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Inside the Mind of a Savant: Scientific American
Article about Kim Peek and mind of savant.
Ginkgo biloba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ginkgo has many alleged nootropic properties, and is mainly used as memory[25] and concentration enhancer, and anti-vertigo agent. However, studies differ about its efficacy. The largest and longest independent clinical trial to assess ginkgo biloba’s ability to prevent memory loss has found that the supplement does not prevent or delay dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.[26] Some controversy has arisen over the conclusions drawn by some studies that were allegedly funded by a firm which marketed Ginkgo.[27]
In 2002, a long-anticipated paper appeared in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) titled "Ginkgo for memory enhancement: a randomized controlled trial." This Williams College study, sponsored by the National Institute on Aging rather than Schwabe, examined the effects of ginkgo consumption on healthy volunteers older than 60. The conclusion, now cited in the National Institutes of Health's ginkgo fact sheet, said: "When taken following the manufacturer's instructions, ginkgo provides no measurable benefit in memory or related cognitive function to adults with healthy cognitive function." ... The impact of this seemingly damning assessment, however, was ameliorated by the almost simultaneous publication of a Schwabe-sponsored study in the less prestigious Human Psychopharmacology. This rival study, conducted at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, was rejected by JAMA, and came to a very different—if not exactly sweeping—conclusion: There was ample evidence to support "the potential efficacy of Ginkgo biloba EGb 761 in enhancing certain neuropsychological/memory processes of cognitively intact older adults, 60 years of age and over."
According to some studies, in a few cases, Ginkgo can significantly improve attention in healthy individuals.[28][29] Allegedly, the effect is almost immediate and reaches its peak in 2.5 hours after the intake.[30]
[edit] In dementia
A 2004 conference paper[31] summarizes how various trials indicate that Ginkgo shows promise in the treatment of Alzheimer's disea
Tempeh and tofu, for better or worse | The Jakarta Post
"Consuming tempeh can reduce the risk of developing dementia in the elderly, but eating tofu can increase it, said a joint study between universities here and in Britain on Wednesday.
The study between University of Indonesia (UI), Indonesia Respati University, University of Loughborough and University of Oxford said people over 68 years of age who consumed tofu more than twice a day had a worse memory than those who rarely ate it.
But if they also ate tempeh, the risk of dementia was reduced.
"Tempeh consumption very likely offsets tofu's negative associations with memory," Professor Eef Hogervorst of the University of Loughborough said in a seminar on aging and health at UI campus in Depok, where she presented the result of the study.
The study involved 712 respondents from Jakarta, Citengah in West Java and Yogyakarta, with ages ranging from 52 to 99 years. "
Processing Chemical Used in Tofu May Increase Risk of Dementia in the Elderly
"(NaturalNews) Regularly eating high levels of tofu may increase the risk of the memory loss associated with dementia, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, and published in the journal Dementias and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.
Prior research has found that women over the age of 65 who receive hormone therapy may double their risk of dementia. This may occur because estrogen promotes cell growth, which may actually do damage to the aging brain, Hogervorst said. Alternately, high levels of estrogen might enhance the cell-damaging effects of free radicals.
Hogervorst also noted that much of tofu consumed by study participants might have been preserved with formaldehyde, a common practice in Indonesia. Formaldehyde has been strongly linked to various forms of cell damage, and might be responsible for the memory effects observed.
Prior research has found that older Japanese-American men who consumed high levels of tofu are also at an elevated risk for dementia, however.
Researchers investigated the connection between memory loss and diet for 719 elderly urban and rural residents of Java, Indonesia. The found that those who ate tofu at least once per day performed significantly worse on memory tests than those who ate tofu less frequently. The effect was particularly strong among those over the age of 68."
Tofu and Cognitive Function: Food for Thought -- Grodstein et al. 19 (2): 207 -- Journal of the American College of Nutrition
Tofu and cognitive function: food for thought.
Grodstein F, Mayeux R, Stampfer MJ.
J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Apr;19(2):207-9. Review.
PMID: 10763901
In addition, a plausible biologic hypothesis is generally an important part of judging epidemiologic relations. While high tofu intake may lead to lower plasma estrogen levels [12], we do not know how tofu influences estrogen levels in the brain; we also know very little about estrogen effects in men. Furthermore, data have not even consistently indicated that low endogenous estrogen levels are directly related to cognitive function in non-demented subjects [13]. The authors also posit a non-estrogen mediated hypothesis for the effects of tofu, namely that soy inhibits hippocampal tyrosine kinase and may block long-term potentiation (the likely mechanism by which humans learn and remember). Still, considerably more work must be done to substantiate this hypothesis.
Finally, the single measures of outcome used in this study may have limited value, as cognitive function and brain structure change over time. Factors which predict these measures at one point may or may not be the same as those which predict decline over time; fundamentally, the public health interest is in preventing cognitive decline, as the steepness of the decline trajectory likely provides an early marker for risk of the more clinically relevant result—dementia.
Tofu 'may raise risk of dementia' - BBC NEWS | Have Your Say
"Eating high levels of some soy products - including tofu - may raise the risk of memory loss, research suggests.
The study focused on 719 elderly Indonesians living in urban and rural regions of Java. '
The latest study suggests phytoestrogens - in high quantity - may actually heighten the risk of dementia.
