How Marriage Helps Your Brain

Does matrimony make you smarter? The latest science says: I do
Thomas Crook, PhD, Prevention

I dedicated a recent book, The Memory Advantage, to my wife, Kay, writing: "I knew when I met her that she would be unforgettable." One of the reasons Kay made such an impact on me is that she is devoted to the pursuit of knowledge — about everything from movie blockbusters and interior design to 18th-century epic poetry and primitive art.

Each day, Kay makes a point of learning new information and passing much of it on to me in the evening. For example, she recently read a book called The Intellectual Devotional (published by Rodale, which also publishes Prevention), from which we both learned the origin of John Milton's epic poem "Paradise Lost," the history of the Lascaux cave paintings in France, and more. I, too, share with Kay much of what I learn every day, and after years of doing this, we've become each other's best teacher.

From my perspective as a neuroscientist, this is ironic because the changes that occur in the brain during the early stages of love are not conducive to intellectual pursuits. The feeling of euphoria, the sometimes obsessive desire to be with your beloved... all make concentration on anything else almost impossible.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have actually observed the effects of love on the brain. When people in the early stages of infatuation are shown photos of their sweethearts and told to think about them, areas of the brain rich in the chemical dopamine are activated. Dopamine produces very powerful pleasurable sensations. Cocaine and amphetamine, for example, produce their effects by spurring the release of dopamine.

As relationships mature, however, those areas are less responsive to the mere sight of one's lover. To be successful, the relationship must evolve from dopamine-driven euphoria to a more mindful cultivation of love and respect. Flowers and candlelight dinners help, but so do exploring and experiencing the world together. In fact, one area of the brain that "lights up" in these later stages of love is the cortex, the same place where information is stored and rational decisions are made.

As I've stressed in previous columns, new information builds fresh neural networks at any age. Here are some ways to strengthen your marriage (and get smarter in the process):

Take dancing lessons
The combined physical and mental challenge is a great brain workout.

Watch movies and discuss the plot and characters

Research shows that men and women use different areas of the brain when viewing films, resulting in different perspectives and insights.

Throw a party for a diverse group and then debrief each other the next day

Areas of the brain involved in learning and memory can be stimulated by social interaction, and you may be surprised at how differently the two of you interpret the evening's party politics.

Learn a language together

Gradually incorporate new words and phrases into your conversations. Or sign up for Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day." It's a free service (m-w.com) that delivers the definition and origin of a new word via e-mail each day.

Take on a home project to learn each other's skills

There is no reason a wife can't rewire a lamp or, speaking from experience, a husband can't learn about wall colors other than white. At the very least, learning new skills together gives you and your spouse something to talk about other than the kids and work

Get some game!

Try to outsmart your spouse at one of our all-new fun and challenging games at prevention.com/braingames.

Thomas Crook, PhD, a clinical psychologist, has conducted extensive research to improve our understanding of how the brain works. He is a former research program director at the National Institute of Mental Health and is CEO of Cognitive Research Corp. in St. Petersburg, FL.

[via MSN]

Exercise The Brain

By Trevor Kassulke

The brain is not a muscle, but regularly "exercising" the brain actually does keep it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. As scientists learned more about the brain and how memory actually worked, they realized that there were things you could actually do to improve not only your short-term memory, but to help recall facts that were stored in your long-term memory as well.

These tips can be as easy as paying closer attention to details, such as when meeting persons for the first time. Nervousness or distraction may mean that you're not really listening when a name is said, making it harder for you to recall it moments later. It is believed that it takes about 8 seconds of attention for a memory to travel from short-term to long-term storage, so quickly glossing over information you are hearing for the first time will only hinder your ability to recall it later.

"Over-learning" is another common technique for strengthening memory. This is what a person does when they repeat a bit of information over and over again - they are over-learning it so that there is more of a chance that it will be stored in long-term memory.

Other techniques can be somewhat complicated - until you learn them, that is. Like driving a car, once you learn the "procedure" you never really need to think much about them after that. Memory techniques become just like memories themselves - once they're burned into your brain, they become a natural process.

There are many different memory claims. For example, researchers say that if you are looking for a quick memory fix, just move your eyes from side to side for 30 seconds. Then we have the claim that chewing gum can help to improve memory and enhance cognitive power. You probably know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and "healthy" fats will provide lots of health benefits. This same diet can also improve memory. There is obviously no one method or technique that will improve memory for everyone. However, it is important to "exercise" the brain, otherwise the adage "use it or lose it" definitely applies to the brain.

The author owns and operates http://www.memory-improved.com, a website dedicated to improving your memory.

Brain Tumor Symptoms

By Glenn Dahlenburg

My father recently was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and he exhibited some of normal Brain Tumor Symptoms. However he did not have all the typical symptoms of a brain tumor, this is quite common for someone to only exhibit a selection of the normal brain tumor symptoms.
So what are the brain tumor symptoms you should look out for?

Brain Tumor Symptoms are very much related to where in the brain the tumor is located.
This is a short summary of what symptoms are related to which part of the brain.

Frontal lobe – Tumors in the Frontal lobe can cause the following: changes in personality or intellect, unco-ordination especially in walking, some weakness usually in one side of the body, some speech difficulties.

Parietal lobe – Tumors in the Parietal lobe can cause the following: difficulty in understanding words reading and writing, problems with movements especially co-ordination of movements, disorientation numbers and calculations, weakness on one side of the body.

Occipital lobe - Tumors in the Occipital lobe can cause the following: vision impairment especially on one side.

Temporal lobe - Tumors in the Temporal lobe can cause the following: Fits, strange feelings like fear or familiarity like dé jà vu, unusual smells, blackouts, difficulties with speech, memory problems.

Cerebellum - Tumors in the Cerebellum can cause the following: Co-ordination affecting walking and speech, unsteadiness, involuntary movement of the eyes - flickering, vomiting and nausea, neck stiffness.

Brain stem - Tumors in the Brain Stem can cause the following: Unsteadiness usually un-coordinated walking, Facial weakness can be one-sided smile or eyelid that droops, vision issues usually double vision, speaking and swallowing difficulties.

As you can see the different tumors exhibit different symptoms. You need to look out for any brain tumor symptoms and if there appears to be a problem get it check by a qualified medical person immediately.

Having recently had his father diagnosed with a brain tumor, Glenn has first hand knowledge and experience of just what can happen with brain tumors and how the person, family and friends can all be affected. Author of the popular website http://www.dadsbraintumor.com/ and the blog http://brain-tumor.blogspot.com/