Enhancing cognitive function -
Completing a jigsaw puzzle can be a good way to pass the time and may also benefit the brain. A study found that puzzles activate many cognitive functions, including:. The study concluded that doing jigsaw puzzles regularly and throughout life may protect against the effects of brain aging. Number puzzles, such as sudoku, can be a fun way to challenge the brain.
They may also improve cognitive function in some people. A study of adults aged between 50 and 93 years found that those who practiced number puzzles more frequently tended to have better cognitive function.
A meta-analysis notes that chess and other cognitive leisure activities may lead to improvements in:. A review notes that some types of video games — such as action, puzzle, and strategy games — may lead to improvements in the following:.
Enjoying company of friends may be a mentally engaging leisure activity and may help preserve cognitive function. A study found that people with more frequent social contact were less likely to experience cognitive decline and dementia.
A study of older adults found that learning a new and cognitively demanding skill, such as quilting or photography, enhanced memory function. A simple way to increase vocabulary is to read a book or watch a TV program and note down any words that are unfamiliar.
A person can then use a dictionary to look up the meaning of the word and think up ways to use the word in a sentence. A review notes that bilingualism increases and strengthens connectivity between different areas of the brain. A study published in Brain Sciences found that listening to music a person enjoys engages and connects different parts of the brain.
The researchers propose that this may lead to improvements in cognitive function and overall well-being. According to a study , playing an instrument may benefit cognitive development in a young brain and help protect against cognitive impairment in an aging brain.
Such hobbies may include:. Regular physical exercise is beneficial for both the brain and the body. Authors of a review note that exercise improves the following aspects of brain health:.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , exercise has beneficial effects on the following aspects of cognitive health:. Dance is a form of exercise that may also engage areas of the brain involved in rhythm and balance.
Certain sports are both physically and mentally demanding. Some require a range of cognitive skills, such as:. A review notes that elite athletes who participate in high demand sports tend to have improved attention and faster information processing speeds.
Tai chi is a form of physical exercise that involves gentle body movements, rhythmic breathing, and meditation. A study compared brain function and connectivity among tai chi practitioners and those who did not practice it.
The researchers found that the tai chi practitioners had enhanced connectivity between different regions of their brain. They proposed that this may improve cognition and decrease the rate of memory loss. While not necessarily an active exercise, sleep is crucial for both the brain and the body.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, although many people get less sleep than they need. A review notes that sleep has been proven to:.
As such, making sure to get enough sleep each night is an important step toward maintaining a healthy brain. Brain exercises can be as simple as actively engaging the brain in everyday tasks. Others are targeted workouts for the brain, specifically designed to enhance memory, cognition, or creativity.
Exercising the brain may help improve brain function and boost connectivity between the different areas. This may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration.
People are likely to differ in terms of the brain exercises they find most enjoyable. It may be a good idea to try a range of brain-training activities at first and to stick with those that provide the most enjoyment or reward. The diet can have a significant impact on the brain's function.
A brain-healthy diet, rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, can boost memory…. Are you looking for ways to improve your mind and boost brain power in ? Look no further; we have compiled the best brain enhancing methods to try.
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Legg, PhD, PsyD — By Jon Johnson — Updated on April 4, Meditation Visualizing more Playing games Card games Crosswords Puzzles Sudoku Chess Checkers Video games Socializing Learning new skills Increasing vocabulary Learning a language Listening to music Musical instruments Engaging hobbies Regular exercise Dancing Sports Tai chi Sleeping Summary Brain exercises may help boost and maintain brain function.
Visualizing more. Throughout our lives, our brains are changing; new neurons or nerve cells, these use electrical impulses and chemical signals to act as messengers between different regions in our brain and between our brain and body and synapses connections between neurons that allow for the sending of information continue to develop as we age, accumulate new experiences and accrue more knowledge into our mental piggy-bank.
Actions we take can affect the development of synapses and lead to cognitive enhancement. According to a report by the Global Council on Brain Health, continuing to actively develop our cognition through diverse and engaging activities can improve a range of brain functions.
The National Institute on Aging , a leader in healthy-aging research, states that diverse lifestyle changes focused on enhancing cognitive development, may improve memory, concentration, information processing, and motor function.
In a recent report from the World Health Organization, an estimated 55 million people are currently living with dementia.
In addition, the WHO also predicts that this number will rise to 78 million by and million by While research is still underway to determine if focus on cognitive enhancement can prevent dementia later in life, performing stimulating and diverse activities with consistency during our lifetime has been shown to delay the onset of dementia by five years.
