Don’t Become Another Statistic!

By Michael Rucker, posted on September 24, 2010 at 7:37 pm

It appears a few major publications read the Brain Fitness for Life blog, because both Business Week and Time ran stories this week about the staggering costs of treating dementia after we ran our op-ed piece More reason to engage in brain exercise! Both the Business Week and Time article reference the current Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) report on The Global Economic Impact of Dementia.

In the new ADI report the global cost of dementia is estimated to be more than half a trillion dollars (yes with a T), US$604B to be exact. To put this in perspective that is roughly one percent of the world’s gross domestic product. The report’s estimated cost included direct costs of medical care in primary and secondary care settings, direct costs of social care provided in residential care settings, costs associated with community care professionals, plus unpaid informal care offered by family caregivers and others.

ADI estimates that with the current increase in dementia cases the cost of dementia related treatments will exceed the $1 trillion mark by 2030. Dementia is not just a problem in the United States, it is significantly affecting every health and social care system in the world. Currently, there are about 35 million affected by dementia worldwide, but that figure is expected to double over the next two decades!

The report makes some interesting comparisons to put things into perspective, for instance if dementia care were a country, it would be the world’s 18th largest economy. If it were a company, it would be the world’s largest by annual revenue, exceeding both Wal-Mart (US$414B) and Exxon Mobil (US$311B).

Another alarming highlight – the number of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is now greater than those with cancer or heart disease. However, dementia still tends to get less attention and research money than either.

Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association was quoted as saying, “this report clearly illustrates that dementia is already affecting health systems around the world, and for the families who are forced to face Alzheimer’s the anguish is universal. The World Alzheimer Report 2010 urges all countries — including the U.S. — to develop national plans to deal with the disease.” We are happy to report that Harry’s Breakthrough Ride (discussed in the post World Alzheimer’s Day is this Tuesday!) was a success. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Ride collected more than 100,000 petition signatures requesting that Alzheimer’s be made a national priority. On Tuesday, World Alzheimer’s Day, Johns’ team cycled onto Capitol Hill and delivered the signatures to Congress.

Engaging in brain fitness and playing brain games is increasingly becoming recognized as a potential method to decrease this societal burden. If you haven’t tried brain fitness yet, you can try it out for free by clicking here.

Posted in Alzheimers, Brain Decline, Brain health, Health & Wellness, Mental Health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline

By Dr. Peter Magaro, posted on September 20, 2010 at 4:15 pm

A response to The New York Times article, “Years Later, No Magic Bullet Against Alzheimer’s Disease”, dated Aug 28, 2010 based on the NIH Report “Preventing Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline” from Dr. Peter Magaro.

In late spring 2010, the National Institute for Health (NIH) produced a review of research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cognitive decline that will stand as a standard for at least a decade and this with an appreciation of the rapid proliferating of information with advanced telecommunication technology. The thoroughness of the group from Duke University who managed the review is without peer in the realm of medical research. As a former academic involved with years of research and who has worked through the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) research initiatives on schizophrenia, depression and psychotherapy, this is a milestone. As is obvious, I am not writing to criticize the report. What I am upset about is the public and professional reporting on the review. Especially the New York Times.

As the Director of the Memory Training Centers of America, I work everyday with people with AD and memory loss. We provide cognitive training and believe it is helpful and, more importantly we believe, the research supports this form of treatment more than any other. And guess what: That was the conclusion of the original report and the point the NY Times chose to ignore. The article in the NY Times painted a picture of no progress after decades of research. This is not correct. The review reported hopeful signs of a successful intervention, brain training.

It should be said right off; the NIH report is not light reading. It is 748 pages of charts and numbers. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the state of the research in this important area. They divided studies into two groups; those who examined the prevention of AD and those that examined brain decline. The quality of the research was divided into 3 categories; high, moderate and low depending on how studies met many specific research criteria such as appropriate control groups and dependent variables. The results of the review were divided into 4 categories; increased risk of AD or cognitive decline; decreased risk; no association between the variables and not enough information. In effect, you have a 3×4 matrix for each dimension, AD and cognitive/brain decline.

