Category: Articles

Stem cells are the raw materials in your body, meaning cells from which other cells in specific functions are produced. In the body or in a controlled setting like a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells, aptly called daughter cells.

These undifferentiated cells, which can turn into specific cells as the body demands, are found in tissues including those in the brain, bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, skeletal muscles, the liver, and skin.

There’s growing interest in stem cells among doctors and researchers to investigate how the body works and what could go wrong with it. Stem cells also have potential in treating diseases that are currently incurable. But how do stem cells affect your cognition and overall brain health?

Here’s a quick breakdown of their potential uses and benefits for the brain:

Improved Learning and Memory
There’s growing evidence that in the brain, neural stem cells play an important role in cognition. Findings of recent research have raised further questions on whether techniques to increase neural stem cell populations within key regions of the brain could enhance cognitive function. This also opens up the discussion on the brain’s capacity for plasticity and regeneration, and stem cells’ role in the process.

In a 2020 study, scientists at TU Dresden sought to probe if increasing the number of stem cells in the brain will assist in recovering cognitive capabilities, such as learning and memory, that are typically lost during aging.

The group used a method for stimulating the pool of neural stem cells residing in the brain to increase their number, and as a result to raise the neurons produced by the stem cells. Then they examined navigation, a key cognitive skill usually lost in mice as well as humans.

The results were encouraging: old mice with more stem cells and neurons regained their ability to build a map of their environment, remembering it for longer times similar to young mice’s ability. Further, when neural stem cells were stimulated in the young mouse brain, cognitive issues were delayed while memory was preserved better in their lifespan.

Recovery from Neurological Diseases
Using highly precise neurosurgical approaches, doctors have placed modified stem cells into the site of brain injury in stroke and other neurological patients. This form of cellular therapy seeks to get the stem cells to the areas that they cannot get to naturally.

This minimally invasive neurosurgery is a way to deliver the cells exactly where they are needed – and in the right quantities that make an impact. The hope is for stem cells to safely become associated with substantial motor recovery in patients of chronic strokes and similar conditions.

There are also efforts to develop stem cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease, providing a good research example to rebuild the central nervous system. Cell implantation methods are an example, using primary tissue transplanted directly from developing fetal brain tissue. Parkinson’s is a progressive condition affecting movement, striking after age 50, and marked by symptoms resulting from the death of a set of neurons deep in the brain.

Healing of Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a growing health problem worldwide, one with no currently available effective treatment to improve neural structural repair and recovery of patients.

Based on current studies, adult neural stem cells living in the neurogenic regions in the adult brain may help regenerate and repair this form of brain injury. Cell transplantation, too, is deemed a potential strategy for repairing and regenerating the injured brain.

Final Word
It’s important to note that brain enhancement – “hacking” the brain to supercharge its function and performance – is an everyday, ongoing process. It doesn’t happen overnight and there is no magic bullet (yet) like stem cells to make it happen in an instant.

Thus cognitive enhancement entails not just therapies like stem cells, but also smart everyday lifestyle choices to supercharge the brain. While common strategies include brain-enhancing diets, enough restful sleep, and high-intensity exercise, use and adoption of nootropics is also worth implementing.

Modern diets, schedules, and stressors can leave you feeling drained, out of focus, and just really out of it after a long day.

While it’s true that you can eat, exercise, and restfully sleep your way to greater energy and focus, there are certain herbs, spices, and foods that can boost your levels of both and positively affect your cognitive wellness. Here are some that are worth exploring.

Good Ol’ Breakfast
There’s great truth to the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. According to research, eating breakfast may enhance your short-term memory and attention, with breakfast-eating students tending to perform better than those who aren’t. If you don’t have a trusted breakfast list yet, some items to consider include whole grains, dairy, and fruits. While brain fueling, these shouldn’t be overeaten, as a high-calorie breakfast may cause the opposite and prevent concentration.

Peppermint
Popular in its essential oil form, peppermint is a beautiful hybrid of spearmint and watermint. Studies show that it may effectively boost energy and alertness, as well as mood and athletic performance. Inhaling peppermint essential oil is also deemed beneficial for improving your memory. While peppermint has a good safety profile, essential oils are still potent and may come with certain toxicity risks when overdone.

