The Best Brain News of 2016: Three studies show we can boost our brains at any age | LearningRx Blog

As far as the neuroscience community is concerned, 2016 was a year thatled us to breakthroughs, hope and optimism. With the help of technologiessuch as the MRI and fMRI, brain researchers have been able to determinebefore-and-after results of cognitive training and even see changes inthe brain in real time. Here are some of the best brain-related studiesthat support the idea of neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to changeat any age) and our ability to improve our brains with dietary changes,cognitive training and aerobic exercise.

1. Vegetable compounds improve cognition in old age.

A study published in theJournal of the International Neuropsychological Society looked at the impact of lutein and zeaxanthin-natural plant chemicals calledcarotenoids that are found in a variety of brightly colored vegetablesand fruits-on cognition in adults ages 65 to 86. They found that higherlevels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina correlated with improvedneural efficiency on memory tasks. [SOURCE]

2. LearningRx one-on-one brain training creates new connections in the brain.

A Randomized Control Trial (RCT) testing LearningRx’s ThinkRx personalbrain training program found significant physical changes in the participants’brains after training.

In the study, 30 high school students were randomly assigned to one ofthree groups: ThinkRx, digital training, or study hall (control) for a15-week training period. All students underwent cognitive testing andMRIs pre- and post-training. Analysis of cognitive testing scores foundthat training groups scored significantly higher than controls on multipletasks, with the most significant gains occurring in auditory processing(analyzing, blending and segmenting sounds).

Even more exciting: fMRI analysis by Dr. Christina Ledbetter, Neuroscientistand Research Fellow at LSU Health Sciences Center, revealed that aftercognitive training:

• During the resting state, multiple regions of the brain showed significantchanges in connectivity
• The brain’s network was more efficient
• Network changes in the brain were linked to gains in auditory processing

“Using fMRI, we looked at underlying brain changes related to gainsin auditory processing following LearningRx training,” explains Dr.Ledbetter. “We found that changes in brain connectivity occurredbetween the auditory cortex and cortical areas involved in cognitive processing,and that the degree of change correlated with gains in auditory processing.”

The results of the analysis-“Analysis of Resting State FunctionalConnectivity in a Cognitive Training Intervention Study”-have beenpublished in LearningRx’s 48-page 2016 edition of “Client Outcomes and Research Results” and were presented at the 2016 Society for Neuroscience conferenceby Dr. Ledbetter and Dr. Amy Moore, Director of theGibson Institute of Cognitive Research.

3. Aerobic exercise improves cognition in old age.

A team of researchers from Wake Forest School of Medicine examined olderadults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a randomized, controlledtrial of physical exercise. After six months, magnetic resonance imagingscans of the participants’ brains showed that those who took partin the aerobic program had improved significantly more in executive functioncompared to a group that did stretching only. [SOURCE]

With all this good news, why not make 2017 the year to boost your brain?Find out more about how personal brain training can help atwww.LearningRx.com.