Author Archives: Dr. Bernard Croisile

Your Brain in the Digital Age

Sometimes the speed of technological advancement and the rate of change is awe-inspiring. In many cases new technology makes our lives easier. Just imagine living without the benefits of wireless communication or the ease of access to information on the Internet. But as technology makes some of our tasks easier, is it changing the way [...]

Seniors Should Maintain an Active Lifestyle

My colleague Dr. Jeffery Cummings gave a very informative interview to the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week (entitled Alzheimer’s studies urge active retirement). In the article, Dr. Cummings highlights the growing body of research that leading an active life, especially after retirement, appears to be one of the most important things one can do in [...]

Music is Good for Your Brain

Whether it is classical, jazz, or good old-fashioned rock and roll, almost everyone enjoys listening to some form of music. Music can also be good for the brain as highlighted in a recent Cochrane Systematic Review of the prevailing research on music therapy, titled Music Therapy for Acquired Brain Injury.
When someone suffers from an acquired [...]

Vitamin D and Cognitive Health

This week Dr. Katherine Tucker of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging published a report in the Journals of Gerontology which makes the claim that elderly individuals may be able to help sustain their cognitive function by maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin D.
The study (Vitamin D Is Associated with Cognitive Function [...]

Cognitive Ability is More Important than Age

In neuroscience news this week, a newly published study by Scott Huettel, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Duke Center for Neuroeconomic Studies) attempts to help disprove the myth that simply aging makes us inferior at financial decision making compared to our younger counterparts. Dr. Huettel’s study was published earlier [...]

2 New Genes Associated with Alzheimer’s Discovered

Last week we talked about diet and Alzheimer’s, which led to questions from some of you about the genetic factors associated with Alzheimer’s. Recently scientists have identified two new genes they believe are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. Sudha Seshadri (an [...]

Mediterranean Diet Might Protect Against Alzheimer’s

It is well documented that a diet rich in antioxidants, leafy greens, nuts and fish benefits the body in a whole host of different ways. Fresh produce, fish – especially the kind rich in omega-3s like mackerel and salmon – and nuts provide lean protein, healthy fats and plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals to [...]

Meditation Could be Easier than You Think

Meditation has long been reported as a great way to clear the mind and reduce stress. In my post in February, 5 Strategies to Improve Memory, I pointed to a research study that found that the daily practice of meditation thickened the parts of the brain’s cerebral cortex responsible for decision making, attention and memory. [...]

Challenging the Nature & BBC Brain Games Study

As you may have read, the BBC  just published the results of a ‘brain training’ study in Nature magazine. The show “Bang goes the Theory” funded and conducted a study with 8,600 subjects using a simple set of light-weight computer games, played them for a minimal time and declared to the world that “brain games [...]

Why Do Omega-3s Help Your Brain?

Doctors and scientists have long known that n-3 fatty acids, also known as omega-3s, are purported to have a positive influence on brain health. If you are concerned with maintaining your cognitive abilities and keeping your brain healthy you likely already sustain a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids through fish, walnuts, supplementation and/or other [...]