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 'cognitive ability'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:39:51 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182096&cid=t_177616_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fthe-multiple-sclerosis-spell-checker%2F The more I write about multiple sclerosis, the more I realize that I’m smarter than my computer about said topic. Sometimes I feel like my spell-checking software hasn’t caught up with the vernacular of our disease. Other times, I feel like we’re just making up words for stuff — oft, we are! Myelin, Cog-Fog, Assistive, PML, CCSVI… not something your everyday word processing program recognizes; and I need it too! In my current state, I find myself relying more and more on the brain under my fingertips more than I trust my own T-Cell infested gob but squiggly red, blue or green highlights (GREAT! Now I’m to understand color-coding as well) splash their way across my screen as I type. I once mentioned, a few years ago now my issue with typing my passwords when my fingers aren�... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182096 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:13:11 +0100 5182096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159492&cid=t_177616_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-clogs-my-funnel%2F I guess I think both in words and in pictures. As a writer, it’s kind of required that I use words but, in my mind, I oft see what multiple sclerosis is doing to me in misty cartoons and ghostly graphics. I envision ‘brain floss’ to clear away the annoying plaques along my axons the way minty, flat-glide dental tape clears bits of barbeque from between my teeth. I could almost see the poison of Novantrone zapping new immune cells as they emerged from my bone marrow before they could make their way to a morning meal of my myelin. Lharmeet’s Sign looked like Igor flipping those big, nasty switches in Dr Frankenstein’s laboratory and sending massive jolts down the Jacob’s Ladder of my spinal cord. And now, the clogged funnel… I think I’ve mentioned this metaphor in a previous... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159492 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:39:39 +0100 5159492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159493&cid=t_177616_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fthe-mental-exacerbation%2F I promise I’ll read this post through an extra time or two — and have Rose comb it as well — as I’m experiencing something very new to me and my MS. I’m calling it a “mental exacerbation.” I have met a few people whose executive function, memory, and even general cognition have taken a direct hit from our old nemesis: multiple sclerosis. I can remember a few conversations in these pages having to do with increased difficulty with multitasking and attention, and I’ve lived with some of those issues for many years now. What I am now experiencing is beginning to frighten me quite a bit, but, as odd as it may seem, I also feel great comfort as well. The past few days have found me completely overwhelmed by even the smallest list, stack, or process. Time managem... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159493 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:48:36 +0100 5159493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512502&cid=t_177616_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fcog-fog-multiple-sclerosis-cognitive-fog%2F I’m told by those who have cared for someone with Alzheimer’s disease that the hardest part is when the patient emerges, momentarily, from their dementia and it is evident by the look on their face (or comments) that they know exactly what is happening to them. While we know that multiple sclerosis isn’t Alzheimer’s, many of us are cognizant of the fact that “cog-fog” is a part of MS too. The anecdotal reports of treatment for CCSVI (the narrowing of veins which is theorized to be a contributing factor in MS) include a lifting of cog-fog as a major benefit. This “brain fog,” as it’s sometimes called, is difficult to pigeonhole in the realm of direct MS symptoms because teasing it from co-morbidities such as depression and fatigue can prove beyond the abilities of patients... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512502 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:52:36 +0100 4512502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4470451&cid=t_177616_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F12%2Fare-we-rational-animals-part-2%2F This is the second in a two-part discussion about human rationality. Click to read Part 1, Are We Rational Animals?. Intelligence as a predictor of rationality Some may be surprised to learn that high levels of intelligence do not necessarily indicate high levels of rationality.  In fact, some people may rank high in intelligence while low in rationality.  There is more to sound thinking than intelligence. Below is a list of rational thinking tasks and their association with cognitive ability/intelligence from Stanovich (2010, p.221). Tasks that fail to show associations with cognitive ability Noncausal base-rate usage (Stanovich & West, 1998c, 1999, 2008) Conjunction fallacy between subjects (Stanovich & West, 2008) Framing between subjects (Stanovich & West, 2008) Anchori... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4470451 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:44:23 +0100 4470451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349584&cid=t_177616_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fpaying-the-bills-with-multiple-sclerosis%2F I A comment posted by widawn earlier this week brought something to mind about our daily responsibilities. We’ve had a few conversations in the past about the economic and personal financial impact of multiple sclerosis over the years. But widawn’s comment was brought home to me when my postman stopped by today. I opened an envelope from the city of Seattle Municipal Court… This can’t be good! Well, it was a check. A check from the court! After a few calls, I found out that I had double paid a parking fine. It is, we must assume, better to overpay a bill than to forget to pay it, but had it been a “regular” bill I doubt I would have gotten a refund. A number of years ago (I can’t find the blog reference right now) I made mention that when MS is messing with me cognitively, it... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349584 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:22:21 +0100 4349584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013116&cid=t_177616_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fcant-concentrate-blame-it-on-ovulatio%2F photo via AOL Health Check out this post by Catherine Donaldson-Evans at AOL Health. Women may have a harder time focusing at different times of the month, a new study suggests. Canadian researchers from Concordia University found that a surge in estrogen, which occurs when women are ovulating and during pregnancy, is linked to an inability to concentrate, pay attention and learn. But the study, published in the journal Brain and Cognition, did not examine the impact of high estrogen levels in humans — only in female rats. “Although estrogen is known to play a significant role in learning and memory, there has been no clear consensus on its effect,” senior author Wayne Brake, an associate professor at Concordia’s Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, said... