Neoroeconomics conference blogging

FYI on someone blogging from neuroeconomics and innovation conference.

http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/05/neuroeconomics_2.html#comments

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone

Brain Blogging carnival 33

Hope their works. This is a mobile post from my iPhone. Downside is messy URL, but it may be the price for more timely on the go posts.

http://brainblogger.com/2008/05/17/brain-blogging-thirty-third-edition/

Sent from KMcGrew iPhone

DI blogs again on mental timing research

Yet another mental timing (IQ Brain Clock) post from the ever great Developing Intelligence blog. DI appears to be focusing its attention on the temporal processing research of late. The more the merrier.

IAP web page updated--yipppeeeeee

Within the past two weeks I've updated (finally) my IAP (Institute for Applied Psychometrics) web page. It now allows for the dynamic linking of the more static information of the IAP web page with the hot/dynamic information in my two blogs and EWOKS. Check it out. Book mark. Visit it frequently.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, psychometrics, measurement, intelligence, IQ, cognition, IQ Brain Clock, IAP, IQs Corner, EWOK

Interactive Metronome and Autism: OT case study

In response to yesterday's post about the genetics-autism-brain clock link I received an email from an OT that uses the Interactive Metronome treatment. She has reported case studies of IM benefits for a child with autism. You can check out her comments about the clinical effectiveness of the brain-clock based IM intervention (my description) at her blog: OT, Self-Regulation and Autism. I'll be adding her blog to the IQ Brain Clock blogroll.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, autism, Interactive Metronome, IQ Brain Clock, brain clock, mental timing, temporal processing, occuptational therapy

Genetics study links brain clock and autism

This press release was sent to me by a friend of the Brain Clock blog. It is a press release from Corporate Communications and Marketing Athrolys College Road Bangor. The hyperlinks and additional reference information (including link to original research article and other Autism-related timing article) at the end of this post have been added by the Time Doc blogmaster.

Whenever I can find the time, I'll be adding autism to the "Group differences and clinical disorders" branch of the IQ Brain Clock EWOK. The complete list of possible clinical disorders research has suggested may involve aspects of mental timing (although not reflected at the current EWOK) are listed in my 2007 brain clock keynote address PPT show. This working list includes Parkinson's, Huntington's, Schizophrenia, ADHD, reading development and disorders (dyslexia), certain speech and language development related disorders, motor timing disorders, Aspergers, and now Autism.

I'm also soon be adding Dr. Wimpory to the Mental Timing Scholars blogroll of the IQ Brain Clock blog.

Publication date: 7/03/2007

Research by scientists in Wales reported in Molecular Psychiatry (advance online issue 30th Jan 07) has identified that Autistic Disorder is associated with two genes involved in timing and biological clocks: per1 and npas2. Cross species research shows that these two clock genes regulate timing mechanisms that control such things as sleep cycle, memory and communicative timing, a less familiar concept. The work, identifying a link between autism and these clock genes, was led by Dr. Dawn Wimpory, Lecturer-Practitioner/Consultant Clinical Psychologist for Autism, practising with the NWWales NHS Trust and Bangor University. She collaborated with Bangor University colleagues in both the School of Psychology and the North West Cancer Research Fund Institute (NWCRFI), together with Professor Michael J Owen’s team from Cardiff University’s Department of Psychological Medicine.

Dr. Wimpory’s clinical work and observations of the lack of social/communicative timing in Autistic Disorder was complemented by colleague Brad Nicholas of The NWCRFI suggesting that clock genes may be involved. This idea waited many years to be tested but new information from the human genome project, developments in the field of biological clocks and the construction of
autism gene banks has recently allowed the experiment to be carried out.

Autistic Disorder is characterised by three areas of abnormality: impairment in communication (verbal and non-verbal) and reciprocal social interactions together with a markedly restricted repertoire of activities and interests, all in evidence before three years of age. (Autistic Spectrum Disorders or ASDs include milder and more varied related difficulties.) Dr. Wimpory works on the hypothesis that a deficiency in social timing contributes greatly to the difficulties faced by people with Autistic Disorder.

