When I was in college, I took a lot of science courses. Really, a lot — maybe even too many. And mostly what they taught me was how scientists believed the world worked — right then, as of the early 1990’s. Luckily for me, my college roommate took a somewhat broader curriculum, and much to my benefit, we talked…
An interesting paper came across my radar week – “Placebo effects in cognitive training” published in PNAS (with a paywall, unfortunately). In this paper, the authors investigate the effect that people’s expectations might have on the results of brain-training experiments. Every research study needs to recruit people to participate, and a common way is to…
Posit Science’s very own Dr. Michael Merzenich has been awarded the 2016 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience for his work in discovering adult brain plasticity and applying its principles to improve the human condition! The Kavli Prize––a partnership between The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, The Kavli Foundation, and The Norwegian Ministry of Education and…
There are quite a few brain-training programs around, and it can take an expert to figure out which ones actually work. Unfortunately, too many programs have little or no science backing up their claims to improve brain function. BrainHQ is different: people with deep knowledge of the brain designed our exercises, and a wealth of…
We have reported before about how important sleep is for good brain function and long-term cognitive health, as well as some proven ways to improve your sleep. But what happens when your brain doesn’t sleep? Here is a fun, in-depth infographic from .Mic to break it down for you.
An early study of BrainHQ brain training exercises found that training can improve internal locus of control. Unless you are a Psychology professor, you are probably thinking, “what the heck does that mean, and why should I care?” This excerpt from Exploring Psychology in Modules with Updates on DSM-5, 9th Edition, by David G Myers, beautifully explains what…
The second in an exciting pair of new studies on fall risk and mobility published this month. The latest study showed that training (for 20 hours with visual exercises found in BrainHQ) resulted in what the university-based researchers found to be significant and “large” gains in standard measures of balance and mobility. The performance of…
Feeling stressed? We have a few ideas for you to help lessen it right now, with explanations and links to scientific research backing up these surefire stress busters. Which ones work for you? Take a Hike: A study recently found that taking short walks in nature can help lower stress and improve well-being and cognitive health. Eat…
I just saw an article in Scientific American about why brain speed is important, how it decays as we age, and what the effects are on daily life over time. But this is nothing new: we have been talking about brain speed for years! Some highlights from the article include: “Studies suggest that the speed of information processing…
Are you learning English as a second language? Here’s a tip: you can boost your performance in English by supplementing your language training with auditory brain training. Learning English as a second language can be challenging, and even frustrating. It may feel like words fly by so quickly that following a conversation seems almost impossible. Fortunately,…