New research is hoping to understand how the human brain hears sound to help develop improved hearing aids and automatic speech recognition systems.
Memory
Cell’s ‘battery’ found to play central role in neurodegenerative disease
A devastating neurodegenerative disease that first appears in toddlers just as they are beginning to walk has been traced to defects in mitochondria, the ‘batteries’ or energy-producing power plants of cells.
Your appetite might be linked to risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease – Appetite might be linked to risk of Alzheimer’s
The hormone leptin controls your appetite
Leptin is a potent and important appetite-regulating hormone – if you’ve just polished off a couple plates of food at a buffet, your blood leptin levels will rise and signal to your brain that you’re full.
The picture to the right shows an obese mouse that is missing the leptin gene and thus doesn’t produce leptin in its body. When it starts eating, it doesn’t stop and becomes obese.
The same thing happens in a small population of humans who are missing the leptin gene. They can’t control their appetite and get fat. But as always in biology, the story is more complicated. Some obese people have exactly the opposite effect – higher leptin levels than normal.
This might be because they have a genetic defect that makes them resistant to the effects of the hormone – when their bodies detect that the existing leptin in the bloodstream isn’t working, more leptin is pumped out, leading to higher levels.
Higher leptin = less risk of Alzheimer’s disease
A group of researchers based in Boston University have just finished an epic 12-year study of over 750 elderly people, where they tracked leptin levels and brain function (with brain scans). In short, they found that people with overall higher leptin levels at the start of the study ended up with less Alzheimer’s disease and healthier brains.
This is exciting because it would be extremely powerful to find a way to predict whether somebody is going to get Alzheimer’s disease later in their life, allowing early intervention and treatment – this study shows that leptin might be a useful predictive biomarker.
Now you might be thinking, if people with lower leptin levels get more Alzheimer’s disease, why don’t we give them some more leptin? Great minds think alike, because that’s exactly what Dr. J. Wesson Ashford and the Stanford/VA Alzheimer’s Center received $3M from the NIH (National Institute of Health) to look into.
Of course, any clinical application of this leptin / Alzheimer’s disease work is still many years away, but it’s good to see progress being made in understanding risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.
How To Maximize The Potential Of Your Memory
Having a great memory can help you succeed in life, in school, and in your job. Memory can help you be more profitable, gain more knowledge and improve your interpersonal relationships. Your memory can be easily sharpened by practicing memory techniques, and making some lifestyle changes.
Make up a song for anything you’re trying to remember. It may sound peculiar, but how many of you have ever sung the ABC song? Because melodies repeat themselves, it’s easy for your mind to remember them. Try singing your next thought, so you can see that you can easily recall it.
Take daily fish oil supplements to enhance or maintain cognitive abilities. Research has demonstrated that Omega 3 Fats, such as fish oil, can increase your memory. Because you can have too much of a good thing, you should consult your doctor about the proper dosage.
Hook information together to help you remember information. Try to make logical connections between info that you learn so that it is easier for your brain to recall that info. For instance, if a chemistry student needs to memorize the periodic table symbol for lead (Pb), he can link it to panda bears for maximum recall ability. This connection is bizarre, and that makes it easy to remember.
One way to improve your mind and memory is by taking care of your body. Exercise helps to improve your memory, at the same time that it improves your health. Also, when you exercise, it gets more oxygen to your brain, and reduces the risk of disorders that can lead to memory loss. Exercise can activate chemicals that can help to protect cells located in your brain.
If you have a large quantity of information you need to remember, organize things in related categories rather than studying random clusters of information. Research studies have shown that there is a greater likelihood of the subject being retained into your memory when organizing yourself in this way.
Learn more than the minimum that you need on any one topic. It’ll be much easier for you to remember things when the knowledge you have on the subject is vast. Read multiple descriptions of words or subjects you are attempting to learn.
If you really want to do something to improve your memory, you should try to include Omega-3 supplements into your diet. Foods that are high in omega fatty acids have been shown to improve brain health and memory function. Add more oily fishes to your diet, such as salmon.
Find ways to incorporate fish oil into your regular diet. If you find your memory is not what it used to be, you may not be getting enough Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. You can choose to take it as a daily dietary supplement.
Get up and walk away from your study or work routine for a minimum of five minutes per hour. Your brain requires a rest and relaxation period to better handle what you have provided. This makes it easier for you to retain important matters more effectively.
Get adequate rest. Make sure you’re getting good sleep, too--eight hours a night isn’t enough if you’re waking every few minutes or sleep on an uncomfortable bed. In fact, sleep plays a vital role in both your short-term and long-term memory. When brain cells are weary, they will not help you with memory retention. Get enough restful sleep during the night to aid your memory.
Ever experienced the feeling of something on the tip of your tongue? If you find yourself doing this often, you are not alone. Just take a step back and breathe deeply, and thing about the word and how you can remember it. Your mind can remember, it just takes patience. When you do this, you can just let the word you’re trying to think of come to mind.
There is a ton of information you should learn and keep in mind, and it will help you study at a lot of different places. If you’re stuck in the same location learning material, then you will associate material with only specific location. You basically want to encourage your brain to be able to learn information anywhere possible so that the more you practice learning, the easier it becomes to do anywhere you are.
Memory games can really improve your memory if you play them regularly. Once you look at what is available, you are sure to find something you really enjoy doing and strengthens your memory at the same time. In addition to aiding your memory, these games also boost concentration and attention skills. Do an online search for memory games that can be played for free online.
As you have seen, a wide variety of memory improvement techniques exist. They can help you remember everyday things like what you meant to buy at the store, as well as special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. Remember the advice you have just read and you should be able to improve your memory skills easily.
Tips And Tricks To Keep Your Memory Sharp
A quick, sharp memory has many practical applications at home, work and school. Being a good learner is essential to your education and career. If you can make some simple life changes and learn some memory techniques, you might be able to improve your memory.
Makes use of calendars, agendas and other planners. Buy a day planner and jot things down. Be sure you continuously look over your schedule. When you keep a schedule like this and pay attention to it, it will aid your mind overall. It is less for your brain to remember and handy to have around, if you forget something.
Organize your notes into categories to help you remember what you study. There is evidence to suggest that this type of organizational behavior can help to solidify your memory.
Make a memory tree. For larger subjects, be sure to concentrate initially on the gist. Make limbs, the crucial details, branch off the tree, the large subjects. Finally, add less important details to these branches. Visualizing information in this way can help your mind stay organized, and make it easier to recall details.
There are few things more frustrating than reaching for a memory or fact and being unable to remember it. To help spur your memory, try clearing your mind briefly. Put yourself someplace that is quiet, empty your mind, take a few slow, deep breaths, and try again to remember what it is you were trying to remember.
You can train your brain to make your memory more effective. There are so many ways to do this, from playing a memory game or learning new skills. For example, learn to play a new game that involves remembering a set of rules.
Now that you’re aware of various memory techniques, you should be able to remember anniversaries, and what items you are picking up at the store. By applying the advice from this article, you should see an immediate and drastic improvement in your recollection abilities.