“Timing is quintessential to normal infant development. In Autistic Disorder, malfunction of adaptive timing may lead to a cascade of other developmental problems. In the first few months an unaffected infant can take part in social exchanges, sharing eye contact and babbling in what we’d recognise as ‘natural’ communication patterns. This facility for preverbal communication appears lacking or diminished in Autistic Disorder,” explains Dr. Wimpory.

It is through such preverbal communication that an unaffected infant anticipates and predicts others’ behaviour, progressing to increasingly sophisticated social participation, for example, in teasing exchanges. Mutually enjoyable preverbal teasing games (e.g. ‘peep-bo!’) are timing-dependent. They appear as an early stage in the development of empathy and social pretence. Empathy and pretending are among the life-long difficulties for individuals with Autistic Disorder. These may be developmentally linked to early difficulties in synchronising with the inbuilt rhythms of communication including eye-contact.

The study analyzed genetic markers in 11 clock related genes from 110 individuals with Autistic Disorder and each of their parents (avoiding the more varied ASD subjects and those with additional substantial learning/intellectual impairments often included in autism genetic studies). The results showed that markers in two of the genes, npas2 and per1, had significant association with Autistic Disorder. These two genes had already been identified as regulating complex emotional memory, communicative timing and sleep patterns in the mouse and the fruit fly; organisms that are used by scientists to study the role of clock genes. Problems in sleep, memory and timing are all characteristic of Autistic Disorder; each may play an important role in its development.

“Autism is a disorder of complex inheritance where several interacting genes may be involved. This is the first autism study to identify interacting genes, it is also the first to identify genes that regulate behaviour recognised as affected in autism: timing and memory. It adds further evidence for the role of the biological clock in autism”.

The research was funded by the Baily Thomas Charitable Fund with additional support from Autism Cymru; the researchers now intend to replicate their study with a larger sample.

Time Doc blogmaster comments: I pulled the following two mental timing publications from Dr. Wimpory's web page:

• Nicholas B, Rudrasingham V, Nash, S., Kirov G, Owen MJ, Wimpory, D. (2007). Association of Per1 and Npas2 with Autistic Disorder:Support for the Clock Genes/Social Timing Hypothesis Molecular Psychiatry,12,(6) 581-592 (click here to view)
  

• Wimpory, D., Nicholas, B., Nash, S. (2002). Social Timing, Clock Genes and Autism: A New Hypothesis Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 46,(4) 352-358. (click here to view; note that date is listed incorrectly as 2005 on Dr. Wimpory's web page)
  

Time distortion

The Developing Intelligence blog has a post today regarding the distortion of time perception due to visual flicker.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsycholoy, neuroscience, time perception, brain clock, temporal processing

More on brain fitness buzz

Another article in the New York Times re: the growing brain fitness market/movement.

Technorati Tags: psychology, neuropsychology, neurotechnology, neuroscience, brain fitness

Tic toc brain clock. More on timing and intelligence.

Got it! Tick toc the brain clock. I found a copy of the recent journal article linking rhythmic accuracy and intelligence (that I commented on last week).

If you are a regular reader of the IQ Brain Clock, you can probably guess that this Journal of Neuroscience article by Ullen et al. (2008; abstract below) has me excited! The literature reviewed and results hit on many constructs, hypothesis, ideas, etc. that I've presented at this humble blog re: the potential importance of mental/interval time-keeping (the IQ Brain Clock; temporal processing/g) and general intelligence.

A few sample comments from the authors (and the blogmaster) are featured below:

• Recent studies suggest that temporal discrimination and judgment tasks may correlate higher with g (general intelligence) than classic reaction time (RT) tasks, tasks that have, for decades, been considered the best available measures of the biological correlates of brain efficiency (see new, destined to be classic, book on the RT paradigm in intelligence research by A. Jensen--Clocking the Mind). "Neural factors influencing accuracy of timing may thus be fundamental to intelligence."

