 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:02:25 +0100 1853992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1845423&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F407729982%2F Here you have the twice-a-month newsletter with our most popular blog posts. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. Quick, Are videogames good or bad? That's an impossible question. Good or bad for what? What  specific games are we talking about? More importantly, what are they substituting for, given time is a limited resource?  Contributor Jeremy Adam Smith, managing director of Greater Good magazine, offers an in-depth review on the trade-offs videogames present in: Playing the Blame Game. News Round-Up Math Innovation in UK Schools: a recent (and unpublished) study seems to support the potential role for "Serious Games" in education. Learning and Teaching Scotland reports signific... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1845423 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:01:38 +0100 1845423 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1816187&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F399010221%2F A recent CNN article explains well why a growing number of companies use brainteasers and logic puzzles of a type called “guesstimations” during job interviews: - "Seemingly random questions like these have become commonplace in Silicon Valley and other tech outposts, where companies aren't as interested in the correct answer to a tough question as they are in how a prospective employee might try to solve it. Since businesses today have to be able to react quickly to shifting market dynamics, they want more than engineers with high IQs and good college transcripts. They want people who can think on their feet." What are technology companies (Google, Microsoft, Amazon) and consulting companies (McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, Accenture...) looking for? They want employees w... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1816187 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:47:07 +0100 1816187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1791846&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F391862901%2F Today we introduce a  highly evolved version of brain teasers. How quickly can you provide the correct answer to these 3 questions? - 1) What is going on in these 2 pictures? - 2) what may explain it? - 3) Is there some element out of place? Ready. Set. Go! Please post your answers and time below. If you need to check the answer right now...you can watch this 2-minute video (with sound) Here. Here you have more brain teasers. Enjoy the weekend! brain exercise, Brain exercises, Brain games, brain teaser games, Brain teasers, brain teasing games, free brain teasers, games for the brain, mind teasers, online brain games, pranks addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sharpbrains.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2F13%2Fgames-for-the-brain%2F'; addthis_title = 'Games+for+the+Brain'; addthis_pub = 'sharp... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1791846 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 23:28:33 +0100 1791846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1710228&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F365747416%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Dr. Michelon, Copyright 2008. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area. You may enjoy these other teasers by Dr. Michelon: - Spot the Difference - Word game - Boost your visuospatial skills - Words in your brain And our Top 50 Brain Teasers collection. brain, Brain games, brain teaser, cognitive ability, cognitive exercise, egocentric, free b... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1710228 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:20:14 +0100 1710228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1701780&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F363005439%2F Dr. Pascale Michelon recently shared with our readers which brain areas and cognitive functions are engaged as we solve the type of brain teaser known as Spot the Difference, where we have to find the differences between two versions of one image: "1) You have to identify the objects that you see: this involves your occipital lobes (in red). 2) You have to analyzed the spatial relationships between the objects that you see: this involves your occipital and parietal lobes (in green). 3) You have to remember what you see in one picture and compare it to what you see in the other picture, that is you have to use your short-term memory: this involves your frontal (in blue) and parietal lobes. 4) You have to mark down the locations where you see a difference: this involves mostly yo... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1701780 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:08:57 +0100 1701780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1655935&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F346452488%2F Readers have contributed a good number of haikus on brain-related topics. Below you have my  Favorite 7, and many other fun ones...which ones do you like the most? Also, Can you write a haiku describing anything crossing your mind now? Remember the simple rules: write 3 lines, which don't need to rhyme, containing 5,7, and 5 syllables. You can leave your haiku as a comment for extra points... My Favorite 7 Brain and Mind Haikus - Techne, the philosopher, wonders: Solve the big questions: How do I know when I know? Who knows the knower? - Steve, the environmentalist, requests: Neuroplastic good. Plastic, though lasts forever. Always recycle! - GTB, the skeptic, says Haiku's are easy But sometimes they don't make sense Refrigerator - Millie, the spiritual, suggests: Playing music feeds m... