Reviews
Review: Benefits of Beat City (Nintendo DS) by Dr Jack
At the end of the day even if Beat City doesn’t inspire the desire to play a proper musical instrument, enabling the full brain-benefits of musical engagement to be earned, I believe it is nonetheless an effective way of challenging and thus improve your capacity for working memory, concentration and fine motor control that will come in useful in everyday life as well.
The Memory Palace & a review of Josh Foer’s “Moonwalking with Einstein”
Not so long ago most people didn’t know how to write and so if you needed to remember something your only option was to use your head. These days we tend to rely on various methods for jogging our memories such as post it notes, notebooks, diaries, the internet, smartphones and so on. But back [...]
Norman Doidge’s “The Brain That Changes Itself” reviewed by Dr Jack
I’ve been devouring popular science books over the last year, with a view to writing a book of my own, and there is no doubt that THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES ITSELF stands out head and shoulders above the rest. Through a series of well-researched scientific breakthroughs explained via a variety of compelling real-life stories, it effortlessly convinces the reader that the human brain is a highly adaptable, “plastic” organ capable of dramatically rewiring itself, at any stage in life, to enable significant recovery from even catastrophic brain damage.
Review: High Society at the Wellcome Trust Collection by Dr Jack Lewis
With just one week to go before it closes (Sun 27th Feb 2011) I visited the “High Society” exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London yesterday so thought I’d take a few moments to review it here.
Since last November and for only further 7 days this space addresses the issue of mind-altering drugs, used to one degree or another across ALL cultures of the world, through a lovely collection of drug paraphernalia from all over the globe. This FREE EXHIBIT includes a 6th century BC embossed tablets from the Middle East describing some of the medical uses of Cannabis sativa, through ornately decorated tobacco pipes, via ancient betel nut cutters, indian and chinese opium pipes right up to the modern day DIY crackpipe (comprising a small water bottle, a biro casing and some perforated tin foil).
Dr Jack’s review of Brain Training on the Nintendo DS
This review comprises my opinions, both as a consumer and a neuroscientist, of Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training on the Nintendo DS. I have previously (http://www.drjack.co.uk/brain-teasers-brain-training/) outlined my view that brain training is simply a matter of teasing your mental faculties with a variety of word, number and problem solving challenges on a regular basis. In this regard, the greatest advantage of the Nintendo DS brain training over the old-fashioned (but quite possibly equally effective) books of crosswords and number puzzles, is its fantastic convenience and flexibility. You can carry around with you literally thousands of mentally-taxing brain teasers for use during your daily commute, or whilst on adventures to the far corners of the globe, and it will take up no more room in your baggage than a small book. I have also previously described (http://www.drjack.co.uk/does-brain-training-really-work-by-dr-jack-lewis/) why I think that, despite the BBC’s headline-grabbing publication of research suggesting that “BRAIN TRAINING DOESN’T WORK”, I sincerely believe that the jury is still out on that issue. Here you will simply find my considered opinion on how this game rates – as a way to while away some spare time in a manner that probably won’t change your life, but certainly won’t do you any harm and might just sharpen up some very basic, but fundamental, cognitive abilities.
“The Decisive Moment” by Jonah Lehrer
I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to understand “how the brain makes up its mind”. Jonah Lehrer tells compelling stories about real-life decision making situations in order to bring to life several fascinating insights into the tug-of-war that goes on between instinctive versus thoughtful aspects of every choice we make. Tales [...]
