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 'improve memory'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:38:50 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933115&cid=t_153044_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=2876251&cid=t_153044_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FwUSQad178nc%2F This may sound like a sales pitch, but it’s not. If you’re having problems with your memory, or you want to improve it, then you might want to closely follow the research from this German team  of scientists. Published in the journal for experimental biology (FASEB Journal), German scientists discovered that administering a nasal spay containing interleukin-6 improved the memory of it subjects! According to the paper, Interleukin-6 exerts “neuromodulating influences on the brain, with promoting influences on sleep”. The researchers hypothesized that IL-6 could help consolidate our memories better during sleep, so they administered a nasal spray of IL-6 to test subjects after they read several short stories before bed. The control and test subjects slept and, the next morning... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876251 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:31:00 +0100 2876251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828348&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FCjhNwYEwB7Q%2F Excellent Scientific American cover story: Turbocharging the Brain--Pills to Make You Smarter? "Will a pill at breakfast improve concentration and memory—and will it do so without long-term detriment to your health?" Their answer, in short: not really, not anytime soon. I couldn't agree more. Let's pay real attention to non-invasive options to augment cognition, from exercise to cognitive training and meditation. For more context, you may enjoy my recent article Preparing Society for the Cognitive Age, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. augment cognition, cognitive, cognitive enhancement, Cognitive Training, exercise, improve concentration, improve memory, invasive, meditation., pills (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828348 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:35:43 +0100 2828348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734247&cid=t_153044_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fhow-to-improve-your-memory.html 1. Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves that their memory is bad, that they are just not good with names, that numbers just slip out of their minds for some reason. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Commit yourself to the task and bask in your achievements -- it's hard to keep motivated if you beat yourself down every time you make a little bit of progress. 2. Exercise your brain. Regularly “exercising" the brain keeps it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills—especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument—and challenging your brain with puzzles ... USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734247 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:38:00 +0100 2734247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734248&cid=t_153044_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fhow-to-improve-your-memory-trying-by.html All of us apply this method knowingly or unknowingly. Sometimes when you try to recall you may not be able to recall it at that time even if you are sure that you know it very well. You experience a blocking that prevents you from recalling it. Normally you tend to try again and again but in vain. To handle this situation you just keep away from trying to recollect it and do something else; to your pleasant surprise that information automatically pops up into your mind after some time. This is because even if you stopped trying, the mind is searching for that information and brings it to awareness when it is found. Sometimes the information was blocked when you wanted, and mind brings it forward when the blocking is removed. This is where stress plays its role in hindering recall.If you ar... USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734248 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:37:00 +0100 2734248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734250&cid=t_153044_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fhow-to-improve-your-memory-bridging.html BridgingIn this method, a bridge is built in between the items given to be memorized. This technique is best suited for learning material involving word pairs or material that can be reduced to word pairs. An example often cited by memory experts is the learning of the capital of Poland. The capital of Poland is Warsaw. World War II started with Germany's attack on Poland. Thus it may be arranged as Poland SAW War first.Here, the word pair to be connected together is Poland and Warsaw. The additional information of the World War II is used as a bridge or mediator in bringing these two words together. Again, like other techniques, the mediation technique calls for the learner's active participation in the learning process. This is because one is to bring in the mediator or the bridge from r... USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734250 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:36:00 +0100 2734250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734249&cid=t_153044_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fhow-to-improve-your-memory-bed-time.html In this technique, you do your recital or rote learning just before going to bed. The mind in the process of sleeping would then arrange the information in a systematic and effective way when you are sleeping. Psychologists have also found that if you sleep after thinking about your problems there is a better chance that you arrive at a solution the next day.Steps for Memory Improvement 1. Be in a relaxed mood 2. Write down the things that you are supposed to remember in a piece of paper. 3. Read it aloud (if possible) once or twice and recite it two to three times. 