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1655935 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:47:01 +0100 1655935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1631979&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F336912992%2F Here you are have the twice-a-month newsletter with our most popular blog posts. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. News and Analysis Computerized Cognitive Assessments: opportunities and concerns: health companies and the military are starting to use new tools to assess brain functions in contexts that neither neuroimaging nor traditional neuropsychological testing can reach. This is a critical piece of the brain fitness puzzle that is worth keeping track of, full of opportunities, but also privacy concerns. Cognitive Health News Roundup: recent news covering studies on mental training and DNA, on nutrition and the brain, and more. Science Improve Memory with Sleep, Practice, and Testing: ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1631979 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:48:02 +0100 1631979 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1618296&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F334940159%2F Two recent announcements bring out how the assessment of cognitive abilities, or brain functions, is solidly incorporating new computerized options: 1) Last week, OptumHealth announced an exclusive 3-year agreement (estimated at $18m) with the Australian company Brain Resource. OptumHealth will be embedding the Brain Resource platform into their overall Behavioral Solutions program. - OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions will work with Brain Resource to provide clinicians with a Web-based assessment that measures general cognition (how people process information) and social cognition (how people manage their emotions). This 40-minute assessment is based on well-known and validated tests of memory, attention, executive function, and response speed, and mood, social skills and emotional resilien... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1618296 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:22:19 +0100 1618296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1583152&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F328139158%2F Here you have 4 of the most popular brain games in our blog, plus a bonus stress management tip. Brain Teaser 1. In which direction is the bus pictured below traveling? Do you know the answer? The only possible answers are "left" or "right." Still don't know? When pre-school children were shown this picture and question, they all answered "left." When asked why, they answered "Because you can't see the door." Believe it or not, this simple teaser generated a very lively controversy with over  50 comments...some of my favorites "I've been looking at the bus for a long time now and it is not moving at all" (Peter), "Fools! It is falling, because there is no ground under it! How's that for logic? (Richard), and "I would like to r... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1583152 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:41:16 +0100 1583152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556679&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F323514897%2F Consider Linda, a 31-year-old woman, single and bright. As a student, she was deeply concerned with discrimination and social justice and also participated in anti-nuclear protests. Which is more probable? (a) Linda is today a bank teller; (b) Linda is a bank teller and active in the feminist movement. Quick, what's your answer? If you answered (b), you are wrong.  At least you are in good company (that's what I answered the first time I saw this teaser in one of my Stanford Organizational Behavior classes). It is more probable that Linda is a bank teller, which is a whole category, that she is both a bank teller AND active in the feminist movement, which is a subset of that category. A recent Wall Street Journal article explains the phenomenon: Free to Choose, But Often Wrong: "Wh... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556679 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:12:35 +0100 1556679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1527495&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F313900458%2F Here you are have the twice-a-month newsletter with our 10 most popular blog posts. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. Our first Brain Training/ Fitness Webinar Series was a success with several hundred participants and great feedback. If you could not participate, you can still review the presentation slides by clicking Here. A key message from the series: it is exciting that our brains remain more flexible, at all ages, than was once thought possible. The implications? Every single owner of a brain can benefit from learning more about how to maintain the "It" in "Use It or Lose It." And which tools, if any, can be helpful. But, remember, there are no magic p... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1527495 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:39:39 +0100 1527495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512546&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F310139058%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Dr. Michelon, Copyright 2008. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area. Brain exercises, Brain games, Brain teasers, cognitive, cognitive processes, cognitive psychology, frontal lobes, mind teasers, occipital lobes, parietal lobes, Pascale Michelon, short term memory, Spot the Difference, the brain (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512546 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:05:18 +0100 1512546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1481146&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F301607877%2F In conclusion, it looks like one can use training to boost one’s fluid intelligence," says Dr. Pascale Michelon, based on a recent study. Education and Training Try Thinking and Learning Without Working Memory: Quick! Can you recite backwards the 7 digits of your phone number? Bill Klemm answers some key questions on thinking and working memory, in one of the most insightful articles on the subject we have seen. Health and Wellness Manage Stress for Your Brain Health: Insightful essay on stress management and brain health written by Landon, as part of one of our student essay contests. Study: Meditation Against ADHD: In order to fight attention deficits...does it make sense to develop the "mental muscles" to pay attention? Take a quick look at the topic, posted at th... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1481146 Sat, 31 May 2008 02:01:22 +0100 1481146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446826&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F291394611%2F Here you are have the bi-monthly update with our 10 most Popular blog posts. (Also, remember that you can subscribe to receive our RSS feed, or to our newsletter, at the top of this page, if you want to receive this digest by email). We hope you have some time to share with us today. Just came back from a superb event on Brain Health Across the Lifespan...and many stimulating things are happening in the world of brain fitness.  News and Events Exercise your brain in the Cognitive Age: The New York Times published two thought-provoking articles on brain and cognitive fitness, one of them featuring SharpBrains. Brain Fitness Webinar Series: Alvaro has been travelling a great deal over the last 2 weeks to speak at a number of conferences (Games for Health, Innovation Institute, Learning... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446826 Fri, 16 May 2008 04:33:11 +0100 1446826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1417964&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F282492749%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Copyright 2008. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area. No Tags (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1417964 Sat, 03 May 2008 02:34:23 +0100 1417964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1338453&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F261077296%2F (hat tip: Mind Hacks). Let's try this classic experiment, conceived by Simons and Chabris for their study on sustained inattentional blindness (PDF), and now packaged in a nicer production. You will watch a brief video clip showing two teams, and your challenge is to count the TOTAL number of times that the basketballs change hands. Click Here to view the Basketball Experiment clip. You can read about the fascinating results here. Credit for pic: Haines World attention, Basketball Experiment clip, Brain games, Brain teasers, inattentional blindness, mind teasers, Psychology, Simons and Chabris (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1338453 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:42:03 +0100 1338453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1314666&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F254360091%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Copyright 2008. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area.   For more exercises, check out our Brain Teasers section. brain, Brain exercises, brain teaser, jigsaw puzzle, Memory Workshops, mental rotation, mind teasers, parietal lobe, Pascale Michelon, Visuospatial skills (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1314666 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:53:23 +0100 1314666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1287990&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F247724602%2F A quick teaser: Imagine you are one of 120 people in a room. Each person in the room is given two lengths of rope and told to chose two of his or her four rope-ends at random and to tie them together. Then each person is told to tie the remaining two rope-ends together. Then, we count up the loops of rope. How many should there be? SOLUTION: When each person prepares to choose his second rope-end, we note that one of the available three rope-ends is the other end of the rope he is holding, and the other two are from the other length of rope. He is equally likely to pick any of these three rope-ends, so there is a one-in-three chance that he will create a loop at this time, and a two-in-three chance that he will instead simply join two ropes into one. He'll be left with one rope (plus possi... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1287990 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:00:58 +0100 1287990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1220147&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F232227369%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area.     Solutions 1. LOCK – PIANO > KEY 2. SHIP – CARD > Deck 3. TREE – CAR > Trunk 4. SCHOOL – EYE > Pupil (Exam and Private are also possible) 5. PILLOW – COURT > Case 6. RIVER – MONEY > Bank (Flow is also possible) 7. BED – PAPER > Sheet 8. ARMY – WATER > Tank 9. TENNIS – NOISE... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220147 Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:14:07 +0100 1220147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1147156&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F215623429%2F Harriet Vines, Ph.D., an experienced author and retired college professor, sends us a few fun brain exercises to train our attention and working memory (the ability to keep information current for a short period while using this information). Given them a try! They are not as easy as they may sound... 1. Say the days of the week backwards, then in alphabetical order. 2. Say the months of the year in alphabetical order. Easy? well, why don't you try doing so backwards, in reverse alphabetical order. 3. Find the sum of your date of birth, mm/dd/yyyy. Want more exercise? Do the same with friends' and relatives' date of birth. 4. Name two objects for every letter in your complete name. Work up to five objects, trying to use different items each time. 5. Wherever you are, look around and withi... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1147156 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 04:36:37 +0100 1147156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097927&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F201286604%2F Just came across this very stimulating and fun Traveler IQ interactive game...enjoy!   Link: Traveler IQ Challenge Note: at the bottom of the page you can select a variety of challenges (flags of the world, UNESCO sites, North America...) My favourite: Photos of the World. adult brain teaser, brain game, brain teaser, fun, mind game, stimulating, traveler IQ addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sharpbrains.com%2Fblog%2F2007%2F12%2F16%2Ftraveler-iq-brain-teaser%2F'; addthis_title = 'Traveler+IQ+Brain+Teaser'; addthis_pub = 'sharpbrains'; (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097927 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:18:12 +0100 1097927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1055114&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F191467592%2F Just wanted to let you know that we have created this new Teasers section to serve as a repository of the best Mind and Brain Games we offer through the blog. If you need to quickly exercise your brain after Thanksgiving holiday...you can go ahead and find a selection of 50 Brain Teasers. Enjoy! Visit: Teasers section adults, brain exercise, Brain games, Brain teasers, Education addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sharpbrains.com%2Fblog%2F2007%2F11%2F27%2Fmind-and-brain-games-for-adults%2F'; addthis_title = 'Mind+and+Brain+Games+for+adults'; addthis_pub = 'sharpbrains'; (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1055114 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:40:36 +0100 1055114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1044436&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F188390443%2F In our Top 50 Brain Teasers post, we concluded with the challenge: #50. Can you write a haiku describing your experience doing some of the previous teasers? The simple rules: write 3 lines, which don't need to rhyme, containing 5,7, and 5 syllables. You can leave your haiku as a comment for extra points... There has been a number of great and fun takers so far...enjoy their haikus below! And Happy Thanksgiving. - Terry says:  New information Synthesizing my knowledge A forward movement - Frank says: Painfully easy Significantly harder Mental stimulus - Mark says: I thought I did well Then I reviewed my answers I am retarded - Chuck says: This was fun, and no, I don't intend to haiku. Thanks for posting it - Sarah says: finding your teasers added fun to my morning, helped wake my brain up... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1044436 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:44:43 +0100 1044436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=999686&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F178555231%2F Following our September edition, here you are have our Monthly Digest of the Most Popular Blog Posts. You can consider it your monthly Brain Exercise Magazine. (Also, remember that you can subscribe to receive our RSS feed, check our Topics section, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter at the top of this page if you want to receive this Digest by email). October has been a very important month for the brain/ cognitive fitness field and for SharpBrains. Key publications such as the Los Angeles Times and Harvard Business Review have devoted considerable attention to the field. I have spoken in a variety of events and topics, from healthy aging (ASA) to the future of work (Institute for the Future). We see the topic appear in more and more education-related conferences, too. The class a... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=999686 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:10:54 +0100 999686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=966544&cid=t_152996_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F170737763%2F It is always good to stimulate our minds and to learn a bit about how our brains work. Here you have a selection of the 50 Brain Teasers that people have enjoyed the most in our blog and speaking engagements. Fun experiments on how our brains work 1. Do you think you know the colors?: try the Stroop Test. 2. Can you count?: Basketball attention experiment (Interactive). 3. Who is this?: A very important little guy (Interactive). 4. How is this possible?. 5. Take the Senses Challenge (Interactive). 6. Are there more brain connections or leaves in the Amazon?. Attention 7. How are your divided attention skills? check out "Inside and Outside" (Interactive, from MindFit). 8. Can you walk and chew gum at the same time? try "Two in One" (Interactive, from MindFit) 9. Count t... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=966544 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:30:27 +0100 966544