Researchers at University of California Berkley set out
to study the link between Alzheimer’s and life-long stimulating cognitive
activity. Their study focused on the beta-amyloid, a protein whose presence in
the brain is believed to be the biological cause of Alzheimer’s. Beta-amyloid
folds in fibrous sheets appear in large quantities in the brains of elderly
with Alzheimer’s.
The researchers, led by Susan Landau, brought in 65
healthy elderly people aged 60 and up to survey and find correlations relating
to the beta-amyloid buildup. Landau and her team asked the participants to rate
their cognitive activity based on what pre-determined mental activities the
participants took part in. Unlike other research on Alzheimer’s, these
questions referred not only to the subject’s current mental activity, but also
their lifelong mental activity starting at age 6. Then psychologists scanned
the participant’s brains using PET scans to measure beta-amyloid build-up and
compared the scans to those of Alzheimer patients and modern 20 year-olds.
What the team found showed a positive correlation between
high levels of stimulating cognitive activity and low levels of beta-amyloid in
the brain. When factors such as self-rated memory and physical activity were
factored out of the results, the psychologists determined that the two factors
must be linked together.
Train your Brain
Brain strength is related to age, genetics, experience
and disease. As you age, brain cell connections weaken and may lead to
age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer's. Although studies have shown that
genetics and education are both linked to the susceptibility of such
age-related disorders, it is possible to reduce your risk of mental decline by
strengthening your brain. Puzzles are a type of mental exercise that you can
use to increase your brain strength.
Physiology
Your brain is a complex organ made of a network of
connected neurons. The neurons continue to form and reorganize themselves as
you learn and are exposed to new stimulus throughout life. Studies show that
the act of learning stimulates a section of your brain called the cerebral
cortex and strengthens the connections between your brain's neurons. Stimulating
your brain is also thought to help build new brain cells.
Sections
Your brain has specialized sections that are used to
store and process different types of information. Your cerebrum controls
memory, thoughts, problem-solving and movement. It is divided further into
specialized sections, with the area used for problem solving located at the
front. Language is stored in your brain's left and right temporal lobes. If you
are left-handed, your brain uses both lobes to store language, but if you are right-handed,
most of your language is stored in the left lobe. Word association puzzles can
be used to strengthen the connections within your temporal lobes.
Variety
To strengthen different sections and functions of your
brain with puzzles, you need to vary the subject matter and puzzle-solving
process used. This can be done by rotating between different types of puzzles,
such as shape and color puzzles to sharpen concentration and memory, word
puzzles to develop language skills and crossword puzzles to strengthen your
ability to solve problems.
Challenge
To strengthen your brain, you need to challenge it. This
means doing new puzzles that you have not solved before and advancing the skill
level as you progress. The sense of accomplishment and enjoyment that you
achieve through solving challenging puzzles is an important part of the
brain-strengthening process. For this reason, you should try to find puzzles
that you enjoy solving.
More about riddles
and puzzles
When you get down to basics most of human life is focused
on problem solving. From basic needs to supplying food and providing shelter to
more advanced stages including career advancement and financial management life
seems to be a series of riddles and puzzles that we have to navigate in order
to survive and enjoy life. Many people see riddles and puzzles as child's play
but in fact these simple games and clever problems are structured to make the
brain work to find solutions that aren't readily available. Another important
lesson riddles and puzzles teach us is that there is no one answer to any
particular problem and that the more we train our brains to think the better we
become at solving problems no matter how big or small.
Riddles are classified as two types: enigmas which are
problems generally expresses in metaphorical or allegorical language that
require ingenuity and careful thinking for their solution and conundrums which
are questions relying for their effects on punning in either the question or
the answer. Some people get very flustered with riddles because the answers
aren't always as clear as a basic math problem.
In mathematics when you add 2 + 2 you always get 4 but
think of riddles in terms of algebra where 2(y) + 2(x) may not equal 4. Riddles
force the brain to stretch beyond rote memory and automated responses to
challenge our ability to think through a problem. This is why many math
teachers want to see how you arrived at an answer rather than just giving one.
Though many detractors find riddles and puzzles trivial
the fact of the matter is that such brain training games sharpen the mind and
open up new areas of thought processes that can lead to better problem solving
techniques. Many of us like answers to be simple and plain to avoid having to
think too hard. We have enough problems and obstacles in our lives that the
last thing someone wants is the added hurdle of having to solve a riddle too.
But when you practice riddles and problem solving on a daily basis you'll be
surprised to see how much easier thinking, memory retention and cognitive abilities
become with a fit and healthy mind.
Try not to think of puzzles and riddles as confusing and
frustrating hurdles. When you think that way you've already given up. Rather
look at brain training games as a way to be creative with you thoughts and to
develop new strategies for solving a problem that can have many uses during
your daily life. If it wasn't for improved problem solving man wouldn't be at
the level of progress he is at. If we stayed with our animal instincts and
failed to improve our thinking ability chances are we'd be in cages while apes
gaped at us from behind the glass. Just as lazy is a habit with negative
consequences brain training is a healthy habit that can only improve your brain
and its ability to function.
Sources
Books, newspapers, the Internet and game stores are all
great places to find puzzles. Most newspapers publish crossword and Sudoku
puzzles daily, while hundreds of websites offer free puzzles and brain teasers.
Check your local library to see if they carry books on brain-strengthening
exercises and puzzles. Using different sources to find brain strengthening
puzzles will help vary the type and skill level of puzzles that you do.
While there are countless resources online to offer your
numerous riddles and puzzles, we would like to present the ten free quality services
you may find useful.
1) Brain Games by Brain Pages offer an extensive collection of free brain games split into sections including logic, puzzles and brain training.
2) NeuroNation.
“On NeuroNation, you can improve your brain performance effectively with simple
and enjoyable exercises. NeuroNation is completely free of charge and
exclusively ad sponsored.”
3) Soak Your
Head. “A free application of the popular dual n back working memory
trainer. You can play online or download to your own computer.”
4) FitBrains
“Offers a large collection of Brain Games, brain health information and other
fun features!”
5) The
Original Memory Gym. “Welcome to memorise.org. Improving people’s ability
to remember and recall information is our goal. We have tips on how to improve
your memory and tools to help you practise putting it to use!”
6) Brainwaves. “These
brain-training exercises are formatted as stimulating puzzles. They are
designed to help develop mental skills…”
7) Brain Connection. “Posit
Science brings you this interactive website aimed at introducing you to the
booming field of brain fitness.”
8) Rinkworks
Brain Food. “Give your mind a work out on our devious collection of
puzzles. There are hundreds, ranging from word games to logic problems to
riddles. Some are tricky. Some require innovation. All require thinking power.”
9) Thinks.com.
“The Internet’s most entertaining puzzles are here: Sudoku, riddles, anagrams,
doublets, picture puzzles, chess problems, trivia, math puzzles, logic puzzles
…and more!”
10) HAPPYneuron. “HAPPYneuron
brings you Brain Fitness through entertaining games that are fun and
scientifically developed and validated to challenge your brain and keep it in
top gear at all times.”
Sources and
Additional Information: