If you’re like me, you might think that video games are just for kids. But according to Richard Restak, MD, video games can improve the brain at any age. In fact, certain types of games have even been shown to increase IQ in older adults. Richard Restak is the Clinical Professor of Neurology at George Washington Hospital University and author of Think Smart: A Neuroscientist’s Prescription for Improving Your Brain’s Performance. Watch below to learn how video games can change the brain.   Click here to sign up. It’s fascinating to hear how these games could make us sharper and…

We can’t control the brain we’re born with, but we can control the brain we end up with. And according to Sharon Begley, there are two forces that shape our brain throughout life. Sharon Begley is the Senior Health & Science Correspondent at Reuters and co-author of The Emotional Life of Your Brain with Richard Davidson, PhD. Watch below as she talks about these two forces. Click here to sign up. As Sharon said, that’s neuroplasticity! We’ll get into a whole lot more about ways to change the brain in our interview with Sharon. You can watch the entire interview…

Neural integration – it means developing a strong connection between the two sides of the brain. Why does this matter? When we have neural integration, we’re more likely to easily develop positive, healthy relationships throughout life. And I’m sure you know what a difference that can make over the course of a lifetime. Especially for kids . . . According to Dan Siegel, there are 9 ways to promote neural integration (some of which are even fun to try). We wanted to give you a look at one of them, so we pulled together this quick video. It’s very short…

What foods could strengthen your memory, improve your problem-solving ability, and make you an even better multi-tasker? In short, can any foods help to improve your brain power? Are there foods that would increase the size of your brain? Studies suggest that omega-3s help brain function, specifically visual memory and executive function, including problem-solving, multi-tasking and abstract thinking. In a new study published in the February 28th volume of the journal Neurology, researchers from the UCLA-based lab of Zaldy S. Tan, MD looked at the role of Omega-3 fatty acids in influencing brain power and overall brain health. They took…

I’ve been talking a lot about exercise recently. We know that it’s good for the brain, and yet the studies showing this can be pretty dry. And when it comes to persuading patients to actually do what’s good for them, lectures aren’t too effective either. With that in mind, we wanted to try something new, something that you could use to get through to your patients. So we created a video that’s short, fun, and totally different from anything we’ve ever done. Check it out below and tell me what you think. http://www.nicabm.com/brain-science-breakthroughs/ You are welcome to use this with…

If you read my last blog, you would have seen the video about Dance for PD®, an innovative program for people battling the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Dance for PD® is so effective because it allows participants to step out of the patients’ role and just move – creating beauty while engaging mind, body, and spirit. Friends and spouses of program participants enjoy taking these classes, too. The freedom of movement is something that many of us may take for granted. After seeing the video, I’m feeling much more mindful of the joy of moving. The video brought up five…