Fatty Fish
When it comes to supercharging energy and focus, fatty fish might as well be unrivaled on top. This type of fish, which includes salmon, sardines, and trout, is so rich in omega-3 fatty acids. With 60% of your brain made up of fat (and half of which is the omega-3 type), then there’s no reason not to consume fatty fish for this nutritional requirement. Now, what your brain does is use omega-3 fats to build brain and nerve cells, thus being instrumental or learning and memory. As an additional perk, omega-3s may help slow age-related brain decline and fight the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. But if you’re deficient, expect having a greater risk for learning impairment and depression.

Caffeine
Perhaps this is the most controversial for energy and focus on this list. Caffeine is a stimulant and may not be the right fit for everyone. While there’s no magic bullet for staying awake, a steaming cup of joe might as well be the next best thing. Found in coffee, chocolate, and energy drinks, caffeine offers that wake-up buzz you think will sustain you throughout the day. Note, though, that the effect is short-term; overdo it and you will risk getting jitters and an uncomfortable feeling.

Sage
This plant holds a wealth of potential benefits for brain enhancement from adults, as it’s found to be high in powerful plant compounds such as luteolin and rosmarinic acid. Its rich medicinal profile makes sage a natural mood enhancer, memory improver, and even attention retainer, both in healthy young and older adults. Note, too, that sage acts as an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays a crucial role in cognitive function.

Blueberries
These berries aren’t deemed a superfood for nothing. Animal research reveals that they may have brain-protective properties, particularly against the damage caused by free radicals. Hence, they may reduce the nasty effects of age-related brain illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. With a blueberry-rich diet, older animal models had improved learning and muscle function, making them mentally equal to their much younger counterparts.

Pumpkin Seeds
These favorite snacks contain potent antioxidants that protect both body and brain from free radical damage. They are also a reliable source of minerals namely magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper, each having a role to play in cognitive cognitive health. Zinc is important for nerve signaling, a factor in neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Magnesium, on the other hand, promotes learning and memory, while iron has to be at optimal levels or you have a higher risk for brain fog and impaired cognition. While the research still largely focuses on the micronutrients in it, pumpkin seeds are a wonderful everyday treat to munch on.

Final Note
While these are easily accessible foods and herbs, it’s good to be realistic enough that the modern standard diet contains them in pitiful amounts. You have to consciously decide about making your own meals to get them to ideal levels.

If this is the case, supplementation may be key. Choose a high-quality brain enhancement supplement for this purpose but don’t forget to consult your health care provider if you’re taking medications or have an existing condition. The benefits should always come with safety.

 

It’s true: learning doesn’t happen instantaneously. There’s no magic bullet. But there is a way that you can hack your brain to accelerate learning, memory retention, and overall cognition in a long-term, sustained manner.

One thing to remember is that you can learn for as long as you live – that’s the magic of being human. However, aging can hamper your ability to learn optimally. This is where learning hacks come in really handy and you can excel both at work/school and in everyday life.

Here are seven learning and memory hacks to start with:

#1: Pause to Think and Absorb Information
Research has highlighted the magic of reading through text one through cold, then marking up the relevant parts on your second pass. Through thinking through the points more carefully (and their importance in the overall material), active processing is activated and encouraged. Active processing, after all, is deemed essential in forming stronger memories.

#2: Aim for Shorter Learning Sessions
This one’s related to the first advice – and for a good, solid reason. Did you know that an average person’s attention span is no more than a couple of minutes? While there’s no conclusive evidence on the exact figure, there are sources that point to as little as 8 to 10 seconds to as much as 10 to 15 minutes.

Now, let’s say we’ve agreed that humans are unable to focus on anything for too long, and that the brain stops absorbing stuff being fed to it. This means you should stop wasting your time and effort on protracted learning sessions. Instead for short yet multiple sessions that will be more productive learning-wise. For instance, the brain can retain information efficiently with one part learned every day rather than the entire content.