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013116 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:56:42 +0100 4013116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967419&cid=t_177616_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FIyJ1ZqXFUE8%2F This study aims to improve these and other related cognitive skills by using a driving game in which players practice paying attention to relevant information, such as traffic signs, and ignoring irrelevant information, such as billboards. The study monitors brain activity with electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings and observes eye position and game performance in younger adults (ages 18 to 30) and older adults (ages 60 to 80) before and after six weeks of game play. The study assesses changes in cognitive ability, brain activity and transfer of game-related skills to similar cognitive operations and activities that take place in daily life. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) Reward Circuitry, Autism and Games that Teach Social Perceptual Skills – tests effe... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967419 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:35:40 +0100 2967419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842590&cid=t_177616_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F28%2F1-step-to-raise-your-childs-iq-today%2F Want to raise your child’s IQ by 5 points right now? Don’t spank them anymore. So says the results of yet another study looking at the negative effects of spanking on children. This one tracked IQ changes in 1,400 children ages 2 to 9 over 4 years. The results? Children who had been spanked — even infrequently — suffered from an average 5-point deficit on the IQ test. In a 2002 meta-analysis of 88 spanking studies, 90 percent of them found that spanking had negative effects on the child. These effects ranged from later mental health problems (such as ADHD and depression) to anti-social behavior and increased aggression. Yes, you read that right — rather than help curb aggressive or inappropriate behavior, spanking actually seems to increase these unwanted beha... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842590 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:38:28 +0100 2842590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349069&cid=t_177616_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F24WEO4FpkcE%2F Round-up of recent articles on neuroscience, brain development and cognitive health: Encephalon 68: A carnival of neuroscience: Chris hosts a great collection of neuroscience and psychology posts in his signature Q&A style. Bilingual Babies Get Head Start --- Before They Can Talk: - Unlike the monolingual group, the bilingual group was able to successfully learn a new sound type and use it to predict where each character would pop up. - The bilingual babies' skill applies to more than just switching between languages. Mehler likened this apparently enhanced cognitive ability to a brain selecting "the right tool for the right operation"—also called executive function. - In this basic process, the brain, ever flexible, nimbly switches from one learned response to another as ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349069 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:20:11 +0100 2349069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2217627&cid=t_177616_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FgAFeyCIEMYo%2F CONCLUSIONS What those 2 recent studies say and imply • Cognitive training can help healthy adults improve specific cognitive skills, and improvements seem to last longer than the training itself (Willis et al., 2006; Smith et al., 2009). • Cognitive training can help adults in the early stages of cognitive impairment and dementia improve some cognitive skills (Sitzer et al, 2006) • One needs to make informed decisions. SharpBrains' Evaluation Checklist may prove useful. What neither study says or implies • Whether cognitive training can postpone the emergence of dementia: More long-term studies are needed. (We know that mentally stimulating activities can help build a Cognitive Reserve and delay symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease, but that evidence is not based on randomized clini... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2217627 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:21:56 +0100 2217627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1710228&cid=t_177616_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=1501538&cid=t_177616_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F307119481%2F I just read a very interesting article in Newsweek: Executive Functions: The School Skill That May Matter More Than IQ. A few quotes: - "But recent advances in psychology and brain science are now suggesting that a child's ability to inhibit distracting thoughts and stay focused may be a fundamental cognitive skill, one that plays a big part in academic success from preschool on. Indeed, this and closely related skills may be more important than traditional IQ in predicting a child's school performance." - "EF (executive functions) comprises not only effortful control and cognitive focus but also working memory and mental flexibility—the ability to adjust to change, to think outside the box." - "When the teacher holds up a circle they clap, with a triangle they ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1501538 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:38:20 +0100 1501538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1365102&cid=t_177616_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F268131761%2F This study challenges the theory that depression and dementia are caused by another factor. It therefore adds weight to, but does not prove, the theory that depression is a risk factor for dementia. However, this study has shortcomings, and further research that is free of these should provide a clearer picture. Until more is known, depression sufferers should not be overly worried that they will develop dementia." Comment: I guess that last sentence offers good news...   aging brain, Alzheimers Association, Alzheimers Tests, baby boomers, Brain games, Brain Training, brain training game, Casual Games, cognitive ability, cognitive deficits, Cognitive tests, Depression and Alzheimers, executive skills, fit brains, High blood pressure, Humana, lifestyle, Medicaid, Medicare, memory cl... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1365102 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:31:36 +0100 1365102