Sep 8, 2006
The Executive Brain and How our Minds Can Grow Stronger
By: Alvaro Fernandez
Last week I had the pleasure to meet, in his NYC clinical practice, with our scientific advisor Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, renowned neuropsychologist and author of The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind and The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older
Which brings me back to the beginning of our Brain Fitness adventure, once it became obvious that the world of Brain Fitness was real and coming. Let me try to summarize some of the key overall research findings outlined in both books:
-  Our brains enjoy Lifelong Brain Plasticity: until recently, a popular misconception was that  neurons die through life and do not get replenished. Now, neurogenesis, or the ability of our brains to create new neurons until the very day we die, is proven.
-   Intense mental challenges provide extra resistance to ageing and improve pattern recognition and brain “efficiency”, this is, the ability to take on similar challenges with reduced metabolical demands
-   Our mental activity influences the generation of neurons and where they go. The functional capacity of our neural networks depends on the number of neurons and their connections-both short and long
-   Exercising our brains is as important as exercising our bodies. “Use it or lose it” came from athletics to brain science. Even better, now we know that “Use it and get more of it.
-  The pathways that connect the frontal lobes with the rest of the brain are slow to mature, reaching full operational state, and therefore social maturity, between the ages of 18 and 30.
-Â Â Â Intensive and well-targeted Brain Fitness Programs can produce good results in as short as 3 months.Â
-Â Â The rate of development of new neurons can be influenced by cognitive activities. Another day we will cover more ground on the specific research studies that discovered the findings above, and on Dr. Goldberg’s work on Brain Fitness programs.In the meantime, you can read some fascinating articles categorized by topic at our Resources section.
I would need to get a phone number for more information.
Jesula, I will contact you. Thanks for reaching to us.
[...] You can read in more depth about a couple of areas he touches on, such as some highlights from the clinical work and books by Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg , and an interview with Cogmed’s Dr. Torkel Klingberg, the leading scientist behind RoboMemo. [...]
[...] DR: cognitive training rests on solid premises, and some programs already have very promising research results. Cognitive areas, such as attention, or working memory, can be conceptualized as skills and, as such, you can train them. Now, training means extended and well-targeted practice. (As Professor Rabiner mentions this, I remember Dr. Goldberg’s insistence on the need for “intense mental challengesâ€). [...]
[...] You may also be interested in the following posts – Interview with Prof. David Rabiner on Cognitive Training and ADD/ ADHD – Neuroplasticity and brain exercise – Working Memory Training and Attention Deficits [...]
just interested to know what kind of brain exercises are being used.
Hi Mei,
A combination of best commercially and clinically available packages, with specific exercises selected for each patient according to his/ her needs and Dr. Goldberg and team’s judgement.
[...] DR: cognitive training rests on solid premises, and some programs already have very promising research results. Cognitive areas, such as attention, or working memory, can be conceptualized as skills and there is growing evidence that like other kinds of skills, they can be developed and improved with concerted practice. (As Professor Rabiner mentions this, I remember Dr. Goldberg’s insistence on the need for “intense mental challengesâ€). [...]
[...] You can read in more depth about a couple of areas he touches on, such as some highlights from the clinical work and books by Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg , and an interview with Cogmed’s Dr. Torkel Klingberg, the leading scientist behind RoboMemo. [...]
[...] Further information on a number of these and other areas covered in the article: – Neuroplasticity and brain exercise – On being “smart” and building neural connections – “Use It or Lose Itâ€: what is “Itâ€? (simplified brain anatomy) – Ready to learn? – Working Memory Training and Attention – On attention, trading psychology and open minds – Emotions and Decision-Making – Brain Fitness Programs and the Brain and Mind Fitness Revolution – Physical fitness and Brain Fitness – On being positive [...]
[...] Brett: First, I find that Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg’s metaphor of a gymnasium for the brain is very appealing. We will be seeing more and more tools for cognitive and brain fitness. Dr. Goldberg cites considerable research that indicates we can improve the functioning of our frontal cortex – home of our executive functions such as our reasoning, planning, judgment, analysis, and problem-solving -, through structured exercises, much as we can build our muscles in the gym. [...]
do current studies support the idea that short term memory can be improved? alm
Armand, the technical word these days is “working memory”, and, yes, there is evidence that it can be improved through well-targeted, intensive, computer-based training.
See this interview with Dr. Torkel Klingberg
http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/09/25/working-memory-training-and-robomemo-interview-with-dr-torkel-klingberg/
very nice blog!mary
Thanks Mary!
[...] We discussed some of this effects with Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, who wrote his great book The Wisdom Paradox precisely on this point, at The Executive Brain and How our Minds Can Grow Stronger. [...]
[...] We discussed some of these effects with Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, who wrote his great book The Wisdom Paradox precisely on this point, at The Executive Brain and How our Minds Can Grow Stronger. [...]
[...] In our post The Executive Brain and How our Minds Can Grow Stronger, we explore some of the basics of brain exercise…vey similar to the concepts promoted by the LaLannes for physical exercise: [...]
[...] Thrive on Learning and Mental Challenges. The point of having a brain is precisely to learn and to adapt to challenging new environments. Once new neurons appear in your brain, where they are used and how long they survive depends on how you use them to a large extent. "Use It or Lose It" does not mean "do crossword puzzle number 1,234,567". It means, "challenge your brain often with fundamentally new activities". [...]