The Brain Trainers
By: Brad Edmondson; Source: AARP Bulletin Date Posted: 2006-10-12 12:48:00-04:00
Posit Science's Brain Fitness Program retails for $395. Fortunately, you're supposed to reuse it—right away if you find the training difficult the first time through, or after three to six months if you move quickly through the material. For more information, visit positscience.com.
Other products
Japanese electronics manufacturer Nintendo's Brain Age was developed from the work of Ryuta Kawashima, M.D., a neuroscientist who has researched the effect of stimulating the brain through reading and math. Brain Age retails for about $20 and plays on Nintendo's $130 hand-held DS console. Its exercises include math calculations, counting syllables in a sentence, identifying colors associated with words and a Sudoku puzzle.
"The added fun element is that the game calculates your 'brain age,' based upon your speed and accuracy," says Beth Llewelyn, senior director of corporate communications for Nintendo America.
MemAerobics is a low-tech alternative. Originally developed as classroom workouts by neuroscience researcher Roger Anunsen, the program adapted some exercises as flashcard programs called Animal Congregations. Three sets of different levels of difficulty retail for $29 each and are available by contacting thinkagain@memaerobics.net.
For group residences, and especially for residents with Alzheimer's, Dakim Inc. has created [m]Power, a touchscreen device that requires no computer experience. It recognizes a user's face and supplies exercises—memory, computation, critical thinking and daily life skills—at the appropriate level. Each machine can store records for up to 12 users.
What can you do for free?
The basic rule is to keep mixing up new things: learn a language or musical instrument; travel to new places; or even do simple things in a different way—for example, take alternate routes on a daily walk.
What about crossword puzzles? "Doing the same activity over and over again is not likely to improve your brain's plasticity, even if it is a cognitively challenging activity like crossword puzzles," Posit Science's Henry Mahncke says.
Boggle and jigsaw puzzles, anyone?
Additional Related Links
10 Ways to Get Your Memory in Shape (February 2005)
Can a Pill Make You Smart? (February 2005)
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