#3: Give Your Brain a Schedule
Your brain actually has a mental clock, where if you set a specific alarm for waking up in the morning you’ll slowly get used to it that you won’t even need the alarm eventually. Thus it also helps retain information better if your brain has a routine and a regular schedule for learning things. This way, the organ can develop the ability to take in new information within a pocket of time and systematically.

#4: Look for Deep Patterns
Let’s say you’re a student at the university. It turns out that there’s scientific proof behind students with course outline performing better in school: it enables them to find the underlying connections between various topics. This is why it’s often recommended to start with a skeletal outline before venturing to study and then supply more of the details over time.

Being concise is an important key, as there’s greater learning in focusing on a structure rather than getting lost in the particulars if you’re really keen to see underlying connections and delve into deeper learning.

#5: Avoid Overconfidence
It’s only normal for people to set the limits of their own thinking and even assume that their thoughts and decisions are smarter than they actually are. The same can be thought of learning. In one study, the more confident the participants were about their learning, they less likely they were to recall it afterwards. This means you should beware underestimating how easily you WILL forget details.

#6: Organize Information
Organize new information mentally so that new skills can be better learned. What this means is think of your brain as a computer: saving everything on the desktop will mess up the files and make it difficult to find what you’re looking for.

Your brain isn’t any different from a computer. You need to allot specific mental space for new skills you’re trying to learn. While you’re already a musician, learning a new instrument can still confuse your brain. What you can do is space out the intake and repetition of the new skill or ability.

#7: Keep the Brain Healthy
Your brain will do greater things for you if you keep it in tiptop shape. In your quest to absorb new knowledge, you should have a healthy working brain that is conducive to attaining the goals ahead. Sleep is a critical factor to ensure; a tired, sleep, fatigued mind will prevent learning. Get enough restful sleep, manage stress, perform mental exercises, and meditate to boost brain performance.
What you feed your brain is just as critical. Eat a raw, balanced, wholesome diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, omega 3-rich fish, and healthy fats. Since time immemorial, people have also turned to nature for their brain enhancement needs, with outstanding herbal extracts and spices that provide the antioxidants and cognitive enhancers they need.

Physical wellness contributes to mental acuity and wellbeing, so also make it a point to exercise regularly – with at least three sessions of cardio every week – to keep both body and mind healthy and maintain such astounding learning potential.

Humanity is on the cusp of the next big thing in cognitive enhancement. The journey toward new brain-enhancing drugs as well as technologies remain, and while we have come a long way in supercharging the brain in its cognition and overall performance, there is still plenty to explore and improve in the field.

Here are some compelling reasons why cognitive enhancement — a world of nootropics, so to speak — is here to stay and even thrive.

• Increasing demands on cognitive functions – In an increasingly complex world, there is much demanded of our brain function and cognitive performance. These requirements fit a growing information society, where skills can become readily obsolete in an instant and certain mental abilities get a premium. These challenges and more make people constantly on a search for scientific ways to supercharge the brain and become “limitless,” as the movie of the same name shows.
• Constant curiosity – There is an inherent curiosity and thirst for the unknown among humans. Just like the hacking phenomeno in the world of computers, more and more individuals are looking to experiment with techniques that will overcome the limitations of people’s cognitive abilities. In other words, “hack brain function.”
• The quest to understand the brain – The brain is always changing, meaning every time you learn, your brain forms, strengthens, or connects neural pathways. This means no one is stuck at birth and the conditions at which their brain was conceived. In addition, research shows that the brains of individuals who have been previously labeled “learning disabled” can be totally rewired with an appropriate brain program.
• The drive to know what’s there to learn – and unlearn – about the brain – There’s always that question of where you can change your beliefs about your mind, and whether it will follow. It’s a continuing cycle of doing and undoing that makes brain enhancement such an interesting discipline. In a study, adults who had negative thoughts about aging in their younger years were found to be more likely to experience a cardiovascular event in the next 38 years, no matter their race, age or other factors. In learning, the same may be true.
• An exploration of human nature – Cognitive enhancement continues to expand and grow because of the unfailing temptation of enhancement, cognitive or otherwise. The urge to enhance and keep changing might even be argued as the very core of human nature, so discovering something new in how the brain works and can be hacked also tells us something new about ourselves.

