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Get Smart! at : www.GetPedia.com *More than 150,000 articles for DUMMIES *Learn how almost everything works *Get Smart! Get Pedia! APR 2000 KEEP YOUR BRAIN ALIVE 83 Neurobic Exercises to Help Prevent Memory Loss and Increase Mental Fitness Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D. & Manning Rubin Illustrations by David Suter 3 1150007903129 Workman Publishing Company, New York Copyright © 1999 by Lawrence C. Katz and Manning Rubin ACKNOWLEDGMENTS r Sute d Davi © t copyrigh s Illustration Cover and book design: Elaine Tom - match r ou g bein r fo n Workma r Pete k than h bot e All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced—mechanically, photocopying—withoug includin , means r othe ty an y b r o , electronically Wmaker, and our editor, Ruth Sullivan, for her steadfast written permission of the publisher. Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Alien 8c Son Limited. faith in the project and her relentless pursuit of clarity and . material e th f o n organizatio d an g writin e th n i y simplicit Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Katz, Lawrence, 1956- Larry Katz wishes to thank Doris larovici, his spouse, for Keep your brain alive: the neurobic exercise program/by Lawrence C. Katz . Rubin g Mannin d an her critical insights, advice, and editorial assistance, and Bonnie p. cm. Kissell, for unflagging administrative support of this project. ISBN 0-7611-1052-6 . Cognition—Ag1 . Cognition—Problems2 . efactors , exercises . Memory—Agt 3 . etc , brun e th e g bearin r fo , Rubin e Jan s thank n Rubi g Mannin . Cognition—Problems4 . Aging—Psychologica. 5 . factors etc , . ,exercises laspects of his burying himself in the research, writing, and rewriting . Tide . II . Manning , Rubin . I - level r BF724.55.C63K3he r fo d an 8, 1998 years o tw r fo h wit d obsesse n bee s ha e h 8 153—dc298-1888 1 CIP headed observations that helped the book. And he thanks Larry for the voluminous work he has produced in keeping Workman books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk this book alive. for premiums and sales promotions as well as for fund-raising or educational use. Special editions or book excerpts can also be created to specification. For details, contact the Special Sales Director at the address below. Inc , Company g Publishin n Workma 708 Broadway 5 York10003-955 w Y Ne N , a Americ f o s State d Unite e th n i d Printe First printing May 1999 6 7 8 9 0 1 CONTENTS Preface ........................................ .ix CHAPTER I Neurobics Sciencw Ne Brai f e o :nTh Exercise ..........1 CHAPTER II How the Brain Works ........................... .9 CHAPTER III How Neurobics Works............................31 CHAPTER IV Starting and Ending the Day ...................... .41 CHAPTER V Commuting ................................... .53 CHAPTER VI .....................................7-k AtWor 7 CHAPTER VII At the Market................................ .87 CHAPTER VIII .................................s Mealtime t A ..99 CHAPTER IX .................................e Leisur t A ..117 PREFACE s the population of over 76 million Baby Boomers ap- g preservin f o e issu e th , beyond d an e ag e middl s Aproache mental powers throughout greatly increased life spans has t interes g growin a s i e Ther . pitch r feve t almos n a d reache in—and optimism about—preserving and enhancing the brain's capabilities into senior years. With the help of power- ful new tools of molecular biology and brain imaging, neuro- scientists around the world have literally been looking into the mind as it thinks. Almost daily, they are discovering that many of the negative myths about the aging brain are, in- deed, only myths: "Older and wiser" is not just a hopeful cliche but can be the reality. In much the same way that you can maintain your physical well-being, you can take charge of . fitness d an h healt l menta r you e larg a y b d prove t ye t no e therefor d an w ne h Althoug body of tests, Neurobics is based on solid scientific ground; it is an exciting synthesis of substantial findings about the brain that provides a concrete strategy for keeping the brain fit and flexible as you grow older. E ALIV N BRAI