The NY Times story was titled “Years Later, No Magic Bullet” and the reporter went on to conclude that “nothing has been conclusively shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease”. However, she leaves out the main findings and especially those results that are encouraging and could give people some choices on how to combat the illness, all within the Alzheimer’s Association warning that there is no definitive treatment. Of course in any research there is no definitive answer. Is there a definitive answer for prostrate cancer? As one researcher concluded for some types of prostate cancer in defined time periods, the best treatment may be to lose weight. In effect, AD like most chronic diseases is a set of multiple conditions that will require multiple treatments and the research needed is to determine what works with whom and when. This takes me to why I am writing this complaint against the NY Times.

The reporter neglected to report on half the review; the results on cognitive decline; the other 11 cells in the matrix. These should not have been left out because the missing half of the story is the most important half. . Each section in the NIH report is not exclusionary. Looking at the research on the risk of AD without considering the research on the risk of cognitive decline is like describing a coin without considering both sides.

Possibly a more important reason to consider both sides of the coin is that cognitive decline is a more viable indicator of the disease process than a risk for AD. Cognitive decline is the functional process that mirrors the structural decline. Risk for AD is a probability of an intervention to decrease a complex function. AD progression is a factor of multiple variables; socio/cultural events, diet, lifestyle, genetics and more. In a holistic concept of disease, the research examining one factor’s effect on the presence or progression of the disease usually measured by symptoms is extremely difficult and must assume large variance relative to all the other contributing factors. Cognitive decline has a lighter load to carry in terms of measurement and prediction and possibly real life meaning.

The clearest relationship in the treatment of AD today is the relationship between brain decline and AD. The NIH report found that the only treatment that showed a High level of Evidence and a Decreased Risk of Cognitive Decline is cognitive training. Combine this with the finding in the “low level of evidence treatment of AD” section that found that cognitive training was also associated with decreased risk of AD. If we listen to the scientific evidence reported in the review, we have a combination of findings that says we should be prescribing cognitive training for all patients with signs of cognitive decline. Is it a cure? No. From a research perspective, is this the only treatment that makes any sense? Yes. Is it the final answers, no?

This review produced evidence that cognitive rehab should be considered as a treatment for every individual with a mild cognitive impairment. While the outcome will not be guaranteed, this is the most scientifically proven way to treat AD: Scientifically proven meaning the current weight of scientific evidence that can shift in time.

Quite a different statement than no treatment is available for AD, which was concluded and reported by the New York Times.

About Dr. Peter Magaro
Dr. Magaro has a long career in research with 6 books and over 80 articles in professional journals in cognitive psychology. His publications began in the early 1960’s and continue until today with a presentation this year at the NY State Psychological Association convention. His research on psychopathology and psychotherapy has given him a long-term perspective on findings over time. His last academic position was Full Professor and Director of Clinical Training at Ohio State University. He has been a research consultant at the Hispanic Institute at Fordham University and at Cornell University Medical School. At present, he is president of the Alzheimer’s Treatment and Memory Training Centers of America (ATMTCA). ATMTCA has partnered with SBT / HAPPYneuron to bring the Memory Treatment Program to patients suffering for memory related deficits due to Mild Cognitive Impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Sources:
New York Times article: “Years Later No Magic Bullet against Alzheimer’s disease”
National Institute for Health report “Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline”

Posted in Alzheimers, Brain Decline, Brain Research, Brain Training Science, Cognitive Neuroscience, cognitive remediation, Cognitive Training, dementia, Health & Wellness, Memory Screening, Memory Training, Mental Health, mild cognitive impairment, Mind Fitness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

World Alzheimer’s Day is this Tuesday!

By Michael Rucker, posted on September 17, 2010 at 6:47 pm

World Alzheimer's Day, September 21This Tuesday, September 21, is World Alzheimer’s Day – a day dedicated to raising global awareness about a disease which affects an estimated 5.3 million people here in the United States. The number of Alzheimer’s cases continues to grow at an increasing rate, escalating the need for more information, support, and research than ever before. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia worldwide. It is progressive, irreversible, and devastating.