4. Now go to sleep without worrying or thinking about anything.You will surely retain the item longer and find it more easy to recall it when in need.powered by www.usmlestep.com (Source: USMLE blog for smart people) USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734249 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:36:00 +0100 2734249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734251&cid=t_153044_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fhow-to-improve-your-memory-rhyming.html RhymingThis is also one of the popular and oldest methods in memorization. This technique makes use of the fact that we have a natural tendency to remember rhymes and rhythms. The following is a very popular example of application of this technique which almost all school students are familiar with."Thirty days haveth SeptemberApril, June and NovemberAll the rest have thirty-oneFebruary has twenty-eight aloneExcept in leap year, then the timeWhen Febs days are twenty-nine."If possible create rhymes like this and it will not only aid in improving your memory but in improving your creativity as well.powered by www.usmlestep.com (Source: USMLE blog for smart people) USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734251 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:35:00 +0100 2734251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734252&cid=t_153044_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fhow-to-improve-your-memory-chunking.html ChunkingPerhaps Chunking is the oldest method used in memorization. In this method, the items to be memorized are divided into small and easily memorizable chunks or groups. This method works best when the order of the items is not important.This method is found to be particularly well suited for memorizing multi-digit numbers (eg., ID nos., telephone nos., etc.) and for committing complicated spellings to memory.Example: 1. The number 472627607 may be memorized easily if it is grouped as 472, 627,607 or as 47, 26, 27,607. These chunks may then be learned by rote. Learning and retention are much facilitated if you further explore the nos. by finding some relationship among these different chunks. Finding the digital root will also be helpful. The more explorations or relations you do, t... USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734252 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:34:00 +0100 2734252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2173829&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F536195658%2F Welcome to the 8th edition of Hourglass, the blog carnival devoted to biogerontology. Enjoy! --- Use It or Lose It Existence is Wonderful, by Anne C. Neither A Transhumanist Nor a "Pessimist", And That's Okay "I can't survive cognitively in environments that force everything into false dichotomies, and nobody should feel hurt, slighted, or bitter because of my doing what I need to do for the sake of being able to actually use my brain." "Just because I think superlativity tends to distort dialogue and make it difficult to focus on what can actually be done in the real world does not mean I disparage the power of human imagination or our capacity to change things for the better." --- Cognitive Enhancement, Health and Assessments Ouroboros, by Chris Pa... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2173829 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:00:32 +0100 2173829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160941&cid=t_153044_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=1918437&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F436389196%2F In this study, 72% of the students had a My Space account, 76% had a cell phone, and 68% had an IM address. Those who had a MySpace account had significantly lower grades than those without an account. The same was true for those that used IM, compared with those who did not. Cell phone use was also associated with lower grades and the effect was magnified if text messaging was used on cell phones. Not surprisingly, if these devices were used during homework, the grades were even lower than for students who used these technologies outside of homework. Almost half reported text messaging during class time, and their grades were lower than the students who only used IM outside of class. These are correlational data and do not prove that using these devices causes lower grades. But it is a go... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1918437 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:33:50 +0100 1918437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770842&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F385446143%2F A couple of recent studies have reinforced the lifelong potential for brain plasticity (the ability of the brain to rewire itself through experience) and the importance of physical exercise for cognitive vitality. One study focused on 1) adults over 50 with mild cognitive impairment, the other one on 2) stroke survivors. 1)  Memory problems: Adults 50-years-old and over with mild cognitive impairment (an advanced form of memory problems, but pre-dementia) were asked to exercise for three 50-minute sessions per week for 24 weeks (a total of 60 hours). Results: there were small, but measurable, cognitive benefits even 18 months after the start of the program (around a year after the supervised exercise activities ended). Study: Nicola T. Lautenschlager et al. Effect of Physical Activity on ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770842 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:08:45 +0100 1770842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730855&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F372866231%2F I apologize for the long delay in getting back to this column but I have a good excuse. We just recently had a baby, and boy, that takes care right there of the physical exercise need. Between carrying the baby upstairs and downstairs, running to get the baby, getting out of the bed and picking the baby up and putting the baby down a couple of times a night no you need not worry about getting your daily exercise dose in…Now, the majority of the answers to my post on the brain virtues of physical exercise suggests that most people think that the brain benefits of physical exercise are mostly to be understood as complementary effects of a healthy life style. Is this correct? In my post today I will attempt to answer this question. First, while generally healthier people seem to have health... