We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas!
Memory Championship – Ben Pridmore in Speed Cards
December 23rd, 2010, Tags: Ben Pridmore, World Memory ChampionshipsWe found a great video from last year we want to share with you of Ben Pridmore who has previously been the world memory champion. His record for this event has been broken, but we still love this video.
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History of MRI scanners
November 29th, 2010, Tags: MedicineMRI or magnetic resonance imaging was first used as a tool for medical diagnosis in the latter part of the 20th Century. It is based on the scientific process Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). NMR was discovered in the 1930′s by Felix Bloch and Edward Purcell, who found that magnetic fields and radio waves could manipulate the alignment of atoms and reveal the properties of chemical compounds. Bloch and Purcell were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics, for the discovery, in 1952.
MRI is the safest method of looking into the human body because it doesn’t use harmful rays or chemicals to reveal the parts of the body. It also provides the most detailed picture of the body compared to computed tomography (CT) scans or X-rays.
MRI was first patented in the US as “Apparatus and Method for detecting cancer in the tissue” by Doctor Raymond Damadian in 1974. The first full body Scanner was built by Dr Damadian in 1977, he named the machine Indomitable.
Over the years, technology for visualising the images generated by MRI scanners has improved greatly. In the 1970s and 80′s the development in MRI helped see abnormalities in the brain and spine, which had always eluded CT scanners.
In 2003 the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to two scientists for their discoveries on the field of MRI. Paul Lauterbur and Peter Mansfield were given the prize for their work in the development of imaging of MRI scanners.
Lauterbur’s work developed a technique which added a second magnetic field to the MRI scanner. This added a second dimension to the images. Gradients in one of the magnetic fields were used to determine the differences in human tissue. This meant that MRI scans could be more detailed.
Mansfield’s work was carried out in the UK at Nottingham University. His work first started in 1967 which mathematically developed the analysing capabilities of MRI. It further developed the 2 dimensional imaging discovered by Lauterbur by improving the speed of the imaging. It also made functional MRI (fMRI) possible.
In 1992 various scientific faculties submitted papers for the use of fMRI, showing the blood flow to various parts of the brain. This technique is particularly useful as it shows the neural activity in the brain.
There is still great scope for development of MRI scanners. Scanning time is now very fast and 3D scanning is extremely useful for detecting hard-to-find cancers of the pancreas and visualising unborn foetuses.
The use of MRI scanners has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 1980s. By 2002 there were around 22,000 scanners worldwide, performing over 60 million examination. This is growing year on year as are developments in technique.
In the future, new developments in the field of MRI are almost endless. The use of MRI in detecting heart conditions is being perfected. Advancement in technology is making hand-held scanners more likely. The technique of fMRI is also in its infancy and as the technique is developed, the way we see the brain will become more detailed which could help to understand a lot more about mental illness.
The Man With 7 Seconds Memory
November 22nd, 2010, Tags: amnesia, brain damage, seven seconds memoryThis clip is about Clive Wearing who has sometimes only 7 seven seconds memory. He is lost in time and never being able to remember again. He developed this brain damage through a virus from herpes encephalitis that he caught in 1985. Usually this virus only causing cold sores, but he was unlucky as the virus attacking his brain. This is a clip from BBC- “Daytime” where the program discusses how time effects our lives and the mysteries of memory.
Teeth Affect Memory
November 15th, 2010, Tags: Teeth
Are you having an aching tooth or a wisdom tooth to be removed?
According to a Swedish study is that if you have less teeth you might have less good memory.
“Teeth appear to be of the utmost importance to our memories,” Jan Bergdahl, an associate psychology professor at the Umeaa University in northern Sweden, a dentist and one of the authors of the study, said today.
For the study, which is part of a broader memory study called Betulastudien, researchers followed 1962 people aged 35 to 90 starting in 1988, comparing the memories of those who still had teeth and those who had pulled all their teeth and were using dentures.
“When people have no teeth their memories are clearly worse than when they have teeth,” Mr Bergdahl said.
Recent Japanese studies on rats and monkeys have shown the link between teeth and memory but according to Mr Bergdahl this is the first large-scale study on humans that clearly connects the same dots.
While the Swedish research has yet to unveil what impact pulling a single tooth has on the human memory, Mr Bergdahl said that “going forward, we plan to look into how many teeth a person has to lose before it affects their memory. We will also investigate how tooth decay affects memory loss, and what affect tooth implants have”.
He insisted however that he didn’t expect future studies to reveal that implants improve memory.
“I don’t think that is very probable. Animal tests have shown that pulling teeth severs nerves to the brain,” Mr Bergdahl said, pointing out that the new Swedish study could dramatically change dental care for the elderly in the future. ”We might want to think twice before pulling out teeth that are a problem,” he said.
Read more about the Japanese study on rats: The effect of the loss of molar teeth on spatial memory and acetylcholine release from the parietal cortex in aged rats
Healthy Low Calorie Snacks
November 8th, 2010, Tags: Diets, Health, Snack foodWith more and more people conscious about their health, eating healthy is becoming a very common practice. Forget binging on fat filled ice creams, candy bars and fried goodies, here are some great tips to watch your weight and be healthy. Low calorie snacks do not necessarily mean bland juices and unappetizing salads; with a little bit of variety you can make your snack not just healthy but also delicious.
1.Fruits and Vegetables –
Eating your favorite fruits and vegetables is a great way to jazz up your snack. Make a huge bowl of fruit salad, and include fruits such as apples, grapes, watermelons oranges etc, and eat it with half a cup of your favorite fat-free ice cream. Remember not to add any fruits such as bananas, avocado etc, as they are full of fat. You can make a delicious salad by using vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, beans etc. These are low in calorie and with the right dressing they can taste wonderful. Remember not to overdo the dressing, and only use fat-free products.
