I got neuroscience research a boost with the news of Professor John for the Nobel Prize for research named "internal GPS system for the brain," a new step on the road to solving the puzzle baffling brain. But how can translate cutting-edge neuroscience research to practical advice on how to pass exams, remember names, and found the car in a crowded parking?
awarded the prize jointly with the Norwegian team Edvard and May-Britt Moser for their discovery of cells that allow mice determine its location. When placing the mice in a new environment, these cells show an increase in activity. During sleep mice, the same cells show activity more quickly as it re-see the new track.
It is well known that part of the brain known as the hippo campus is linked to spatial awareness in birds and mammals, and the cast of this latest research on the spatial cells more light on how we define our course by our website. In 2000, researchers at the University of London proved led by Dr. Eleanor Maguire that the hippo campus with the taxi drivers in London has evolved after years of leadership in the back streets of the city. MRI scans showed that the taxi drivers have larger than average bunker, and that area of the brain grow more the longer they continue this work.
But the big discoveries does not automatically translate into practical benefits. Says scientist Baroness Susan Greenfield nerves:
"Research may give us great ideas, but we were not able to treat Alzheimer's disease after. We still need to know why certain cells die in cases of dementia, and how one could get a major stroke and damaged many of the nerves, however, does not lose his memory? What is the link between Parkinson's disease and dementia? ".
In other words, why destroy some cells but not others?
Even radiology tests and post-mortem examination of the brains of people with dementia is limited value, as indicated Greenfield, because the deterioration begins before the onset of symptoms of ten or twenty years. So what neuroscience tells us about maintaining brain methods?
1. used it or I lose
It seems that the more trained and used your brain, the better the performance. There is some evidence that people with the highest level of education and skills have a lower rate of dementia. But the picture is complex. Perhaps the Holders of more education ate the best food. As with higher skills they may be candidates by greater access to work, and take advantage of the exercise, social interaction and mental stimulation. Maintain physical, mental and social activity leads to the brain work better.
2. drugs tonic for the nerves
Mental stimulants or Nootropics also called smart drugs, most notably modafinil, a drug "promote vigilance" that stimulates the central nervous system and is described only in the United Kingdom for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (narcolepsy). We can not be sure if it was far more effective than a cup of coffee, but its effect lasts longer. Modafinil is used widely by the students because it makes people more alert and attentive. I found Barbara Sahakian, a professor at the University of Cambridge, that Modafinil helps surgeons who suffer from sleep deprivation to do their job better, and thought it could have a major role in improving memory and mental function, but not after the safety of the use of these drugs in the long term is confirmed, especially for young brains.
3. Avoid damage
The environment is full of nerve, which can affect the genes and proteins and small molecules that make up our brains with toxins. Young people and is more susceptible to the effects of these toxins. US National Scientific Council says there are types of nerve toxins may affect the brain in the growth stage: lead, mercury and phosphate (pesticides); stimulant drugs such as alcohol, nicotine and cocaine. Some medications such as Roaccutane, which is used to treat acne. The brains of adults can be more denominated pollutants, but drugs, alcohol and cigarettes poisoning even the brains of adults if consumed frequently.
4. maintain blood flow
Brain needs blood to flow well, but smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high blood cholesterol clog arteries and impede blood flow. If you care for the safety of your brain you should avoid these risk factors.
5. diet impact
Proved that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, and vitamins B and D helps protect the nervous system.
Future research
Professor Sahakian has identified five areas in neurological research that may help us to understand over the next five years:
- Smart wearable technology to monitor the health of the brain, like the wrist device that monitors heart rate.
- Brain scans to monitor the evolution of mental illness and track changes through treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Drugs that protect the nervous system, such as experience solanezumab to prevent the deterioration of the patients who suffer from Alzheimer's disease.
- Connectomics, study and production of neural maps of the brain, and the combination of a number of techniques to study the communication connectivity in the brain.