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Why we need personal trainers Brain – Dr. Michael Merzenich and neuroplasticity
Copyright (c) 2010 SharpBrains
I recently had the chance to interview Dr. Michael Merzenich, a pioneer in research on brain plasticity, in her office at UCSF. You can be learned about his work in one of PBS specials, multiple appearances in the media, or books related to neuroplasticity. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1999 and the Institute of Medicine this year.
AF (Alvaro Fernandez) Dear Michael, thank you very much for your time today. What, in your mind, the likely consequences of your work? Specifically, being given that there are many different approaches to exploit the technology without neuroplasticity, which is the unique value of technology?
MM (Michael Merzenich): It's all about efficiency, scalability, customization, and assured effectiveness. Technology supports the implementation of training strategies of the brain near-optimal, efficient. Thanks to the Internet, it allows lower-cost distribution these new tools, anywhere in the world. The technology also allows customization of training brain health, offering simple ways to measure and respond to individual needs in the individual experience of mental training of health. It allows the evaluation your abilities that can be said that your own health problems of the brain have been treated effectively.
Of course, substantial gains could also be achieved by organizing your daily activities that grow your neurological capacity and support brain health. However, if the citizen Ordinary is to have a real chance to keep their brains fit, they will have to devote much time to the brain gym!
However, There are obvious obstacles. A principal, in my mind, is the lack of understanding of what these new tools can do. Cognitive training programs, for example, seem counterintuitive to many consumers and professionals – Why would anyone want to try to improve the processing speed is concerned is whether all the "memory"? A second obvious problem is to get people to buy the necessary effort to actually change their minds for the better. This buy-in has been done for many people as it does to their physical health, but we do not forget that the measure still in the education of the average older person that the formation of brain fitness is a business just as demanding of effort!
AF: safe driving seems to be an area where the benefits are more intuitive, which may explain why.
MM: Yes, we see great potential and the interest of insurers to improve road safety, both for seniors and youth. Appropriate training cognitive decline fault accident rates. You can measure the benefits evident in a relatively short time, so it does not take long for insurers to see an economic rationale, not only to provide programs to low-cost or free of charge, but to encourage drivers to complete them. Allstate State Farm and other insurers are beginning to realize this potential. It is important to note that the typical accidents among teenagers and the elderly are different, so that the training methods will be different for different populations at high risk.
However, safety initiatives most lead today's emphasis on educating drivers rather than the neurological form. We measure the vision, for example, but completely ignore the capacity of attentional control, or useful field of view of a driver. I expect to change significantly over the next years.
long-term care and health insurance companies will eventually see similar benefits, and we believe they will follow same path of action. In fact, many senior living communities are among the pioneers in this field.
AF: The mainstream media is for This emerging category with thousands of stories. But most of the coverage seems more focused on "does it work?" more "how can we define, "" what works mean? "or" working for whom and for what? "Can you summarize what recent research suggests?
MM: We have seen clear patterns in the implementation of our training programs, some of which are published (such as IMPACT), some unpublished, some with healthy adults, and some with people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's Disease (AD). What we see in all cases: 1) despite its age, the brain can be improved, often with impressive improvement in a short amount of time invested and the limited time (10, 20 or 30 or 40 hours over a period of several weeks until 2 or 3 months). 2) the basic capabilities neurological in 60-90 years that are directly submitted to training (eg, processing accuracy and processing speed) can be improved level of performance average of 20 or 30 or 40 years through to 10.03 hours of training specific to this capacity. 3) Improving generalized to broader measures cognitive, and indices of quality of life. 4) Improvements are sustained over time (in different controlled studies, documented all criteria for post-training set between 3 and 72 months after completion of training).
A major obstacle is that there is not enough funding The search for the appropriate tests to answer all these questions, especially as they apply to mild cognitive impairment (Pre-AD) or the people of our era. We welcome research dollars not only more but also greater involvement of the FDA to help clarify outstanding claims.
AF: A key element of the maturity of the field will be the widespread use of objective assessments. That see you in this area?
MM: Unfortunately, most researchers and policy initiatives are still attached to relatively crude assessments. For example, I recently participated in meetings to help define a very well-supported initiative of the EU on the way cognitive science can contribute to drug development, including assessments of the most used and most evaluations of development were still on paper. This is a great opportunity missed, given the rapid development and availability of automated assessments.
AF: It was a fascinating conversation. What do you think will happen in the coming years?
MM: First, I think we need to focus on public education, for people to understand the value of tools with a face value limited. "An important aspect This is the need to strike a balance between what is "fun" and what has value as a cognitive enhancer – which requires intensive activities targeted, repetitive and slowly progressive. Not always the most fun – people need to think of "fitness" as much or more "games".
Secondly, I think the role of mentoring, coaching, support, will emerge to be a critical one. Consider the need for a piano teacher, if you want to learn to play the piano and improve over time. Technology can help to fill this role, or give support real and richly "coaches" who do.
My dream in all this is to have standardized tools and credible form 5-6 main areas of cognitive health and neurocognitive performance through life, coupled with assessments right to identify its needs and measure progress. For example, I would like to know what the 10 things I need to fix, and where to start.
AF: Mike, thank you very much again for your time and ideas.
MM: My pleasure.
About the Author
Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO of SharpBrains, a market research firm that track brain training software and neuroplasticity research and applications. Alvaro is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on The Future of the Aging Society, and teaches at UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute. He has an MBA. and an MA in Education from Stanford University. To learn more, visit http://www.sharpbrains.com/
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