Why do you think cognitive enhancement holds some key to our future? Will it ever lead to an end where we get to have a conclusive take on how the brain exactly works? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Aging doesn’t readily mean falling prey to forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. One can age gracefully and keep their brain working optimally, thanks to many natural nootropic solutions out there.

Here are some memory-boosting tricks and techniques for seniors — and ones that you can practice as early as now if you want to keep your brain working and feeling young for many years and decades.

Eat Well and Move
An active and healthy body can mean an active and healthy mind. Recent scientific research asserts that lifestyle changes can prevent and even reverse memory loss and related issues, even much more effectively than drugs. Pair a clean, raw, balanced diet with regular physical activity such as walking, Zumba, or another group exercise.

‘Thinking’ and Memory Games
What could beat good ol’ fashioned brain training games to keep older adults sharp for a long time? It doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be a daily crossword puzzle, Scrabble, or Sudoku! The key is in enjoying the activity while engaging and making an effort to think. There’s also a wealth of online resources and websites that provide a library of brain games and puzzles for seniors.

Simple memory exercises can go a long way, too. These can be tasks like making a grocery list, doing arithmetic in one’s head, drawing a mental map of specific location or space, or memorizing book quotes or song lyrics.

Stress Relief and Social Integration
It’s important for seniors to keep stress under control. In lieu of worries and fears, older adults have to make room and leave space in their lives for relaxation and reflection. There should be active steps to manage stress before it morphs into a bigger problem, such as anxiety and depression.

While addressing stress, seniors should seek out all healthy social interactions they can get. Stimulating conversations as well as love and affection from family and friends can go a long way in boosting cognition in this age group.

Fish Oil for Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil is a leader among supplements that ward off memory loss. It’s not just a supplement for improving eye, heart, and skin health, but also for boosting brain function mainly through its essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. Fish oil has been widely studied in the prevention of dementia and Alzheimers, which have been affecting more and more people in the world.

Fish oil supplements provide omega-3s in amounts that the typical diet won’t be able to provide. What’s more, fish oil can boost brain power alongside overall well-being, which is particularly important for senior individuals.

MCT-Rich Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has gotten so much attention for its whole-body benefits and more. More than strengthening and conditioning hair and helping people lose weight, this oil can help drive memory enhancement on its own.

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a kind of saturated fat, is found within the oil and studied as a source of significant memory improvement. It has been tested in areas such as word recall and recognition, as well as overall cognitive performance. MCTs can be obtained from extra virgin coconut oil used in cooking or in a high-quality supplement.

Sensory Tests
Sensory tests, while they sound quite technical, can be a simple way to keep the brain strong and elastic for a long time. If you’re wondering, a sensory test makes new connections in the brain while reinvigorating old ones.

For instance, take any food within reach. With every bite, identify the various flavors you are experiencing with your tongue. The results of the tests can be deemed more effective with familiar dishes or homemade foods that remind you of home or certain memories.

Optimal Sleep
Getting enough sleep is radically important for senior adults to mentally perform and stay in great shape. Sleep actually triggers changes in the brain that are key to solidifying memories. It also makes connections between brain cells more robust, helping shift short-term memories to the long term.

So how much sleep is enough? Anything from 6 to 9 hours is ideal for older people. Great sleep also lies in quality, so it’s important for sleep time to be as undisturbed as possible. Key factors include temperature inside the bedroom, removing artificial lights one hour before bedtime, and maintaining a calm, peaceful environment that’s conducive to sleep.

Natural Nootropic Ingredients
Memory enhancement occurs when there’s synergy among different cognitive enhancers. Some ingredients help boost memory and mental clarity by supplying oxygen to the brain, while others are tasked to protect against free radical damage (antioxidant properties).

Ginkgo biloba, for example, helps improve memory and mental processing in healthy older people, while neurotransmitters like acetylcholine support working memory and information processing. Phosphatidylserine, often called PS, makes sure there’s smooth transmission of signals across the cell membrane, enhancing short-term memory as well as concentration.

