"Using charts, drawings, and up-to-date scientific studies, they present the case that any brain, at any age, can change for the better...The authors suggest myriad activities to help the process along...(This is) A stimulating, challenging resource, full of solid information and practical tips for improving brain health." -Kirkus Reviews Modern life places extraordinary demands on our brains. Not only do we live longer than ever before, but we must constantly adapt to complex and rapidly evolving personal and professional realities. Yet, we often ignore our most precious resource to do so: our brain. The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness cuts through the clutter of misconceptions, superficial and conflicting media coverage, and aggressive marketing claims, to help readers discover what really works, and what doesn't, to improve brain health and performance at any age, to delay or prevent cognitive decline, and become smarter consumers of both media coverage and scientific research in the process. With useful, pragmatic and personalized tips and suggestions that are easy to implement, the SharpBrains Guide offers a groundbreaking new approach for self-assessing current brain fitness needs and identifying the most relevant and evidence-based methods to preserve and enhance brain function throughout life. Whether your goal is to become more resilient, enhance memory, ward off Alzheimer's disease, or simply improve mental focus to perform better at work, this how-to guide shows you exactly how to "use it or lose it." This new and much-expanded edition of the guide AARP named a Best Book on Brain Fitness combines a user-friendly tutorial on how the brain works with advice on how to choose and integrate lifestyle changes and research-based brain training. Featuring an independent analysis of hundreds of scientific studies published in the last 10 years, the book also includes in-depth interviews with 20 leading scientists who often challenge conventional wisdom and prevailing brain health thinking and care. A thought-provoking, practical and captivating read, the SharpBrains Guide makes the fascinating and complex subject of brain function and neuroplasticity easy to digest with its common sense approach. It's time to rethink, and to truly apply, "use it or lose it." PRAISE FOR THE BOOK "One of those books you cannot ignore. Insightful, to the point, actionable. A book for leaders, innovators, thought provokers and everyone who wants to act and live smarter and healthier, based on latest neuroscience." -Dr. Tobias Kiefer, Director Global Learning & Development, Booz & Company "A great start for making sense new brain science and for taking active steps towards smart health, at the individual level, and Smart Health, at the societal level." -Misha Pavel, PhD, Program Director for the National Science Foundation's Smart Health and Wellbeing Program "This is the book you need to begin to think differently about your brain and actively embrace the exciting and promising reality that your brain's health is the cause of the century." -Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD, Founder and Chief Director, UT-Dallas' Center for BrainHealth "An essential reference on the field of brain fitness, neuroplasticity and cognitive health" -Walter Jessen, PhD, founder and editor, Highlight Health "A much-needed resource to help us better understand our brains and minds and how to nourish them through life." -Susan E. Hoffman, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UC Berkeley

Draws on the latest scientific discoveries to outline tests and exercises for improving cognitive fitness, in a reference that focuses on recent understandings about the frontal lobe to explain how to promote brain health at any age.

While most of us have heard the phrase “use it or lose it,” very few understand what “it” means, or how to properly “use it” in order to maintain brain function and fitness. The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness is an invaluable guide that helps readers navigate growing brain research and identify the lifestyle factors and products that contribute to brain fitness. By gathering insights from eighteen of the world’s top scientists and offering tools and detailed descriptions of over twenty products, this book is an essential guide to the field of brain fitness, neuroplasticity and cognitive health.

The Wisdom Paradox explores the aging of the mind from a unique, positive perspective. In an era of increasing fears about mental deterioration, world-renowned neuropsychologist Elkhonon Goldberg provides startling new evidence that though the brain diminishes in some tasks as it ages, it gains in many ways. Most notably, it increases in what he terms “wisdom”: the ability to draw upon knowledge and experience gained over a lifetime to make quick and effective decisions. Goldberg delves into the machinery of the mind, separating memory into two distinct types: singular (knowledge of a particular incident or fact) and generic (recognition of broader patterns). As the brain ages, the ability to use singular memory declines, but generic memory is unaffected—and its importance grows. As an individual accumulates generic memory, the brain can increasingly rely upon these stored patterns to solve problems effortlessly and instantaneously. Goldberg investigates the neurobiology of wisdom, and draws on historical examples of artists and leaders whose greatest achievements were realized late in life.

What is the nature of human creativity? What are the brain processes behind its mystique? What are the evolutionary roots of creativity? How does culture help shape individual creativity? Creativity: The Human Brain in the Age of Innovation by Elkhonon Goldberg is arguably the first ever book to address these and other questions in a way that is both rigorous and engaging, demystifying human creativity for the general public. The synthesis of neuroscience and the humanities is a unique feature of the book, making it of interest to an unusually broad range of readership. Drawing on a number of cutting-edge discoveries from brain research as well as on his own insights as a neuroscientist and neuropsychologist, Goldberg integrates them with a wide-ranging discussion of history, culture, and evolution to arrive at an original, compelling, and at times provocative understanding of the nature of human creativity. To make his argument, Goldberg discusses the origins of language, the nature of several neurological disorders, animal cognition, virtual reality, and even artificial intelligence. In the process, he takes the reader to different times and places, from antiquity to the future, and from Western Europe to South-East Asia. He makes bold predictions about the future directions of creativity and innovation in society, their multiple biological and cultural roots and expressions, about how they will shape society for generations to come, and even how they will change the ways the human brain develops and ages.

An easy-to-follow, research-based guide to the simple, low-cost choices that give the reader the power to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia; slow the progression of the disease; and mitigate symptoms and improve well-being. Did you know that eating grilled meat could increase your risk of being struck down by dementia? Or that getting on the treadmill can help keep your brain sharp? The dozens of choices you make over the course of any average day — ordering the curry vs. the samosas, reading the newspaper vs. watching the news — really can determine whether you'll develop Alzheimer's years from now as well as how quickly the disease will progress. The US government pours an annual $480 million into Alzheimer's research, but effective medical treatments remain elusive. The good news is that you have the power to outsmart this terrifying disease. Based on the latest scientific research, Outsmarting Alzheimer's gives you more than 75 simple lifestyle prescriptions in the six key areas with the most scientific evidence for protecting your brain health: S=Social Smarts M=Meal Smarts A=Aerobic Smarts R=Resilience to Stress Smarts T=Train Your Brain Smarts S=Sleep Smarts These easy, low-cost, and fun brain-boosting activities include: throwing dinner parties; playing video games; snuggling with someone you care about; and dancing. By sharpening your Brain SMARTS with these quick tips, you can boost your mental edge and prevent or slow memory loss, cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's. Plus, Outsmarting Alzheimer's features: *a personalized 3-week plan to help you put these prescriptions into action *almost 40 easy and delicious brain-boosting recipes *50 interactive brain-training games *a simple and effective 7-minute workout *special sections for caregivers to help them help their loved ones put the plan into effect If you have a family history of Alzheimer's disease, Outsmarting Alzheimer's can help you delay and even stop this debilitating disease years before it develops. If you've noticed a few symptoms,Outsmarting Alzheimer's can help you determine whether they are related to normal aging or whether you should mention them to your doctor. If you do have mild cognitive impairment,Outsmarting Alzheimer's offers scores of simple strategies to slow the progression of the disease as much as possible. If you or a family member already have a dementia diagnosis,Outsmarting Alzheimer's offers effective strategies for managing symptoms, improving quality of life, and maintaining your current lifestyle for as long as possible. No matter where you are on the Alzheimer's spectrum,Outsmarting Alzheimer's can help you protect the health of your brain, and indeed, your total body.