This year’s theme for World Alzheimer’s Day is “Dementia. It’s time for action!” The hope this year is to get public policy makers to take notice of the Alzheimer’s epidemic and to also raise overall public awareness. Creating a broader understanding of the current problem and growing challenges is a critical step in increasing services that help better the lives of those with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

True to this year’s theme, one significant effort started in July is the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Ride, which is a group of Alzheimer researchers riding their bicycles cross-country from San Francisco to Washington D.C. obtaining petition signatures that will be presented to Congress on Tuesday. The petition asks Congress to make Alzheimer’s disease a national priority. There is still time to assist their efforts and you can show your support in various ways by clicking here and either signing the petition, donating money, or possibly riding with the team if you happen to be close to their route. Alternatively, you may be interested in participating in the “Memory Walk” which is the United States’ largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer causes and is being conducted all over the United States. Click the “Memory Walk” link to see what is going on in your area and explore possible ways to contribute.

Knowledge is one of the most important weapons against Alzheimer’s. Creating awareness about Alzheimer’s, and drawing attention to the need for further research is a key component to ending this terrible disease.

If you are personally concerned about Alzheimer’s you can learn 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease by clicking here, or you can participate in brain fitness to increase your cognitive reserve which has been shown in scientific research studies to be one of your best defenses against Alzheimer’s.

Posted in Alzheimers, Brain health, Health & Wellness | Tagged , | Comments (1)

More reason to engage in brain exercise!

By Laura Fay, posted on September 10, 2010 at 5:55 pm

What a breakthrough! We now have even more reason to engage in brain exercise.

This week a newly published scientific research study reports that brain exercise can defer the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and shorten its time line. The study was conducted by neuropsychologist Dr. Robert Wilson of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and published Sept 1, 2010 in Neurology.

Wilson’s team studied 1157 healthy Chicago residents with a range of incomes and ethnic backgrounds, ages 65 and older, over a 6 year period. The bottom line of the study’s finding is that engaging in regular brain exercise has shown to defer the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The cognitive reserve that results from leading a cognitively rich lifestyle helps people compensate in the early stages of AD. Even though a person may have the disease they are able to function normally and enjoy life for a longer period of time. The duration of the disease is shortened, and symptoms only appear at a point where the brain’s natural defenses (through cognitive reserve build up) are defeated.

For example, if you knew you had the fatal condition of AD and it would eventually result in death in 10 years, would you rather experience a slow and gradual deterioration over those 10 years, or a symptom free life for 7 years followed by rapid brain decline for the final 3 years? I believe most people would opt for the second alternative as it gives one the opportunity to prolong independence, purpose, and quality of life and limits the financial and emotional burden on one’s family.

So now that we agree on the individual benefits of deferring decline, let’s take a brief look at the potential positive implications of these findings on our health care systems, government expenditures and domestic caregivers.

First, let’s look at the numbers:

Total 2010 health care cost of treating AD 1 $172B
Total 2010 Medicare/Medicaid portion 1 $123B
# of people in USA diagnosed with AD 1 5.3M
Average cost to treat/care for this population per year 2 $32,453
Average # years of an AD patient’s life 3 6
Lifetime cost of care for this 2010 diagnosed population 2 >$1T
Rate of increase in AD cases by 2040 1 200%

You get the picture? It’s not pretty.

Now consider, through living a brain healthy lifestyle and engaging in regular, varied and novel brain training we could defer the onset of AD by 2 years or even just 1 year, what could the impact be?

Try this brain exercise…
• How many billions could be saved in health care cost?
• How much could the government save?
• What would the personal and financial impact be to the individual in question?
• What would the personal and financial impact be for their caregivers?

The numbers are indeed staggering. There are even more layers of effect when you consider some secondary implications. One such example is the fact that the longer a family caregiver is taking care of an AD patient, the more likely they are to suffer from depression and the more likely they are to be an AD patient themselves some day.

While there is a (very small!) risk of oversimplifying here, I believe it’s time to get serious about increasing our cognitive reserves through brain fitness and start as early in life as possible.  Perhaps the cost savings realized by the government in caring for the AD epidemic can be reinvested in the education system, which in turn will increase the population’s cognitive reserve and in the process help the next generation lead a more vital life into old age?  A more near term and practical approach might be government and health care industry incentives for seniors and boomers to engage in regular brain exercise.