Further Thoughts
While these recommendations are generally deemed safe for healthy individuals, it’s best to talk to the doctor if a senior individual is taking any supplement for the first time. This way, it’s easy to figure out what causes a problem if it takes place. This roundup of memory boosters for seniors come in handy not just for better cognition, but also for helping ensure optimal overall health among them.

With any dietary supplement that you take, it is always worth remembering that safety often far outweighs the promised benefits. It’s no different from taking brain enhancement products, more commonly known as nootropics. There is a world of safety considerations you need to make to ensure that you’re benefiting from the supplement and not harming your body. 

Natural supplements generally offer a safer option to prescription drugs or synthetic nootropics when it comes to cognitive health and performance. These ingredients include certain B vitamins, omega-3 fats found in fish oil, and herbal extracts such as ginkgo biloba and bacopa monnieri, to name a few. 

Here are a few general guidelines when taking supplements such as natural nootropics: 

Take the Supplement As Directed

It’s important to pay careful attention to the recommended daily dosage stated on the product label. It’s also important that you read the label for potential interaction of the supplement with any food you’re eating or medication you’re taking.

You might wonder: how can I get the best absorption? Some nootropics are best taken with food. Others may be taken on an empty stomach. Fat-soluble vitamins, for example, should be taken with a meal that contains a type of fat in order to aid absorption. 

Certain vitamins and minerals can interact with specific medications, such as antacid, antibiotics, and anticoagulants. Read the labels of both your supplement and prescription medication, and discuss with your doctor any way that they might interact. 

Take It in the Right Dosage

Make it a point to follow the dosage recommendations on the supplement label. 

Remember that the nutrients in a nootropic add to the nutrients that you are already getting from your everyday meals. Balance is key in supplementation as in everything else in life; be conscious that you aren’t getting too much of certain vitamins or minerals than what your body needs. 

Heed what your body tells you; side effects are some signs that you’re having too much of something. Mineral overload in your system, for instance, can lead to toxicity and cause symptoms ranging from fatigue to nausea to organ problems. 

 

Just what are these potential reactions? Some things to watch out for include feelings of being jittery, high body temperature, increased activity, irregular or rapid heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, and unusual weakness, to name a few. While these are more frequently associated with synthetic formulas, it’s best to listen to what your body is telling you and to speak with your doctor if the effects persist or get worse. 

Be a Savvy Label Reader

Reading supplement labels carefully is a crucial step in ensuring your safety while taking nootropics. Frankly, labels can get quite confusing. Some people think they can claim to treat or cure diseases, which they cannot. A sincere nootropic maker will also provide appropriate ingredient and nutrition labeling. 

How do you know when something is too good to be true? For starters, the promised benefits or outcomes are unrealistic or border on being a quick fix or miracle cure. Next, a supplement should provide accurate and up-to-date information on composition, ingredient lineup and potency, added ingredients, and other aspects of the formula. 

Start One Supplement at a Time

Avoid a mixture of many different supplements, particularly if you’re using all of them for the first time. The more ingredients, the greater the likelihood of risk, especially if the brand doesn’t live up to its promise of safety and efficacy. Mixtures will make it difficult for you to figure out which specific substance is causing a side effect. 

It is recommended to start one product at a time and take note of any unwanted reaction you’re experiencing while taking it. 

Store and Take the Supplement Properly

Prevent accidental ingestion by storing your nootropic stacks in the right place and properly labeling them. Keep them out of children’s reach, and always put them back to their proper place every time you use them. 

While the nutrients in your supplement can be helpful as a supplement to your diet, they should not replace a real-food, healthy, wholesome diet. Nootropics work best when you pair them with smart lifestyle strategies, from a balanced diet to regular exercise to proper stress management. 

Buy Only From a Reputable Source

While supplements generally aren’t regulated, you can take control of the safety and quality you’re getting by choosing a manufacturer known for high-caliber products. Many companies do not go through the entire process of quality control to ensure that the label matches the product, or that the ingredients in the bottle are all pure. 

Nationally known brands — or those that have high customer and business ratings online — are generally better at doing this quality control than smaller and one-off companies. 

Third-party verification on the bottle attests to quality control. Look for certification by USP or NSF International, or third-party testing credentials that a manufacturer will definitely boast on the label. 