Lead researcher Professor Eef Hogervorst said previous research had linked oestrogen therapy to a doubling of dementia risk in the over-65s.
She said oestrogens - and probably phytoestrogens - tended to promote growth among cells, not necessarily a good thing in the ageing brain.
Alternatively, high doses of oestrogens might promote the damage caused to cells by particles known as free radicals.
A third theory is that damage is caused not by the tofu, but by formaldehyde, which is sometimes used in Indonesia as a preservative.
The researchers admit that more research is required to ascertain whether the same effects are found in other ethnic groups.
However, previous research has also linked high tofu consumption to an increased risk of dementia in older Japanese American men.
The researchers found high tofu consumption - at least once a day - was associated with worse memory, particularly among the over-68s. "
High Tofu Intake Is Associated with Worse Memory in Elderly Indonesian Men and Women
High tofu intake is associated with worse memory in elderly Indonesian men and women.
Hogervorst E, Sadjimim T, Yesufu A, Kreager P, Rahardjo TB.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2008;26(1):50-7. Epub 2008 Jun 27.
PMID: 18583909
DOI: 10.1159/000141484
CONCLUSION: The results for tofu consumption as a risk factor for low memory function may tie in with the Honolulu Asia Aging Study data. It is unclear whether these negative associations could be attributed to potential toxins or to its phytoestrogen levels. Estrogen (through which receptors phytoestrogens can exert effects) was found to increase dementia risk in women over 65 years of age. Tempe contains high levels of phytoestrogens, but (due to fermentation) also exhibits high folate levels which may exert protective effects. Future studies should validate these findings and investigate potential mechanisms.
Phosphatidylserine (Phosphatidyl Serine) Normalizes Brain Function; Boosts the Weak Stress Response
"Phosphatidyl Serine (PS) has proven to be a safe and effective therapeutic agent in treating memory deficit disorders and for improving other higher brain functions. Here is the information you need to see how this plant-derived substance can improve the quality of your life."
Vitamin D and cognitive performance in adults: a systematic review. - Eur J Neurol. 2009 Oct;16(10):1083-9. - Wiley InterScience :: Article :: HTML Full Text
Vitamin D and cognitive performance in adults: a systematic review.
Annweiler C, Allali G, Allain P, Bridenbaugh S, Schott AM, Kressig RW, Beauchet O.
Eur J Neurol. 2009 Oct;16(10):1083-9. Epub 2009 Jul 29.
PMID: 19659751
DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02755.x
This systematic review shows that the association between serum 25OHD concentrations and cognitive performance is not yet clearly established. The inconclusive results of the reviewed studies could be due to methodology, types of the cognitive tasks used and/or the cellular mechanisms of vitamin D.
Vitamin D and Memory - Amen Clinics
"One of the surprises over the past year has been all the research regarding Vitamin D and brain health. Give that many people are spending less time outdoors and more time in front of their computers, we all should be concerned, as Vitamin D comes in part from our exposure to the sun.
Low Vitamin D levels have been associated with pain, depression, MS, cancer and now perhaps even dementia. Here are the results of a new study that should cause all of us to pay attention. I frequently check the Vitamin D levels in my patients and frrequently see that they are below the optimal level. Get your levels checked if you have any of these concerns.
A new large-scale senior population study has found that a lack of vitamin D in the elderly could be linked to cognitive impairment.
The study, conducted on almost 2,000 adults over the age of 65, is the first of its scale to identify this relationship, and prompted researchers to suggest vitamin D supplementation as a possible means of reducing the risk of dementia. "
Fat pupils on fish oils make a mental leap - Times Online
"Fatty acids can help children in exams and improve their behaviour in class and at home, a study suggests.
Overweight children who took fatty acid dietary supplements showed dramatic improvements in concentration, reading, memory and mental agility. The advances that their brains made in three months would normally take three years, researchers found."
Don’t Let Firefox Slow Down Things - Firefox Ninjas
When you are working with any window frame on your computer a memory is allocated to it on RAM and when you minimize that window the memory still remains on the RAM. This make your computer a bit slower. It’s the same case with the browser because when you are opening a browser you are actually working on some window.
To avoid this problem Firefox unlike many other browser have a utility for this problem. All you need to do is just type “about:config” in the address bar and hit the enter key. Right-click anywhere on the page and select “boolean” under the “New” menu item. You will see a dialog box, type “config.trim_on_minimize” and set it to true.
This setting let the memory allocated for the browser window to get stored in the hard disk instead of RAM, when it is minimized, thus making your computer main memory inevitable to the minimization of the browser.
You might als
Phospholipase A(2) activation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive enhancement in early-stage Alzheimer disease. - Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009 Jan; (abstract)
Phospholipase A(2) activation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive enhancement in early-stage Alzheimer disease.
Schaeffer EL, Forlenza OV, Gattaz WF.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009 Jan;202(1-3):37-51. Epub 2008 Oct 14.
PMID: 18853146
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-008-1351-0
Phospholipase A(2) activation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive enhancement in early-stage Alzheimer disease. - Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009 Jan (full text)
Phospholipase A(2) activation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive enhancement in early-stage Alzheimer disease.
Schaeffer EL, Forlenza OV, Gattaz WF.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2009 Jan;202(1-3):37-51. Epub 2008 Oct 14.
PMID: 18853146
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-008-1351-0
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