One of the most well studied activities that enhance our cognition is physical exercise. Physical exercise stimulates the production of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor BDNF , a hormone that supports neuronal health and vitality and stimulates formation of synapses between neurons the basis of memory.
Regular exercise leads to epigenetic changes in the genes that code for the manufacture of BDNF, so that more BDNF is produced over time. These epigenetic changes can last a lifetime if exercise is and ongoing part of your life and lead to a healthier brain into older age.
Physical exercise also stimulates the release of neurotransmitters that are involved in regulating mood and attention. Increased levels of norepinephrine and dopamine may be responsible for enhanced concentration and learning observed in the hours immediately after exercise. Increased levels of serotonin, endorphins and anandamide may be responsible for enhanced mood and reduce anxiety observed after exercise.
Many students and professionals have learned to position exercise before periods of cognitive demand to optimize their performance and may sprinkle additional brief walks or calisthenics throughout their day to maintain performance.
Many studies have documented the impact of aerobic exercise on brain health and performance. A growing line of evidence suggests that strength training has benefits for mental health and cognitive function as well that may be somewhat unique, and perhaps complimentary, to the effects of aerobic exercise.
There may be additional social and cognitive benefits from team sports and group activities or participating in an event such as a race.
Implementing lifestyle changes can help to develop many aspects of our cognition. Engaging in consistent and diverse stimulation is a powerful tool in developing our brain function.
Vognitive health Enhancing cognitive function increasingly recognized as a key Oral medication for diabetes symptoms of overall health and wellness Bart et dunction. As with funchion dimensions Enhanicng health and wellness, cobnitive effort is Enhancing cognitive function to maintain and especially improve cognitive health. In this article, we discuss key factors and exercises that can improve cognitive function and help sustain cognitive health across the lifespan. Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Productivity Exercises for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients become more productive and efficient. For much of their history, psychiatry, clinical psychology, and related disciplines like counseling focused on treating our deficitsrather than developing our strengths. And cognnitive Enhancing cognitive function internet Protein bar recipes at our fingertips, Enhancimg seems like sheer brainpower is becoming obsolete. The good news? And cognihive, there's no Enhancing cognitive function to wonder any longer if those Sunday Paper brain games like Sudoku are imparting real cognitive benefits. As the "pilot" of the body, your brain rightfully requires quite a bit of energy. So, proper blood glucose levels are essential for optimal cognitive performance and function.Enhancing cognitive function -
After a 1-month follow-up, cathodal tDCS revealed larger therapeutic responses than anodal tDCS on general cognitive function. Subgroup analysis only found patients with AD, but not MCI, significantly responded to cathodal tDCS Chu et al.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation uses a magnetic field to induce action potentials. The effects of TMS are determined by stimulation frequency. When the frequency is equal to or below 1 Hz, neural excitability is decreased. When the frequency is between 5 and 20 Hz, neural excitability is increased Cespón et al.
TMS can use different stimulation patterns, including single-pulse TMS sTMS , double or paired pulse TMS dTMS , and repetitive TMS rTMS. sTMS consists of the discharge of single pulses interleaved by at least 4 s periods off-stimulation, dTMS consists of the discharge of a test stimulus preceded by a conditioning stimulus, rTMS refers to more than two pulses delivered within a time interval of 2 s or less Valero-Cabré et al.
rTMS has been widely investigated in depression, and it has been approved by FDA for medication-resistant depression Iriarte and George, In recent years, rTMS has been considered as a promising intervention for cognitive improvement Iriarte and George, Two systematic reviews reported high frequency rTMS might show a moderate effect on cognition in AD and MCI patients Cheng et al.
However, the conclusion was limited by the small sample size of included studies. Larger RCTs and additional research are needed to identify the effect of TMS in the elderly with cognitive impairment. Nutrition is an important factor that contributes to healthy aging.
Adopting a healthier diet may be beneficial to cognition Jennings et al. Some, but not conclusive, evidence suggests that certain nutrients are protective of brain health in the elderly, including long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, vitamin D, selenium and etc.
Scarmeas et al. Dietary patterns were also suggested to be protective for brain health in elderly Scarmeas et al. The Mediterranean diet was the most extensively studied dietary pattern Chen et al.
It involves a high intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, olive oil, whole grains, fish, low to moderate intake of dairy products, alcohol, and restrictions on red meat Power et al.
High adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better global cognition and memory has been reported by meta-analysis Coelho-Júnior et al. However, whether it could reduce the risk of developing MCI or dementia is still conflicted Coelho-Júnior et al.
The ketogenic diet was another specific diet, which might provide treatment benefits for AD patients. However, the current studies might be limited by small sample size, short-terms effects, and future studies should be further performed Hersant and Grossberg, The dietary intervention could be considered alongside other individualized interventions to improve cognition in elderly adults.
Interaction between gut microbes and the brain has received considerable attention in the past decade Martin et al. Gut microbiota is found to be associated with emotion, cognition, and social behavior Sarkar et al. Probiotic intervention works by delivering specific strains of bacteria that increase the diversity and number of beneficial microbes, thereby altering the gut microbiota Eastwood et al.
Lv et al. evaluated the probiotics on cognition by meta-analysis, and they found that probiotic supplementations improved cognitive function. Subgroup analyses further found the enhanced effect existed only in people with impaired cognition. Furthermore, a single strain was more effective than multiple strains Lv et al.
Thus, probiotics have been suggested as an effective and accessible cognitive therapy; however, more randomized controlled clinical trials are needed for this conclusion. Emerging evidence indicates exercise not only promotes physical health but also contributes to the preservation of cognition function.
The mechanisms account for the neuroprotective effects of exercise on the brain include evaluated neurotrophic factor levels, increased synaptogenesis, improved vascularization, decreased systemic inflammation, and reduced abnormal protein deposition Kirk-Sanchez and McGough, Several meta-analyses analyzed the effects of exercise on cognition, focused predominantly on aerobic exercise Jia et al.
Angevaren et al. They found that aerobic exercise increased cognitive capacity, including motor function, cognitive speed, and visual attention.
Another meta-analysis reported aerobic exercise attenuated the cognitive decline in MCI and dementia people, and found that working memory decline was significantly attenuated, and the effects on other domains of cognitive functions were unclear.
Moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise had a better effect on cognition Law et al. Another meta-analysis examined the dose-response relationship and found shorter sessions and higher frequencies of exercise could generate a better cognitive effect Sanders et al.
Dancing intervention is another strategy, because it requires physical, cognitive, and social abilities, and thus been analyzed in many studies. In a recent meta-analysis in MCI populations, the results showed that dance had a small to moderate effect on cognitive function, such as attention, immediate and delayed recall, global cognition, and visuospatial ability Chan et al.
Another meta-analysis involving both healthy and MCI old adults also found dance enhanced global cognitive function and executive function Hewston et al. The positive effect of dance intervention on cognitive function in adults with AD was also confirmed in a systematic review Ruiz-Muelle and López-Rodríguez, Thus, dance has been suggested as an adjunct therapy for cognitive decline in the aging population.
As cognitive impairment is a complex, multifactorial disorder, multi-domain interventions have been suggested as a new strategy Kivipelto et al. In the last decades, 3 large clinical trials with multi-domain interventions FINGER, MAPT, and PreDIVA have been reported. In the FINGER study, diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring were used to improve cognitive function in elderly people at risk for cognitive impairment Ngandu et al.
In the preDIVA study, a multi-domain intervention targeted vascular risk factors of smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, overweight, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes over 12 years was used.
However, it did not reduce dementia risk in older people Hoevenaar-Blom et al. In the MAPT trial, multi-domain intervention and Omega-3 PUFA supplementation were involved, and the results did not find significant effects on cognitive function Andrieu et al.
Despite these trials, several meta-analyses also analyzed multi-domain interventions on cognitive impairment. A Cochrane review found a small improvement in cognitive function with multi-domain interventions. However, whether multi-domain interventions could decrease dementia incidences was uncertain Hafdi et al.
Gavelin et al. Nutrition combined with physical exercise interventions could also improve global cognitive function in the elderly population Liu et al.
In conclusion, various pharmacological cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, antidiabetic agents, probiotics, cerebrolysin and non-pharmacological interventions cognition-oriented treatments, non-invasive brain stimulation physical exercise, and lifestyle-related interventions have been proposed for cognitive impairment in older people.
Although a variety of new drug targets has been identified for cognition enhancement in older adults, the new drug is still in development. The existing potential drug targets should be further exploited, and discovering new drug targets could be a solution to the lack of effective drugs.
Most non-pharmacological interventions showed a small to moderate beneficial effect on cognitive function in cognitive impairment old people. Thus, combinations of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions or combinations of different types of non-pharmacological interventions may be more efficient in improving or preserving cognition.