Final Word

Brain enhancement supplements can make a world of difference in your cognitive wellness and offer a huge roster of benefits, including memory boost, reduced anxiety, enhanced cognition, better mood and emotional stability, better sleep, and protection from age-related brain conditions. 

Safety, however, always comes first. Stick to a brand that maintains a reputation for quality and excellence, using only high-quality ingredients and adhering to the highest production standards. Bank on a brand that offers GMP-certified products manufactured in a FDA-registered laboratory.

Is there really compelling evidence that we can turbocharge the brain?

The brain is often deemed the most powerful and incredibly complex electro-biochemical vessel that’s ever been created. No biggie: just 100 billion neurons housed in a small calcium shell, prompted by a network of channels, switches, and pumps that make the brain work beyond comprehension. 

It used to be that this organ was considered static and can no longer be changed. Brain science, though, has proven time and again that it’s far from those previous assumptions. 

There’s great potential to dramatically enhance and empower the mental and cognitive abilities of people, whether they are old or young. This is because the brain is dynamic, flexible, and just simply highly adaptable.

Even people who have had brain illness or injury are not exempt from this potential. It’s within the realm of possibilities to increase attention, performance, and overall cognition in order to comprehend, communicate, and solve problems in an increasingly complicated world. 

The question now is: How? 

Here are some ways that the brain can be turbocharged in such amazing ways, according to Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D., of University of Texas at Dallas. 

1. Calibrate those mental efforts. Your mental energy, just like physical energy, can get easily depleted. You can prioritize for the day ahead. Focus on the most important tasks first while your brain is operating at its peak, typically at the start of the day. 
2. Try to stick to single tasking. Multitasking seems like a gift from the heavens. Imagine, you can perform multiple things at once! However, it’s crucial to note that the brain may be able to perform two tasks at once, but it’s not the best situation. Multitasking can tire the brain and activate stress hormones, affecting accuracy, speed, and innovative thinking. It also prevents the need to switch quickly from one task to another, and a totally unrelated one at that. 
3. Think innovation. Turbocharging the brain also means stepping outside the routine and comfortable. Yes, your brain also seeks novelty, so make it a point to expand your knowledge and acquire new skills from time to time. 
4. Think what motivates you. The brain is at its happiest when it explores your areas of passion. When you focus on what motivates you and matters greatly to you, you are actually fortifying the rate at which you learn. Amazing! 
5. Think and live big. The brain, while designed to transition in between details and the big picture, can become overwhelmed by excess focus on details. Thinking about an idea or problem from a big-picture perspective can help strengthen the systems in your brain, encouraging them to produce high-level ideas that transform. Based on Chapman’s research, doing so strengthens brain systems at various levels of health. 

Now what? It’s great to flex your cortex and really maximize the potential and abilities of your brain. The point is not just to flex what it can do. 

By training your brain to perform at peak levels and learning new, healthy ways of thinking, you can take your brain performance to an entirely new level no matter if you’re a student, working professional, or an elderly. Everyone can benefit from this, even those who suffer from cognitive, neurodevelopmental, and systemic brain performance issues. 

So whether you’re complementing these tips to turbocharge your brain with changes in your diet, exercise, sleep habits, or use of nootropic blends, keep your eyes on the prize: positive, far-reaching effects on your cognitive performance, memory, focus, alertness, and beyond.

Your smartphone within reach, even when it’s off, can significantly affect your cognitive capacity, a study from the University of Texas at Austin has been quick to warn in 2017. 

In an experiment that involved almost 800 smartphone users, McCombs Assistant Professor Adrian Ward and other researchers in the team tried to measure how well people can accomplish their tasks when their smartphones are nearby — even though they’re not texting or using their reliable phone. 

Study Details: Your Phone Slashes Your Cognitive Resources

Let’s have a look at one of the experiments they conducted. 

Participants were asked to sit at a computer and take a series of tests requiring their full concentration so they can score well. The tests were positioned to measure available cognitive ability, or the brain’s capacity for data storage and processing at a given time. 

Prior to the tests, however, they were randomly asked to put their smartphones either face down on their desk, in their bag or pocket, or in a separate room. All phones were put on silent. 