I am interested in your thoughts on this subject. Please provide your opinion in the comment box below.

Sources:
1 Alzheimer’s Association 2010 Alzheimer’s disease Facts and Figures
2 Basic Calculation
3 Texas Department of State Health Services
Time article: Brain Exercises Delay, but Can’t Prevent, Dementia
U.S. News Article: Alzheimer’s Trade-Off for Mentally Active Senior
National Public Radio segment: Mental Stimulation Postpones, Then Speeds Dementia

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Get Moving This Labor Day Weekend

By Dr. Bernard Croisile, posted on September 3, 2010 at 7:57 pm

One of the long standing mantras here at Brain Fitness for Life is the positive correlation between staying active and maintaining your cognitive ability as you age. This week a U.S. News & World Report article titled Attention, Couch Potatoes! Walking Boosts Brain Connectivity, Function gave details of a recent cognitive study published in the Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience about this very topic, and how just getting off the couch and going for a walk can help your brain fitness.

The Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience study looked at brain level activity and the strength of brain circuitry in elderly sedentary individuals after engaging in different types of physical exercise over the course of a year.

University of Illinois psychology professor and Beckman Institute Director, Art Kramer, leader of the study said, “Almost nothing in the brain gets done by one area – it’s more of a circuit… These networks can become more or less connected. In general, as we get older, they become less connected, so we were interested in the effects of fitness on connectivity of brain networks that show the most dysfunction with age.”

The researchers followed 65 adults, aged 59 to 80. These participants, who previously were quite inactive (reporting they had less than two episodes of physical activity lasting 30 minutes or more in the previous six month period), either joined a weekly walking group or stretching and toning group. The researchers also measured brain activity in 32 younger (18 to 35 year old) adults for comparison.

At the end of the study, there was enough evidence to suggest that even moderate exercise can improve the connectivity of significant brain circuits. We all have several distinct circuits within our brain.  In Dr. Kramer’s study he and his team focused on the default mode network (DMN), which is the brain network that dominates the brain activity when a person is daydreaming, dazed, or otherwise disengaged with the outside world. Prior scientific studies have shown that a loss of coordination in the DMN is a common symptom of cognitive decline.

Dr. Kramer’s findings suggest that walking seems to engage and strengthen the DMN, which in turn improves brain activity. Unfortunately, the group that engaged in stretching and toning did not see the same cognitive benefit, which suggests that some aerobic exercise is necessary for optimal brain health. So this Labor Day Weekend don’t just sit around the BBQ, find a friend and go for a nice walk. Your brain will thank you!

Posted in Aging Well, Brain Decline, Brain health, Brain Research, Fitness, Health & Wellness | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Your Brain in the Digital Age

By Dr. Bernard Croisile, posted on August 27, 2010 at 6:26 pm

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 we think and process information? This issue is a current hot topic and there is no shortage of options. Please let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

We discussed this very topic three years ago when we highlighted the Telegraph article Mobile phones ‘dumbing down brain power’. More recently NPR broadcasted a story (Digital Overload: Your Brain On Gadgets) on the topic of technology and its effects on the brain and author and speaker Nicholas Carr recently wrote in the Atlantic Monthly how the use of technology has changed the way he absorbs and processes information.

Mr. Carr’s perspective is that now that he gets most of his information via a computer screen (vs. printed media) he has changed the way he processes information and perhaps is even “remapping his neural circuitry.” He believes that he’s losing the ability to concentrate and stay focused on longer pieces of writing because he has gotten accustomed to scanning through lot of bits of information available via the Web.

So how do we find the balance and how do we minimize the negative effects of technology to our brain? A recent article in the New York Times, Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime, provides compelling arguments that our brain needs downtime in order to digest things we’ve experienced while active.

As we discussed in the previous entry 5 Strategies to Improve Memory de-stressing is a scientifically accepted way to improve your memory and other cognitive abilities. However, digital devices give us instant access to information and can increase stress. If an email comes in to our inbox we feel compelled to react, which in reality is a mild fight or flight response that is often associated with stressful events.