YZ designed and edited the review. LC searched the data and drafted the review. JJ searched the data. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
This study was partly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China No: , the Post Doctor Research Project of West China Hospital of Sichuan University No: 19HXBH , the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation No: M , and the Postdoctoral Research Project of Sichuan University No: SCU The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers.
Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher. Alvarez, X. Alzheimer Res. doi: PubMed Abstract CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar. Andrieu, S.
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According to a report by the Global Council on Brain Health, continuing to actively develop our cognition through diverse and engaging activities can improve a range of brain functions.
The National Institute on Aging , a leader in healthy-aging research, states that diverse lifestyle changes focused on enhancing cognitive development, may improve memory, concentration, information processing, and motor function. In a recent report from the World Health Organization, an estimated 55 million people are currently living with dementia.
In addition, the WHO also predicts that this number will rise to 78 million by and million by While research is still underway to determine if focus on cognitive enhancement can prevent dementia later in life, performing stimulating and diverse activities with consistency during our lifetime has been shown to delay the onset of dementia by five years.
One of the most well studied activities that enhance our cognition is physical exercise. Physical exercise stimulates the production of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor BDNF , a hormone that supports neuronal health and vitality and stimulates formation of synapses between neurons the basis of memory.
Regular exercise leads to epigenetic changes in the genes that code for the manufacture of BDNF, so that more BDNF is produced over time.
These epigenetic changes can last a lifetime if exercise is and ongoing part of your life and lead to a healthier brain into older age. Physical exercise also stimulates the release of neurotransmitters that are involved in regulating mood and attention.
Increased levels of norepinephrine and dopamine may be responsible for enhanced concentration and learning observed in the hours immediately after exercise. Increased levels of serotonin, endorphins and anandamide may be responsible for enhanced mood and reduce anxiety observed after exercise.
Many students and professionals have learned to position exercise before periods of cognitive demand to optimize their performance and may sprinkle additional brief walks or calisthenics throughout their day to maintain performance.
The most commonly used Eugeroic drug that is used to improve cognition is Modafinil. The drug was introduced in the late s to treat narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea and shift work sleep disorder. Modafinil promotes wakefulness and alertness and may have some value in treating stimulant withdrawal and could be effective in decreasing drug craving and dependence.
However, further research is needed. There is no safe level of drug use. Modafinil affects everyone differently, but the most common side effects include:. Research into nootropics is still limited which means there is a lot of uncertainty about the side effects the drugs may cause if used on an ongoing basis.
It is recommended that these drugs are used only with a prescription from a medical practitioner to avoid any potential harms. Brand names: Ritalin®, Ritalin la®, Concerta®, Ritalin 10®, Dexamphetamine tablets®, Vyvanse®.
Ritalin was introduced during the s to treat chronic fatigue, depression, and psychosis associated with depression. It was used extensively in the s to treat ADHD and is now the most common psychotropic medication prescribed to children in the United States and Australia to treat restlessness, impulsive behaviour and inattentiveness.
This research showed changes in brain chemistry associated with risk-taking behaviour, sleep disruption and other undesirable effects such as weight loss. Methylphenidate affects everyone differently, but the most common side effects may include:. Certain B vitamins, fish oil and herbal supplements such as Gingko biloba and extracts of Bacopa monnieri may offer a safer option to pharmaceutical drugs to enhance cognitive performance.
The benefits may not be as immediate but the effects are reportedly much longer lasting. However, the American Medical Association has advised that a number of products being advertised as nootropic supplements have not been examined in terms of safety and efficacy. Modafinil and is a Schedule 4 substance that can only be prescribed by a doctor or dentist in the ordinary course of their professions.
Methylphenidate is a Schedule 8 drug which means doctors must follow state and territory laws when prescribing it and must notify, or receive approval from, the appropriate health authority. Using modafinil or methylphenidate without a prescription from a doctor, or selling or giving them to someone else, is illegal.
There are also laws against forging or altering a prescription or making false representation to obtain pharmaceuticals or a prescription for them. brain boosters , drive drugs , memory boosters , neuroenhancers , nootropics , smart drugs.
Drug List Drug Wheel. Last published: November 08, What are nootropics?
Brain exercises Enhancing cognitive function help boost and maintain functioj function. Memory games, Boost your metabolism naturally new skills, crosswords, and Cognifive video games may help. Although the brain gets plenty of exercise every day, certain activities may help boost brain function and connectivity. This in turn may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration. The brain is always active, even during sleep.
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