Mark what kind of brain retraining did you do?

I did a variety of things to retrain my brain. My most common training in the past was doing mental math. Anytime I had a need to do arithmetic or such, I would always try to do it in my head first. I would try to challenge the cash register at the store by trying to add up the prices and figure the sales tax in my head. Before the prevalence of scanners, I could do this regularly. Now, it is not possible. I would get to a point where I could often be very close if not right on.

An example of this retraining is my high school years. I was a year ahead of my grade level in math. My freshman year, I challenged freshman Algebra and took sophomore Geometry instead. I suffered a decompensation early in my sophomore year from a concussion from heading the ball at soccer. After straight A's as a freshman, I struggled to get B's as a sophomore, even in the junior math class that was my strongest subject.

It took more than a year to recover from the decomp. I did not take any math my junior or senior year. (The only teacher was my neighbor and he was a jerk). I took the SAT early in my junior year and scored 640 on the math. I continued to challenge my mind with math, even though I was not taking any math classes. A year later, I took the SAT again and scored a 710 on the math portion. It had been almost two years since I had a math class.

This recovery is what taught me that I could retrain my brain. Back in 1971, brain retraining was never suggested by my neuro.

I suffered another decomp in college and almost flunked out. Again, I focused on mental math and spacial relations puzzles. I regained most of my functions.

I have always been an inventor or fixer. I would see a problem and go through all kinds of mental gymnastics to solve it. I still try to do this but now I often need to rely on a pencil and paper. My visualization skills are too haphazard.

More recently, I would play computer games. Freecell is a Windows solitaire game that requires planning multiple moves before you start the move. Minesweeper requires visual patterning to be successful. There were other games I would play that challenged visual perception and multiple step functions. These were great brain exercises.

Now, I get overwhelmed and exhausted by the visual challenges. I also struggle to sequence the multiple steps of games like Freecell. I have tried to retrain with the same games and techniques but get mentally exhausted to quickly. It is like a fog drops in front of my eyes.

I tried less strenuous tasks like sorting screws and nuts. This was a great help at visual perception and hand to eye coordination.

I still do some of these exercises by researching to learn about and understand a variety of issues. When someone mentions a new therapy or report, I research it to understand it. The thought process of learning new information is a great brain exercise. Sometimes, I will have to stop and walk away because i get overwhelmed.

If I return later with a fresh brain, I can try again. The internet is a fabulous brain training tool. There is a very interesting aspect to information. Truthfully presented information makes sense. You can find a logical system of discovery.

If you learn to ask yourself questions about things that you don't understand, then go looking for the answers, you will embark on a vigorous exercise for your brain. The information may have no importance to you, but the task of learning is a great exercise for your brain.
I believe that 75% of high school and college classes are just exercises in how to learn and understand new information. Very few jobs use the skills you were taught in school (except hard sciences). But they rely on your college successes as an indicator of your ability to persevere and learn.

This same system can be used to retrain your brain.

Oddly, I can do mental exercises about things that have no value to me but strengthen my brain, but I have a hard time doing physical exercise just for the sake of the exercise to strengthen my body.

There are more directed brain training systems available now. Brain Age makes programs for the Nintendo DS.

There are some more expensive systems such as http://www.positscience.com/products/
http://www.mindsparke.com/brain_fitness_pro.php
http://www.braintrain.com/
http://www.getrealresults.com/
and a residential program at http://www.arrowsmithschool.org/

These may be worthwhile for some but many of us can just choose to be inquisitive and work our brains. There are a few free online challenges. I like to do Numbrix puzzles at http://www.parade.com/askmarilyn/num...-20090617.html
Sudoku can also be a great exercise. Memorizing anything (math tables, poems, scripture, lyrics) can be helpful.

There is a concept called delight directed studies. It refers to how the brain will put extra effort into study and problem solving in areas of interest.

Now, go find something to challenge your brain.

btw, I have much more success with objective tasks and information. I struggle to process abstract ideas and information. This is a common problem with cognitive impairment. Puzzle pieces that fit are easier to work with than a hodgepodge of abstract tidbits.