Technology is great! It is the reason we are living longer, staying more connected, and better informed than any other society in history. However, technology should work for us, not against us. Here are a few tips to assist you achieve this:

  • Set self-imposed limits. It is okay to turn off your Blackberry once in awhile.
  • Invoke your power to say no. Technology makes it easy for people to fire requests at you without knowing your current load. Some people feel the need to field every request that comes their way. If you are overloaded or overwhelmed make sure that is communicated.
  • Take a vacation from technology. Go on a fast from information for a week (or two). There is a very good chance the world will still be here when you return.
Posted in Brain Research, Health & Wellness, Memory | Comments (3)

Seniors Should Maintain an Active Lifestyle

By Dr. Bernard Croisile, posted on August 20, 2010 at 9:15 pm

Active SeniorsMy 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 the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. “Passive lifestyle is increasingly seen by researchers as a high risk factor for Alzheimer’s, a still incurable disease of the brain that causes the progressive degeneration of brain cells,” explains Dr. Cumming in the article. He goes on to say, “We have a social idea of what retirement consists of and we need to re-examine that idea. The logical extension of the data we have on dementia is that a person who is still capable of working, who is mentally stimulated with a strong sense of purpose, is better off from the cognitive point of view continuing to engage in that position.”

One of the studies that Dr. Cummings uses to illustrate his point is a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry we discussed on Brain Fitness for Life back in March in the blog post Living Life Purposefully Might Ward Off Alzheimer’s. The results of that study indicate that people who say their lives have a purpose are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment.

He also points to a British study published last year in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry which concluded that men working beyond the normal retirement age of 65 appeared to keep dementia at bay and that Alzheimer’s symptoms were delayed about seven weeks for each extra year the men worked.

There is a clear scientific correlation between staying active and improving your chances of avoiding, or at least postponing, cognitive impairment. The ways to stay active are as limitless as your imagination. What is important is that you actively live your life, whether through employment, hobbies, or social contribution. Staying active, especially if you are a senior, is clearly an important part of keeping yourself mentally fit.

Posted in Aging Well, Alzheimers, Baby Boomers, Brain health, Brain Research, Cognitive Impairment, Health & Wellness, Seniors | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

9 Differences Between the Male and Female Brain

By Michael Rucker, posted on August 13, 2010 at 6:08 pm

Most people are intrigued by the thought processes of the opposite sex. Despite rumors to the contrary, men and women are from the same planet. However, there are many differences between the brains of men and women. I have listed nine of them below. There is bound to be some respectful discourse about this topic, so please feel free to comment or provide alternative points of view below.

1. Brain size: The male brain is typically about ten percent larger than the female brain. Although the extra mass does give males more processing power, this doesn’t make men more intelligent. Rather, science believes the reason for the increased brain mass is to accommodate the bigger body mass and muscle groups of the male (human).

2. Brain hemispheres: Many men are sharply left-brain dominant, while women tend to be more evenly balanced between left and right-brain processing. Women are therefore  thought to be slightly more intuitive, and sometimes better communicators. Men are often less socially adept, and are more task-oriented thinkers than females.

3. Relationships: Women are purported to have better communication skills and emotional intelligence than men. Women tend to be group-oriented, and apt to seek solutions by talking through issues. Men can have trouble picking up on emotional cues unless they’re clearly verbalized – making for tricky communications between the sexes.

4. Mathematical skills: The inferior-parietal lobule, which controls numerical brain function, is larger in males than in females. On standardized tests, men often score higher on mathematical tests than women.

5. Stress: When faced with stressful situations, men usually employ ‘fight or flight’ tactics, while women use a ‘tend or befriend’ response that is rooted in their natural instincts for caring for their children and establishing strong group bonds.

6. Language: Women often excel at language-based tasks for two reasons: two brain areas that deal with language are larger in females, and females process language in both hemispheres while males favor a single brain half.

7. Emotions: Since women tend to have a larger deep limbic system then men, they’re more in touch with their feelings and are better at expressing their emotions. This makes women better at connecting with others, but unfortunately also more prone to different types of depression.

8. Spatial abilities: The parietal region is thicker in the female brain, making it harder for them to mentally rotate objects – an important spatial skill. Women often report difficulty with spatial tasks, both on tests and in real life. Want to test this theory with a loved one? Play HAPPYneuron’s visual-spatial game Points of View and test each others ability.

