DISCOVER Magazine, May 2007 issue, brings a great article titled “The Elastic Brain: Michael Merzenich believes you can tone your mind and stave off memory loss. All it takes is time in his mental gym”. The article (which is not available online) provides a great overview of the amazing work of Prof. Merzenich (a UCSF neuroscientist) with Scientific Learning and Posit Science, pioneers in the field. The writer’s tone is positive overall but adds a note of skepticism, saying that “Yet despite the enthusiastic testimony I heard from senior citizens who have tried the program, there are no formal studies published in peer-reviewed journals that demonstrate the program’s effects” and gathering criticisms outlined by other researchers. Having said so, in our opinion, Posit Science offers the best program we have seen focused on improving auditory processing, and we expect to see more clear studies soon-the field is relatively new.
Slate Magazine presents a special issue on the brain. We will review and comment on it soon, including a neurobic club/ brain gym.