Mark,

I found the alzhiemers forum that you belong to and read some of Jab's response to your question. Admitidely, it was so long and cumbersome that I didn't feel like reading all of it. However, I would like to comment on a couple of points that I consider important.

First, all of the information he gave pertains to the alhzeimer's population and not to the head injured population. I understand your concern about developing dementia due to your head injuries but please know that researchers have not found a direct linkage between head injuries and dementia. In one study I read about (I can't find the link anymore, my apologies) half of the subjects who had incurred a head injury got dementia later in life and the other half who had incurred the same level of head injury did not.

Second, I would be interested to find out what the credentials of JAB, who posted that information, are. I try not to make it a habit of taking the advice one person's perspective on a subject, especially someone who is not medically or scientifically trained. I found a link to another forum that discusses the same research article he refers to, but from a different point of view. I thought you might be interested to read it. http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=562
. So, it seems that the same information can be interpreted differently, which is very common in science.

Third, alpha gpc is only used to restore the depleted acytalcholine levels in the brain that the 'nootropics cause, and not to raise the level. So, theoretically, your acetylcholine levels are never being raised because the nootropic is depleting them, and thus, an equilibrium occurs.

Fourth, *edit*. My intention is not to persuade but rather, merely to inform. With that in mind, you could also look into oxiracetam, which has been used more extensively for brain injuries. There is also cerebrolysin you could research. However, cerebrolysin is a bit more cumbersome because you have to inject it into your system.

JAB is highly respected for her research skills. She has been researching brain issues for years. In some situations she tends to be overly conservative, but her logic is usually very sound.

As I said, the studies that reviewed the published literature about aniracetam and other racetams determined that most of the published studies were poorly done. They looked at more than just Alzheimer's in the studies.

I just think it is important to note that most of the articles on Aniracetam are based on anecdotal or studies with weak study methodology.

If you compare the claims, you will find a circle of information. A repeats B who repeats C who repeats D who repeats A. It is hard to find any original studies except the rat studies. They have extrapolated on the rats studies and added anecdotal information.


An important concern I have is the ability of Aniracetam and Alpha GPC to cross the blood brain barrier without restriction.

This same problems shows up with 5-HTP when it is taken rather than L-Tryptophan. L-Tryptophan get metabolized by the body into 5-HTP in a regulated system.

There have been not long term studies with Aniracetam. Rats don't live long enough and the human anecdotal or poor methodology studies do not track the subjects long enough.

As good as it sounds, I am not willing to risk it. As I said, I was about to buy some.

It is not an issue of Big Pharma trying to block Aniracetam as is the case with many alternative treatments. The science is just weak.

I have a whole list of other articles I found but will not post due to copy/paste guidelines. Get creative with your Google search terms. Aniracetam, FDA, dementia, long term, etc. You will most likely find the same mix of conflicting studies. Notice the supporting studies often repeat much of the same information from an old study.

Regarding brain injury and Alzheimer's. They have not found a causal link but do notice a statistical connection between brain injury and a higher incident of Alzheimer's. I think this may be tied to an Alzheimer's diagnostic criteria that does not adequately exclude brain injury dementia but the studies don't make this claim.

I would be interested in your source from China... Please email me back that information. Thanks much...

The website is alibaba. You can also run a google search: aniracetam, china suppliers. If you live in the States, may be tricky to import because they sell it in bulk and you are only allowed to import a 3 month supply legally.

Might you be able to post the links that Alpha GPC
increases plaque formation in Alzheimer's ?


On Alpha GPC. I have long wanted to give it, as an alternative
to CDP Choline, and ALCAR, benfotiamine, etc, to my vascular
demented father, but have been prevented by institutionalization
in a nursing home as well as by my elder brother, who has never
heard of life extension, let alone smart drugs and nutrients, and
trusts only doctors.


Since I am not allowed to post links yet due to forum restrictions on
new users, I will just post the Medline reference numbers, which could
be keyed into the search window :


19185780 - ALA, ALCAR, GPC, DHA and PS improves cognitive performance.

8477148 - Alpha GPC outperforms ALCAR in Alzheimer's.

1916007 - Alpha GPC outperforms citicholine in vascular dementia.