The finding: participants with their phones placed in another room notably outperformed their peers who had their phones on their desk. They also slightly outperformed subjects who kept their phones in their pocket or bag. 

The team concluded that the mere presence of a phone reduced people’s available cognitive capacity as well as impaired their cognitive function, even though they felt they were allotting their full focus and attention to their current task. They pointed to “a linear trend” suggesting that as smartphones became more visible, subjects’ limited cognitive resources dwindled, which they dubbed “brain drain.” 

Other experiments conducted by the group showed that the position of the smartphone, whether it was turned on or off, or whether it was lying face up or down was irrelevant; as long as it’s within view or easy reach, it can hamper the ability to focus on or perform tasks. What happened was part of the brain was actively deliberating whether to pick up or use the phone.

How to Break Smartphone Addiction and ‘Unbreak’ Your Brain 

There are subtle to obvious signs of smartphone addiction. These include trouble completing tasks at home or work, social isolation, having a fear of missing out (FOMO), sneaking off to somewhere to use your phone, and feeling anxious or dreadful of leaving your smartphone at home.

There are many several ways that scientists and researchers are trying to break patterns of phone addiction for the benefit and wellness of the brain. 

There are programs that focus on addressing the root causes of smartphone addiction, including the emotional triggers that cause you to always reach for your phone in the first place. For these programs, it’s not really about getting off the internet or social media; they still allow the use of social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. The difference is “unlatching” the brain from the destructive routines have imbibed around the mobile device. Next it hooks the brain to better habits and things. 

Simple and practical brain hacks also exist to help break addictive smartphone use behaviors. Here are some of them: 

1. Build strong coping skills. Might you be texting, vlogging too much, or tweeting as a way to cope with your anger or depression? Are they your way of escaping the need to relate or communicate with others? Gradually build your coping skills to weather life’s stresses other than depending on your phone. 
2. Address underlying issues that may be supporting the compulsive phone behavior, such as alcohol or drug use in the past. 
3. Seek professional help. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, for instance, offers a step-by-step program to stop compulsive attitudes and change the way you see your smartphone. Therapy can also help you cope well with emotions that may be triggering too much smartphone use. 
4. Recognize what’s triggering the behavior. Is it sadness or boredom? Are you anxious or stressed out? Excess smartphone use is likely a band-aid solution to soothing bad moods or emotional conditions. Manage your mood through exercise, relaxation methods, and even a cognitive supplement that contain herbs and nutrients to balance and uplift mood. 

Create “phone-free” zones in your life. Restrict your use of your phone or tablet to a specific area of the house. Limit your online time. Ban your phone from the dinner table and bedroom if possible.

Neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders come at a great cost to society and governments. They can commonly occur and have debilitating impacts on memory and thinking, functioning, and overall wellbeing and quality of life. This makes neuroscience a crucial part of the scientific discourse, as it offers answers to questions of humans regarding these disorders, why they occur, and what can be done to prevent them. 

Neuroscience helps create a fairer legal system

It’s important to understand the science behind human behavior. The neurobiology of making decisions, knowing the limits of memory, and the influence of emotions can help people craft fairer laws as well as appropriate punishments. 

Scientific progress that details how the brain works, for instance, helps answer questions around motivations, decisions, and even the root of addition. 

Neuroscience helps us change society for the better

There is an entire discipline around pushing the bounds of applied science, also known as neuroethics. Neuroethicists are tasked to ask difficult and often uncomfortable questions, helping us have a better, more profound understanding of how people, society, the environment, and social structures can be better. 

Ethics, for example, guides health care professionals in treating humans with brain diseases or injuries. This is recognizing that unlike a patient that is treated for heart disease or a broken bone, the brain feeds us our feelings, emotions, and even free will. This brings about questions of informed consent and morality in dealing with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or risky brain tumors. 

Neuroscience makes us better every day

Cognitive enhancement, which entails the use of either synthetic or natural brain enhancers such as nootropics, is a fairly complex discipline – but a vital one at that. Some brain enhancers involve the use of computerized cognitive training and devices. 

