Brain Fitness: Where Neuroscience Meets Education and Health, Where Opportunity Meets Passion Alvaro Fernandez Stanford, SELA Summit, April 2009 © SharpBrains

What is Learning Graph by Elkhonon Goldberg, The Wisdom Paradox Brain biochemistry Brain weight Brain function

Brain biochemistry

Brain weight

Brain function

If you lived in London, and wanted to grow your hippocampus, which job would you choose? © SharpBrains. Source: Maguire, Woollett, & Spiers, 2006

But: need cross-training

The number of people over 50 will double in 30 years. And it’s Baby Boomers.

Why Now? A Perfect Storm of Factors © SharpBrains 2008

Debunking 10 Myths © SharpBrains. 1. Genes determine the fate of our brains. 2. Aging means automatic decline. 3. Medication is the only hope for cognitive enhancement. 4. We will soon have a Magic Pill or General Solution. 5. There is only one “it” in “Use It or Lose it”. 6. All brain activities or exercises are equal. 7. After age X, no new neurons are generated in the human brain. 8. We all have something called “Brain Age”. 9. That “brain age” can be reversed by 10, 20, 30 years. 10. All human brains need the same brain exercise.

Use and Enhance (Klingberg’s The Overflowing Brain) Source: Klingberg et al

Tools for Augmenting Cognition © SharpBrains. Source: Frontiers in Neuroscience, Augmenting Cognition April 2009 Issue, Alvaro Fernandez Type Research Areas Value Proposition Invasive interventions Drugs, stem cells, implants, explants, DBS, nutrition Treat CNS indications Non-invasive interventions Software, VR, exercise, mindfulness, cognitive therapy, TMS, videogames, hypnosis Achieve specific outcomes (similar to physical fitness paradigm), potentially becoming first-line treatment strategy Lifestyle Sleep, music, stress, cognitive reserve, interacting with nature Maintain cognitive wellness, increase neuroprotection

Start by identifying bottleneck Quality nutrition Aerobic exercise Stress management Mental exercise Sleep Medication management Lifestyle Emotional self-regulation (meditation, biof, VR) Visual/ auditory (software) Attention (software, neurof, meditation) Executive functions (exercise, cog simulations) Working memory (software, stress mng) Long-term memory (sleep) Cognitive priority © SharpBrains.

Quality nutrition

Aerobic exercise

Stress management

Mental exercise

Sleep

Medication management

Emotional self-regulation (meditation, biof, VR)

Visual/ auditory (software)

Attention (software, neurof, meditation)

Executive functions (exercise, cog simulations)

Working memory (software, stress mng)

Long-term memory (sleep)

Source: SharpBrains, The Brain Fitness Software Market 2009 © SharpBrains. What is the most important problem you see (n=2,087, January 2009)

Consumer: Evaluation Checklist (available at www.sharpbrains.com) 1. Are neuropsychologists behind the program 2. What peer-reviewed research supports it 3. Is there a solid Scientific Advisory Board 4. What are the specific benefits claimed 5. What cognitive function does it train 6. How many hours/ days per week to use it 7. Do the exercises teach something new 8. Always challenging 9. Does the program fit user’s specific goals 10. No stress © SharpBrains.

1. Are neuropsychologists behind the program

2. What peer-reviewed research supports it

3. Is there a solid Scientific Advisory Board

4. What are the specific benefits claimed

5. What cognitive function does it train

6. How many hours/ days per week to use it

7. Do the exercises teach something new

8. Always challenging

9. Does the program fit user’s specific goals

10. No stress

SharpBrains.com Market Research, Blog, Free eNewsletter: www.SharpBrains.com Twitter: alvarof Slides? [email_address] Publications: Book in May 2009!

Market Research, Blog, Free eNewsletter: www.SharpBrains.com

Twitter: alvarof

Slides? [email_address]

Publications: Book in May 2009!