2.Filling snacks –
It is important for your snacks to be filling, or you will be grabbing junk food soon. If you are going to eat a handful of nuts when you are really hungry, chances are you won’t be sticking to your diet. Hence, make sure your snacks make you feel full.
3.Plan your meals –
Many of us get carried away when we go grocery shopping. We tend to buy all items that our body does not need. Before you go shopping, remember to plan all your meals well ahead of time. It is important not to shop for food that is high in calories. Thus, prepare your list beforehand and stick to it.
4.Snack ideas –
Other snack ideas include nuts such as walnut or hazelnuts, crackers, sugar-free gelatin, low-fat popcorn, fruit and nut bars, soups, low-fat muffins, etc. These are great examples of low calorie snacks.
5.Keep count of Calories
Remember to substitute all the items in your kitchen which has calories, with healthier options. Example – Full fat milk with skim milk. Remember to keep a count of the calories when you are making the snacks, this will automatically make them healthy.
6.Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner –
Apart from the low-calorie snacks, make sure the three meals are portioned well and are healthy.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because not only does it give you energy to keep you going throughout a busy day, but it also reduces hunger thus, stopping you from gaining weight. Include oatmeal, wheat bread, fresh fruits, low-fat milk and yogurt to get the full effect.
A low calorie lunch is also a must if you are trying to reduce weight. A few examples are – low-fat hummus, boiled eggs, tuna salad, turkey sandwich etc.
A small and early dinner is the best, try to add lots of vegetables to your dinner. This will make you feel full and sleep well. Remember never to sleep on a full stomach, as it is very easy to gain weight.
If you are wondering how many calories should I eat on a regular basis, read on.
Food You Should Avoid If You Want To Get Smarter
November 1st, 2010, Tags: Fast Food, Trans fat
- Image via Wikipedia
A topic we will try to write more about at our blog is brain food. We feel that this topic is very interesting and a lot of new research are constantly revealed. Today we will talk about what food to avoid if you want to get smarter, food that you absolutely should avoid if you care about your brain.
People eat more than they need nowadays, since you can get something to eat 24 hours in cities. We eat even though we not actually hungry. On our way home from work or school we see a fast food restaurant and buy something to eat on the go.In United States nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight.
There has been studies done with mice were they fed a diet containing 30% fewer calories than another group of mice which allowed to eat as much food as they wanted. After examination of the brain of these mice the mice who ate less showed a reduction of amyloid, the brain-clogging protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.
Other studies also show that people with restricted diet has a lower body temperature and levels of insulin. These are two important characteristics of long-lived people and animals. Read about food to avoid to get smarter
Brain in Love
October 25th, 2010, Tags: LoveWhat happens when you fall in love?
To learn more about our need for romantic love, Helen Fisher and her research team took MRIs of people in love — and people who had just been dumped. Anthropologist Helen Fisher studies gender differences and the evolution of human emotions. Fisher describes love as a universal human drive (stronger than the sex drive; stronger than thirst or hunger; stronger perhaps than the will to live), and her many areas of inquiry shed light on timeless human mysteries, like why we choose one partner over another. Her research raises serious concerns about the widespread, long-term use of antidepressants, which may undermine our natural process of attachment by tampering with hormone levels in the brain.
Here is a clip where Helen Fisher explains more about the brain in love:
Alzheimer’s Disease: To Know or Not to Know?
October 24th, 2010, Tags: Alzheimer's disease, HealthAccording to researchers that have studied Alzheimer’s disease is that having a parent or sibling with Alzheimer’s disease does increase one’s risk developing the disease. Some people wish to have a genetic test that will answer the question: Will I be next? Would you choose to know if you are carrying these genes as there are no treatment yet to stop or slow the progress of Alzheimer’s.
In Time magazine’s cover story about Alzheimer’s disease researchers are finding new ways against the stubborn disease. Technology is helping to detect the first signs of trouble and can pinpoint every molecules that give rise to the disease. This is an interesting article on the latest studies and success.
The benefit by knowing the risk for Alzheimer’s is that the patients can plan better for the future and make changes to their lifestyle. Until the researchers have really found the cure & treatment for Alzheimer’s, we can by exercising, staying mentally and socially engaged delay the symptoms.
The question if “to know or not to know?”. I will say yes, I like to know.
According to researchers that have studied Alzheimer’s disease is that having a parent or sibling with Alzheimer’s disease does increase one’s risk developing the disease. Some people wish to have a genetic test that will answer the question: Will I be next? Would you choose to know if you are carrying these genes as there are no treatment yet to stop or slow the progress of Alzheimer’s.In Time magazine’s cover story about Alzheimer’s disease researchers are finding new ways against the stubborn disease. Technology is helping to detect the first signs of trouble and can pinpoint every molecules that give rise to the disease. This is an interesting article on the latest studies and success.The benefit by knowing the risk for Alzheimer’s is that the patients can plan better for the future and make changes to their lifestyle. Until the researchers have really found the cure & treatment for Alzheimer’s, we can by exercising, staying mentally and socially engaged delay the symptoms.
The question if “to know or not to know?”. I will say yes, I like to know.
Hi Brain! How are you?
October 22nd, 2010, Tags: brainy quotesI have a colleague named Brian and I always write “Hi Brain” and realized that I might have written the word brain way too many times now. Here is a fun quote I found at Brainy Quotes.
I wish my name was Brian because maybe sometimes people would misspell my name and call me Brain. That’s like a free compliment and you don’t even gotta be smart to notice it.
- Mitch Hedberg
