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Can Cognitive Exercises Prevent the Onset of Dementia? |
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Sunday, 26 July 2009 |
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 Researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia systematically reviewed results from clinical trials that examined whether cognitive exercises had any inoculative effect against the onset of dementia.
Fifty-four studies were reviewed to identify randomized controlled trials that tested the effect of a discrete cognitive exercise program on neuropsychological performance over time in healthy older adults. |
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Mental relaxation improves long-term incidental visual memory. |
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Monday, 17 January 2005 |
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Researchers at University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland, find that a single session with a 20-minute relaxation audio can significantly improve long-term, visual memory and help to further consolidate and enhance those memories over time..
Researchers at University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland, studied the effects of a single session of relaxation training on incidental visual long-term memory. Thirty-two subjects, new to relaxation training, viewed 280 slides without being told that there would be subsequent memory testing. Afterwards, they listened to a 12 minute relaxation tape - sixteen subjects relaxed by following the instructions (relaxation group), and the other 16 subjects pressed a button whenever a body part was mentioned (control group). While listening to the relaxation tape, high frequency heart rate variability (HRV) was greater and low frequency HRV was lower in the relaxation group, implying effective relaxation and increasing parasympathetic activation. |
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