Drugs and supplements have also been developed for the same purpose, aiming to improve varied areas of learning, memory, focus and concentration, motivation, emotion recognition, and even mood. 

The jury is still out on whether one should use “smart drugs” or nootropic stacks for their ongoing cognitive enhancement needs. There are also ethical issues surrounding this form of enhancement. But what rings true today and in the future is that neuroscience will have far-reaching effects on both the individual and the society they live in. The brain, after all, is the “citadel of the senses” and the source of human health’s greatest complexities. 

The current evidence points to a relationship between obesity, or having a higher-than-ideal body mass index and an excess accumulation of fat tissue, and brain health and functioning. 

Obesity has been associated with functional as well as structural brain change in neuroimaging studies, as well as the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It has also been linked to reduced or imapired mental or intellectual functioning. If you are wondering about the underlying mechanism behind this relationship, it’s mostly the adipokines that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and affect the brain. 

Poor Cognitive Function

Scientific evidence suggests that obesity is associated with poor cognition. This covers domains that include memory and learning, attention or executive function, psychomotor function, language, and information processing. 

Take note, however, neither obesity nor cognition is a one-dimensional construct. This means that the level or progression of obesity-related cognitive decline may depend on the type and duration of being obese, as well as other existing conditions. 

According to research, being overweight or obese and having a diet high in sugar and fats may also result in brain changes that get in the way of children’s impulse control. This makes it more difficult to resist eating. 

In a cross-sectional Canadian study in 2009, more than 200 participants were recruited to assess their cognitive function. Based on multivariable analysis, obese participants were nearly fourfold more likely to demonstrate poor executive function on the clock drawing task or trail making test, compared to non-obese subjects. In addition, metabolic syndrome was linked with low cognitive performance. 

Dementia and Progressive Brain Issues

Dementia covers a wide lineup of neurocognitive disorders, with a core feature of losing intellectual abilities. The dysfunction involves memory and learning, complex attention, language, and even social cognition. Alzheimer’s accounts for 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases, a progressive and degenerative disorder that involves memory loss, language skills, thinking, and changes in behavior. 

Being overweight or obese has been connected with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. In an 18-year followup study in Germany, female dementia patients ages 79 to 88 were overweight and maintained a higher average body mass index at ages 70, 75, and 79 compared to women without dementia. The risk is rather disproportionately higher in women when it comes to obesity and Alzheimer’s.

A variety of findings across studies indicate that high-sugar diets and obesity in midlife increase the risk for Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia later in life. The bad news is that new evidence points to these brain pathologies emerging earlier in life and may even serve as a cause of obesity rather than a consequence. 

Saving a Brain Under Siege

On its own, body fat is not necessarily responsible for sweeping changes in cognitive function and performance. However, the combination of poor diet, bad lifestyle choices, and the development of obesity could create a perfect storm for disease and dysfunction. 

1. Eat a natural, wholesome diet. It’s recommended to consume plenty of vegetables and fruits, enough whole grains, some dairy and milk, some meat and eggs along with non-dairy protein, and small amounts of high-sugar foods. It’s recommended to veer away from processed foods that are stripped of nutrients and are filled with preservatives and additives that may drive fat accumulation. 
2. Get moving. Research has always backed the power of exercise, specifically cardiovascular exercise, in improving executive function in obese individuals. Exercise has been seen to lead to better emotional control along with visuospatial performance in patients. For weight loss, excellent options include walking, jogging, cycling, weight training, yoga, and swimming. 
3. Behavioral programs and interventions. There are family-based cognitive behavioral programs where parents can assist their children in avoiding poor food choices. It can involve training kids to overcome impulsive eating behaviors. There should be no shame or guilt tactics, which have been proven to lead an obese child or individul to actually eat more. 
4. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness practice for health can have profound and unique benefits on brain function as well as overall weight management. It has been found to lower cortisol levels in response to stress, pain perception, and in the treatment of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and ADHD. Mindfulness helps develop skills to self-regulate and have a heightened awareness of emotional and sensory cues to build a healthy relationship with food. Mindless eating – a passive act where we eat and do something else like work, drive, or watch TV – contributes to chronic health problems after all. 

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