Brain Fitness By Posit Science
Uh-oh. Your spouse just pointed out that you forgot to pick up your 12-year-old niece, Gail, who arrived at the train station at 8:15. You have only a vague memory that your friend Dale was coming on the 8:50 train.
What happened? Although your spouse said Gail, you heard Dale—and since Dale did not need to be met, you did not listen carefully, record deeply or recall the message.
Scientific research has revealed that three core trends begin to affect brain function as early as age 30. We likely don’t notice at first, but ultimately these brain changes lead to less mental precision and weaker recall, as in the example above. Read below to find out what these changes are and why they aren’t as inevitable as once thought.
SPEED: Slower Processing
Like our bodies, our brains gradually slow down—but the speed of information coming in does not. As a result, we begin to miss details that are essential to our ability to receive, interpret and remember information.
ACCURACY: “Fuzzier” Processing
Over time, input from all our senses loses its fidelity (strength and clarity). Our sensory organs (eyes, ears, etc.) weaken and so does the brain machinery that processes sensory input. Like the grooves of an old record, the brain’s neural pathways often get fuzzier, scratchier or even distorted, making it harder to separate the static from the sound.
RECORDING: Lowered Neuromodulatory Production
With each passing decade, our brains tend to produce fewer neuromodulators—chemicals that signal to the brain what is important enough to remember. A deficit of neuromodulators hinders the brain’s ability to record new information—in other words, its ability to learn and remember.
The brain’s ability to create clear memories depends on its processing speed, processing accuracy and neuromodulatory production. Posit Science™ has gathered some of the world’s leading authorities on the brain—scientists who have contributed to a revolutionary new understanding about changes in the brain that arise with age. The Brain Fitness Program, a novel approach to improving cognitive function in adults, is built on their research.
Essential neuromodulators include:
- Dopamine, released when we feel rewarded. It’s the brain’s way of saying, “That was a good one. Record it. (And do it again.)”
- Norepinephrine, released when we encounter novelty or surprise. It’s the brain’s way of saying, “That’s new and could be important. Record it.”
- Acetylcholine, released when we actively pay attention. It’s the brain’s way of saying, “I care about this. Record it.”
Neuroplasticity
You might be wondering how it’s possible to avoid or reverse these factors. The answer lies in neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change (chemically, physically and functionally) at any point in life. Scientists used to believe that plasticity was limited to early childhood, but more recent research has demonstrated that the brain can change throughout life.
The Posit Science Brain Fitness Program™
The Posit Science scientific team has used its extensive knowledge of neuroplasticity and cognitive function to design the Brain Fitness Program, a computer-based training program that targets the three contributors to cognitive decline. It is designed to:
- SPEED up brain processing.
- Improve processing ACCURACY.
- Stimulate the machinery that produces the neuromodulators that control the RECORDING system.
The program focuses on listening because much of the important information we take in each day comes through speech. The first of six program exercises aims to improve brain function by retraining the brain to focus on the subtle details of sounds. It starts with the basic building blocks of speech—frequency “sweeps” of spoken language.
From Frequency Sweeps…
Many language sounds are characterized by three major formants, or louder bands of frequencies. In many cases, all that differentiates one sound from another is how one formant sweeps: up or down. Look at the example of /d/ and /g/ above left. Notice how the top formant in /d/ begins high and drops down, while in /g/ it begins low and rises up.
The frequency sweeps in the Brain Fitness Program mimic these formants, exercising the brain’s reception of them in fast time. And since the clarity of our memory depends on how well the brain first processed the information, it’s also crucial to memory.
…to Narratives
The second through sixth exercises gradually move up beyond sweeps through phonemes, syllables, words, sentences and narratives. The program uses patented speech processing techniques to challenge the brain. The exercises provide sounds that are algorithmically designed to make it easier for the brain to etch strong models of the sounds, interpret sounds accurately and speed up processing.
The Goal
The program is designed to increase processing speed, clear up “fuzzy” processing and encourage the production of neuromodulators in order to help you interpret what you hear quickly and remember it accurately—so that you won’t find yourself confused about whether it’s Dale or Gail who’s arriving at 8:15 or 8:50.
For More Information
If you are interested in learning more about the science behind the Brain Fitness Program, call Don Harris, an Authorized Brain Fitness Provider and Licensed Speech Pathologist, today at 509-833-3264 or Contact Us Online to further discuss the many ways The Brain Fitness Program will benefit you and your family.