R YOU P KEE PREFACE From Theory to Practice done all this simply by looking around. Today was different. She could see nothing. Jane reached into her pocketbook and fished inside for the out- the in were they Usually apartment. her to keys s wa e sh , 50 e ag t A . blind e gon y suddenl t no d ha e Jan t Bu side flap pocket but not today. "Did I forget them?! introducing a lifestyle strategy called Neurobics into her daily figure to shapes their ..here are.felt No. they "She activities. Based on recent discoveries in brain science, Neu- out which one would open the top lock. It took her robics is a new form of brain exercise designed to help keep the of click welcome the heard she until tries two the brain agile and healthy. By breaking her usual homecom- to reached she door the Inside opening. lock ing routine, Jane had placed her brains attentional circuits in the left for the light switch... but why high gear. With her eyes closed, she had to rely on her senses bother? Her husbandg wouldsomethin o d o dot y that memor l spatia d an , hearing , smell , touch f o her with lightly wall the Touching later. e sh d An . apartment did—navigaty r he rarel h y the throug e fingertips, she movedf o s to thestresse closete th g on thefeelin right,y b e sens l emotiona r he g involvin s wa found it, and hung- dif up d heran w coat.ne d She turnedcreate s slowlyaction e andthes l visualizedAl . see o t e abl g bein t no in her mind the location of the table holding brain—whicr he n heri y w telephoneho s hi activit n andneuro f an-o s pattern t feren swering machine. Carefully she headed in that direction, guided. works s Neurobic birth- of vase a of scent the and armchair leather the of feel the by This book will explain the principles behind Neurobics day roses, anxious to avoid the sharp edge of the coffee table and and how the exercises enhance the overall health of your hoping to have some messages from her family waiting.. older w gro u yo s a n brai The table. The answering machine. She reached out and brushed her fingers across what she believed to be the play button. "What if I push the delete button?" she thought, and again checked have could She easy. Yesterdayso right. was it was she sure make to NEUROBICS: The New Science of Brain Exercise ~\( Tf "That was the name of that actor who was in all the early WoodyV V Alien films? know...You curly brown hair... ?" d shoul u yo n perso a f o e nam e th t forge u yo e tim t firs e Th o t y likel e you'r , meeting t importan n titlee a r o , movi a , know exclaim—only half-jokingly—"I'm losing it! My brain is e th n i s image d an s message y b d Jell-O.o t g "Reinforce turnin t d forgetfulnesfirs mil e th e h equat wit s u yo , media s mas . decline l menta g acceleratin f o s stage ". ..He was just in a Broadway show with, um, what's-her-name. Oh, God, you know who I mean." y the f i t Bu . Roberts y Ton s it' r remembe o d y the e mayb d An l recal o t g tryin d preoccupie d an d frustrate e becom u yo , don't fiftiesr o s — fortie r you n i g beginnin y Usuall . name d burie s thi sometimes even in your thirties—you start to notice these small lapses: not remembering where you put the car keys or E ALIV N BRAI R YOU P KEE NEUROBICS e home.t a t unabl lef g .u .oyo r bein t lis y grocer e th n o s wa t wha new technologies, the traditional view of the way the brain to understand the instructions for a new VCR or com- ages is being rapidly revised. Evidence clearly shows that the puter. .or forgettin. older g t wherge e ew ths a e e car isdeclin parke p stee d a becaus o int o eg yoo t u e lefthav t doesn' n brai the mall through a different door. In fact, in 1998, a team of American and Swedish scientists Even though these small lapses don't actually interfere demonstrated for the first time that new brain cells are gener- y worr u Yo . can e provok y the y anxiet e th , life y dail h wit h muc humans.adult in 1 ated - re n ca o wh , Harriet t Aun r you e lik t jus e becom l you'l t tha t mos e declin l menta e th , belief r popula o t y contrar o Als member details of event cells.e s 2nerv frof o mh thedeat Depressioy stead e th no but e t nodu t t whano s i t e she experienc e peopl - dif e hav o wh e peopl h wit s experience d Firsthan .