Brain Health / Cognition

Nagging, chronic pain can be debilitating and distracting. You’re always aware that something’s not quite right. And new research suggests the impact of that pain may not only affect you in the moment but could trigger long-term, detrimental changes in your brain. In a newly published study out of the…

We all know that our voices tend to go high and our language becomes “sing-songy” when we talk to babies. But did you know that a similar behavior often happens when we speak to seniors, especially those who are cognitively impaired? Such language is known as “elderspeak,” which includes slow…

While there’s no doubt that mental stimulation is important for keeping your mind sharp as you grow older, to date there have been few scientifically-valid research studies supporting specific games that can protect and maintain your brain capacity as you age- that is, until now. A new National Institutes of…

In older adults, differences between depression and dementia may be hard to discern. Memory loss, cognitive dysfunction and other symptoms can be present with either of these afflictions, and it’s not uncommon for an older person to be stricken by both simultaneously.  But it’s important to remember that even though…

Playing a game of cards or even an online computer game is something many of us regularly enjoy. And now we have scientific evidence that such leisure activities are good for cognition as well. In a new study published in JAMA Neurology, researchers followed almost 2000 people over age 70 for…

There is good evidence that those who learn a musical instrument early in their lives may develop cognitive advantages. Researchers from Montreal have determined that playing music as a child has an impact on basic sensory processes as you age, giving you faster reaction times and keeping you more alert….