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730855 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:09:27 +0100 1730855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1729766&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F372105454%2F The Secret to Success New research says social-emotional learning helps students in every way. -- by Daniel Goleman Schools are beginning to offer an increasing number of courses in social and emotional intelligence, teaching students how to better understand their own emotions and the emotions of others. It sounds warm and fuzzy, but it's a trend backed up by hard data. Today, new studies reveal that teaching kids to be emotionally and socially competent boosts their academic achievement. More precisely, when schools offer students programs in social and emotional learning, their achievement scores gain around 11 percentage points. That's what I heard at a forum held last December by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (Disclosure: I'm a co-founder of C... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1729766 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:48:47 +0100 1729766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1606787&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F331380368%2F This study also showed that the subjects could not predict how well they would remember, which is consistent with my 45 years experience as a professor. Students are frequently surprised to discover after an examination that they did not know the material as well as they thought they did. Tests not only reveal what they know and don't know, but serve to increase how much they eventually learn. If I were still teaching, I would give more tests. And I would encourage students to use self-testing as a routine learning strategy, something that one study revealed to be a seldom-used strategy. The repeated self-tests should include all the study material and not drop out the material that the student thinks is already mastered. Source: Karpicke, Jeffrey D., and Roedinger, Henry L. III. 2008. The... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1606787 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:55:29 +0100 1606787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1553306&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F322096605%2F Try eating food with one chop stick.  It is possible, for certain types of food. But probably not the best approach. Let's now talk brain health. Dr. Larry McCleary is a former acting Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Denver Children's Hospital, and author of the The Brain Trust Program (Perigee Trade, 2007). He agreed to help us answer an important, yet often neglected, question: Given That We Are Our Brains, How do We Nourish Them? Alvaro: Dr. McCleary, Why did a former neurosurgeon such as yourself develop an interest in brain health public education? Dr. McCleary: For two reasons ... I am a Boomer and am trying to maximize my own brain health. Also, there is much exciting research documenting how we can be proactive in this regard. This information needs to be disseminated and I woul... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1553306 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:20:06 +0100 1553306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1084654&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F198090188%2F The holidays are approaching and you can expect many software and game developers to advertise their products aggressively, trying to get you buy their "brain training" products for you or as a gift for a loved one. The good news is that there are more and more tools we can use to keep mentally stimulated and even train and improve specific cognitive abilities (like processing speed, short-term memory...). You may be reading about Nintendo Brain Age, Posit Science, MindFit, Lumosity, Happy Neuron, MyBrainTrainer, emWave, StressEraser and more. And, of course, there are also non-technology based interventions. The bad news is that it is difficult to separate marketing from scientific claims, and to understand which one, if any, may be a good complement to other healthy lifestyle... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1084654 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:06:52 +0100 1084654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=970475&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F173422392%2F A reader (thanks Mike!) sends us this fun article, titled A matter of training, on how to train our memory. Some quotes: “It’s a skill, not a talent. It’s something anyone could have picked up ... I’m not born with this. It’s about training and technique,” he says, explaining his unusual ability. Anant holds the Limca Record – the Indian equivalent of the Guinness Record – for memorising 75 telephone numbers, along with the names of their owners, in less than an hour. He is recognised as “the man with the most phenomenal memory in India.”   “Unfortunately, most people think that memorising is very difficult. The moment they see someone demonstrate something like this, they think it’s out of this world.” If you want to remember something, you have to link it to ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=970475 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:31:12 +0100 970475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=966551&cid=t_153044_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F166243865%2F Great article on the growing brain fitness field. Rethinking the Brain Business: Why a mental-fitness program may be the start of something big. Some quotes: - "But Merzenich has loftier ambitions. He envisions his company as part of a new industry that will become a "mirror" of the drug industry. He wants to go far beyond simply sharpening memory and cognitive ability to tackle diseases as well. Instead of medications, he sees a business rooted in neuroscience that will use noninvasive computer exercises to rewire the brain, gradually training it back to mental health." - For now, Merzenich believes the emerging field of "brain health" is cluttered with bad science. He singled out Nintendo's brain games as an example of a product that has no science to back u... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=966551 Sat, 06 Oct 2007 18:37:03 +0100 966551