Like the rest of your body, your brain needs exercise to keep fit. Most research on brain health can only show that certain behaviours are associated with beneficial results. In other words, it appears that people who do crossword puzzles have better memories. But scientists can’t prove that doing crossword puzzles is responsible. People who do puzzles might have better memories because of other habits or their genetics. Still, it’s worth doing all you can to stay clear-headed, incisive, clever and quick. Be a Social Butterfly Research shows that staying socially active helps maintain brain function. If you’re retired and spend time alone, consider a part-time job or volunteer at […]
Even a single drink of alcohol is enough to impair someone’s ability to reason quickly and detect errors, according to a study that electronically monitored brain waves in volunteers given drinks. Dutch researchers put sensors on the scalps of 14 men who were tested in three sessions after having a placebo, a single alcohol drink, or several drinks. The volunteers then were challenged in a computer test that required quick thinking and instinctive reasoning. Changes in brain action were quickly detected even after a single drink, leading the researchers to conclude that alcohol, even in “modest doses,” was enough to erode the mind’s ability to detect and correct errors. The […]