9. Susceptibility to brain function disorders: Men are more likely to be dyslexic or have other language disabilities, since they’re more often left-brain dominant. Males are also more prone to autism, ADHD and Tourette’s Syndrome, while women are more susceptible to mood disorders like anxiety and depression.

Further reading:

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What is Neuroplasticity?

By Laura Fay, posted on August 5, 2010 at 7:02 pm

NeuroplasticityFor more than four centuries it was a common held belief that our brains only developed during childhood and then grew rigid during adulthood lending false credence to the old adage, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But researchers are continuing to prove that this outdated theory is not accurate and are providing us proof that the human brain can change itself through mental stimuli, brain fitness, and new learning.

Neuroplasticity is the cortical re-mapping of our nerve cells, the process that helps us continually learn. It refers to the ability of the brain to act and react as we experience a change in our environment or develop a new skill.

It is estimated that the ever-changing, neuroplastic characteristics of our brain influence over 100 billion of our nerve cells over a lifetime. When we engage our brain in new ways, we create new pathways for neural communication. As adults, what we learn and adapt to throughout life rearranges our existing neurons. Thus, neuroplasticity is what enables learning, memory, and adaptation through our experience with the world around us.

In Dr. Joenna Driemeyer’s popular research about the cognitive effects of learning how to juggle, Driemeyer’s research team concluded that, “the qualitative change (i.e. learning of a new task) is more critical for the brain to change its structure than continued training of an already-learned task.”  Furthermore, recent discoveries in neuroplasticity are paving the way for treatment of neurologic injury and disease, something that until recently was unexplored because of a lack of evidence regarding neuroplasticity.

The moral of the story is that it is important to engage in new activities. Exercising your brain is as important as exercising your body. If you continue to build your cognitive reserve through mental practice and a healthy lifestyle you are likely to maintain your brain’s plasticity, and your ability to learn, as you age.

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Could Brain Scans Help You Pick a Job in the Future?

By Michael Rucker, posted on July 30, 2010 at 6:52 pm

brain scanAbility tests are nothing new. You need to take the SAT to get into a good college. Athletes at varying levels need to be able to perform physical tests at predetermined levels to join the team. Failing to reach a certain standard can be the difference between success and failure in numerous life situations. Now, imagine if you have to undergo a brain scan to qualify for a certain job position. This technology may not be far ahead.

In a recently published study, Gray matter correlates of cognitive ability tests used for vocational guidance, by Dr. Richard Haier (from the University of California), Haier and his team used MRI scans to determine which brain areas were implicated in a host of different “ability factors” like analytical reasoning, general intelligence, memory skills and spatial awareness. They then looked at these ability metrics and compared them with individual test scores from a battery of cognitive tests (completed by 40 individuals seeking vocational guidance). The proposed hypothesis being suggested is that brain scans may be helpful for job seekers looking for career path guidance.

Cognitive functions cannot be perfectly isolated in the brain. There is no perfect map showing the exact areas where thoughts and motives are processed. Most mental tasks involve a complicated web of neural circuits, which interact in varying degrees with each other throughout the brain. Neurons have been likened to the instruments in a symphony orchestra combining their tenor, volume, and resonance to create a particular musical effect (National Geographic | Beyond the Brain).

This system of neural circuits (often referred to as gray matter) is a major component of the central nervous system, which consists of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, unmyelinated axons and myelinated axons, glial cells and capillaries. The purpose of the system is to route sensory and motor stimulus to interneurons of the cranial nervous system. This process creates our responses to stimulus through chemical synapse activity.

Haier is not alone in his findings. In the study Relationships between IQ and Regional Cortical Gray Matter Thickness in Healthy Adults by Dr. Katherine Narr et al, Dr. Narr and her team suggest that there is a relationship between I.Q. and regional cortical gray matter thickness as well.

More researchers have deduced that the psychometric structure of cognitive tests can help identify brain networks related to cognitive abilities beyond simply a general intelligence factor.

Another cognitive researcher, Professor Willem Verbeke (Rotterdam’s Erasmus University) anticipates the usage of brain scans in some job interviews within five years’ time. Only time will tell if Verbeke’s prediction is correct, for now your resume will do.

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