Interested a good, non-technical, summary of the implications of recent brain science in our daily lives? Biologist John Medina offers that in his article below (as part of our Author Speaks Series) and in his new book: Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Enjoy!

(Note: John will be in the Bay Area on April 8 and 9th, speaking at Google and San Jose Rotary).

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Brain Rules

– By John Medina

Go ahead and multiply the number 8,388,628 x 2 in your head. Can you do it in a few seconds? There is a young man who can double that number 24 times in the space of a few seconds. He gets it right every time. There is a boy who can tell you the exact time of day at any moment, even in his sleep. There is a girl who can correctly determine the exact dimensions of an object 20 feet away. There is a child who at age 6 drew such lifelike and powerful pictures, she got her own show at a gallery on Madison Avenue. Yet none of these children could be taught to tie their shoes. Indeed, none of them have an IQ greater than 50.

The brain is an amazing thing.

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Very quick post: just want to alert you of 2 news pieces on MCI and Alzheimer’s prevention-related research.

Frequent Brain Stimulation In Old Age Reduces Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

• “The study found a cognitively active person in old age was 2.6 times less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease than a cognitively inactive person in old age. This association remained after controlling for past cognitive activity, lifetime socioeconomic status, and current social and physical activity.”
• “Wilson says the study also found frequent cognitive activity during old age, such as visiting a library or attending a play, was associated with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment, a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia, and less rapid decline in cognitive function.”

Stress Linked to Memory Decline

• “If you want your mind to stay healthy into your golden years, don’t worry, be happy. That could be the message of new research that shows those prone to worry, anxiety or depression are more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition often considered a precursor to the more-debilitating Alzheimer’s disease.”
• “MCI is now recognized as a very early sign of incipient Alzheimer’s disease,” said Robert S. Wilson, lead author of the study and a neuropsychologist at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago. “We found that among healthy elderly people without evidence of cognitive dysfunction at the beginning of the study, chronic distress predicted the development of MCI.”
• “This is consistent with 20 years of literature on the subject,” added Dr. Sam Gandy, chairman of the Alzheimer’s Association’s medical and scientific advisory council and director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.”

What to do? well, you can check out these Easy Steps to Improve Your Brain Health Now. And check this nice article on New mental exercises, games can keep aging minds fit.