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Time for a new edition of SharpBrains’ e-newsletter exploring the latest in brain health.

New research:

• Study debunks 4 common myths about brain training and lifelong cognitive enhancement
• Don’t overlook sleep difficulties in children with ADHD; they may impair functioning as much as ADHD itself
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), not medication, drives long-term rewiring of the brain to help reduce psychosis symptoms

New thinking:

• Four reasons the future of brain health is digital, pervasive and bright
• Readers around the globe are enjoying The SharpBrains Guide book in multiple languages: the English edition has received 100+ excellent customer reviews in the US alone (plus great comments in Canada, the UK and Australia); the Spanish edition has earned spectacular comments in the US, Spain and Mexico; and the Japanese and Polish editions are doing very well. Thank you, Gracias, Arigato, Dziekuje Ci, Obrigados. Please help us spread the word 🙂
• 10 Finalists announced for the $1M Global Teacher Prize

New tools:

• Past and Future Pervasive Neurotechnologies, as seen through 50 Key Patents. As part of our new series, here are a few selected foundational patents, especially relevant for those interested in technology and innovation:
• Courtesy of Microsoft, Managing information flow based on user’s mental state and cognitive load and Anticipating wearables, machine learning and cognitive enhancement
• Improving driving safety with alarms triggered by impending sleep state, detected via brain signals
• Remote computer-implemented methods for cognitive testing (Scientific Learning; Lumos Labs)
• Testing and training cognitive ability (CogniFit)
• Computer modeling meets Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) (Brainlab)

Finally, if you’re looking for some extra mental stimulation, don’t forget to check out our Top 25 Brain Teasers, Games and Illusions.

Have a great month of March!

The SharpBrains Team

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Time for a new edition of SharpBrains’ e-newsletter exploring the latest digital brain health technologies, neuroscience findings and insights for  lifelong brain health and mental health.

New tools:

• Survey of key scientific, technological and investment trends revolutionizing Brain Health in our Digital Age
• Is Your iPhone Really Frying Your Brain? Five Things You Need To Know
• The Canadian Centre for Aging & Brain Health Innovation (CC-ABHI) is looking for trial partners to test innovative solutions
• Consumers experiment with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with no regulatory oversight
• Brain scans mapping language and memory areas can help guide epilepsy-related surgeries

New research:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) + Medication outperforms CBT alone to treat ADHD symptoms among adults. At the same time…
• To reduce heart disease and stroke risks, regulate stress and improve brain health
• UT Dallas researcher secures $2.7m grant to better monitor and address TBI-related cognitive and functional deficits
• The Mediterranean Diet seen to substantially reduce brain shrinkage among older adults
• Both maternal and parental obesity linked to young children’s neurodevelopmental delays

New thinking:

• Improve education, productivity and health via brain enhancement
• Ten Important Signals to help reinvent Brain Health in the Digital Age & serve the needs of an Aging Population
• 50 Finalists from 37 countries shortlisted for the $1M Global Teacher Prize
• The One New Year’s Resolution To Help You Keep All Your New Year’s Resolutions
• Forget thinking vs. feeling dichotomy. Think/ feel holistic brain functioning

Finally, here you are a fun brain teaser to challenge your frontal lobes.

We hope you enjoy all the neuro-stimulating reading 🙂

The SharpBrains Team

Although medication is the primary treatment for adults with ADHD, and has good empirical support, many adults would rather not take it. For these adults with ADHD, it would be helpful to know whether medication is likely to provide significant benefits above and beyond those they would gain from well-conducted therapy, or whether they are likely to derive roughly equivalent benefits from therapy alone. Read the rest of this entry »

— Incidence rate of dementia per 1,000 person years in CFAS I (twenty years ago) and CFAS II (now) by age at baseline interview. Source: Study linked below.

Time for a new edition of SharpBrains’ eNewsletter, full of fascinating brain studies and emerging thinking and tools for lifelong mental health and performance. Happy reading!

New research:

• Dementia rates in the UK significantly lower than forecasted–especially for men–highlighting the protective role of lifestyle and education
• Systematic evidence review finds cognitive behavioral therapy as effective as antidepressant medicines in treating depression
• To boost creativity, combine systematic daily effort with diverse emotional states
• Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) beat usual care for chronic back pain
• Landmark study on neural circuits shows that “cells that fire together wire together,” refining the popular “Use it or lose it”

New thinking:

• On “ethical placebos,” Medicine, and Mind/ Body interactions: A book review
• New Nevada regulation requires professional fighters to undergo regular computerized cognitive testing
• Brain Training – Can We Really Enhance Our Cognitive Skills?
• Since more than 50% of people worldwide can’t access appropriate mental health treatments, let’s welcome (and test) mobile health apps

New tools:

• Footballers (also known as soccer players) add novelty, variety and challenge to sharpen cognitive and perceptual skills
• Brain hacking emerges as latest trend in wearable tech, but is it ready for prime time?
• Maker of “neuro” functional drinks settles false advertising complaint
• French neurotech start-up Rythm raises $11m to help improve sleep quality
• May 17-18th @ San Francisco: Experiential Technology and NeuroGaming Conference

Finally, thank you very much to the 191 registered participants in our very stimulating April 21st virtual lecture. You should already have received access to the full recording and other materials, but please contact us if you have any problem.

Have a great month of May!

The SharpBrains Team

Study finds mindfulness meditation offers relief for low-back pain (NIH release):

“Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may prove more effective than usual treatment in alleviating chronic low-back pain, according to Read the rest of this entry »