• Study limitation. I believe the use of a single measure for general intelligence (The Ravens Progressive Matrices), although a common practice, warrants some degree of caution. Some psychometric researchers equate performance on the RPM, which is a well established measure of fluid reasoning/intelligence (Gf), with g. I've read enough research that suggest that the Gf=g argument is not 100% established. So, IMHO, the current study may suggest a link between rhythmic abilities (and temporal processing) and Gf...not necessarily g. I'd like to see a similar study with a g measure comprised of a wide range of Gf-Gc (CHC) abilities, like that used in Rammsayer's temporal g research (which the current study reinforces).

• It is amazing that a simply isochronous tapping task (subjects listen to 20 auditory metronome clicks and then must continue the same beat, without the metronome, for 45 more beats) correlates with Gf. The authors concluded that "we demonstrate that intelligence is related to millisecond accuracy in isochronous tapping, a simple timing task that does not involve response selection or information processing of the type typically required in the elementary cognitive tasks (Deary, 2001) and in which interval-to-interval variability is primarily controlled by automatic processes."

• Consistent with prior posts and my IQ Brain Clock powerpoint presentations, it is exciting to find that these researchers confirm the importance of the prefrontal lobes. The authors conclude that "tapping variability and intelligence share neural substrates in the prefrontal white substance."

Up to recently I've never been a student or believer in the idea of a general intelligence (g) domain general cognitive mechanism that may underlie most cognitive/intellectual behavior. The convergence of the mental/interval timing, temporal processing, temporal g, etc. research I've tried to illuminate in this blog is making me more of a believer every day.

Tic toc

Abstract

• General intelligence is correlated with the mean and variability of reaction time in elementary cognitive tasks, as well as with performance on temporal judgment and discrimination tasks. This suggests a link between the temporal accuracy of neural activity and intelligence. However, it has remained unclear whether this link reflects top-down mechanisms such as attentional control and cognitive strategies or basic neural properties that influence both abilities. Here, we investigated whether millisecond variability in a simple, automatic timing task, isochronous tapping, correlates with intellectual performance and, using voxel-based morphometry, whether these two tasks share neuroanatomical substrates. Stability of tapping and intelligence were correlated and related to regional volume in overlapping right prefrontal white matter regions. These results suggest a bottom-up explanation of the link between temporal stability and intellectual performance, in which more extensive prefrontal connectivity underlies individual differences in both variables.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, IQ, intelligence, temporal g, temporal processing, IQ Brain Clock, prefrontal lobes

Music, the brain and language: Book review

Musical abilities have been linked to the IQ brain clock (click here for prior posts). Although I've not read the book, there is a published review of a new book on Music, the Brain and Language. I've posted information at my sister blog - IQ's Corner.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropscyhology, neuroscience, language, brain, music, intelligence, IQ

Cerebullum control of mental activities: New model

[double click on image to enlarge]

Thanks to Neurodudes for the post regarding a new/revised theory of how the cerebellum, which we know is intimately involved in timing of motor movements, may be involved in the control of cognition. I love the nice model figure (see above). I'm particularly pleased to see the role of executive functions, working memory, and central attention....neuro-cognitive mechanisms I've blogged about repeatedly as being significantly involved in the IQ Brain Clock, temporal processing (temporal g), and mental time-keeping.

According to Neurodudess, "the great Masao Ito, originator of one of the classic theories of cerebellar function, has published a new theory in the recent issue of Nature Neuroscience regarding how the cerebellum may be involved in control of cognition."

Check out the complete post at Neurodudes. If you feel up to reading the original article, click here.

Encephalon #44 brain blog carnival

The 44th edition of the brain blog carnival Encephalon is now available. Thanks to Mind Hacks.

Cognitive neuroscience of music perception: Special journal issue

The journal of Music Perception just published a special issue devoted to music and neurological disorders. Many facets of musical abilities and performance obviously relate to issues involved in temporal processing and the IQ Brain Clock (click here and here for prior music related posts at the IQ Brain Clock blog and my sister blog, IQ's Corner).

I simply don't have the time to read all the articles in this issue. I've provided a link to the Table of Contents and the editors introductory comments. If anyone would like to read one of the articles (I'd provide a copy via private email) in exchange for making a brief guest blog post, contact the blogmaster at: thetimedoc@earthlink.net

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, music, music perception, intelligence

Rhythm, mental timing and IQ: Another study

Tic tock....the IQ Brain Clock.

Yet another report of a link between the brain clock and intelligence. Science Daily reports on a study by Swedish researchers linking rhythmic accuracy and intelligence. This appears to be very consistent with the major focus of the IQ Brain Clock blog and, in particular, research linking the concept of an internal brain clock (that regulates temporal processing), which in turn may be a major contributor to temporal g (general intelligence). I'm going to try secure a copy of the original research article to review for additional comments.

Stay tunned.



Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, cognition, intelligence, IQ Brain Clock, brain clock, mental time keeping, tempmoral processing, temporal g, IQ, intelligence, rhythm, rhythm perception

Executive functions and intellectual performance

I just read an excellent overview of the literature re: the construct of executive functions (EF). The article (by Ardila) is "in press" in Brain and Cognition (an excellent journal). Although I was not personally interested in the later portion of the articles discussion of the evolutionary basis of executive functions, I found everything prior to that section excellent.

The article provides a nice synthesis of the status of the theoretical and empirical research re: the construct of EF. What continues to excite me is the strong link between the prefrontal cortex (the dorsolateral prefrontal lobes in particular) and EF. My reading of the literature, which I've summarized in two of my PPT slide shows (in particular, see "Brain Clock IM 2007 Keynote" under the On-line PPT Slide section of the right side of this blogs home page), suggests a strong link between temporal processing/mental time-keeping (the IQ Brain Clock) and the dorsolateral prefrtonal cortex. This article is consistent with this finding.

The article also serves to remind those of us who are primarily focused on intelligence/cognitive constructs that EF is involved in two broad human behavior systems. One deals more with cognitive functions and the other more motivational/emotional/affective behaviors. I often tend to forget about the later....and I shouldn't, given that these other functions are related to the self-regulatory learning strategies conative domain I have described in a Model of Achievement Competence and Motivation (MACMM).

Article abstract

• In this paper it is proposed that the prefrontal lobe participates in two closely related but different executive function abilities: (1) ‘‘metacognitive executive functions”: problem solving, planning, concept formation, strategy development and implementation, controlling attention, working memory, and the like; that is, executive functions as they are usually understood in contemporary neuroscience; and (2) ‘‘emotional/ motivational executive functions”: coordinating cognition and emotion/motivation (that is, fulfilling biological needs according to some existing conditions). The first one depends on the dorsolateral prefrontal areas, whereas the second one is associated with orbitofrontal and medial frontal areas. Current tests of executive functions basically tap the first ability (metacognitive). Solving everyday problems (functional application of executive functions), however, mostly requires the second ability (emotional/ motivational); therefore, these tests have limited ecological validity. Contrary to the traditional points of view, recent evidence suggests that the human prefrontal lobe is similar to other primates and hominids. Other primates and hominids may possess the second (emotional executive functions) prefrontal ability,-but not the first (metacognitive executive functions) one. It is argued that metacognitive executive functionsare significantly dependent on culture and cultural instruments. They probably are the result of the development and evolution of some ‘‘conceptualization instruments”; language (and written language as an extension of oral language) may represent the most important one. The second executive function ability (emotional/motivational) probably is the result of a biological evolution shared by other primates.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, intelligence, cognition, IQ, prefrontal cortext, dorsolateral prefrontal lobes, temporal processing, mental time keeping, IQ Brain Clock, conative, self-regulated learning

Brain Blog Carnival Encephalon # 43 is now available

Thanks to the Brain Blogger for the FYI re: the 43rd edition of the brain blog carnival Encephalon.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, Encephalon, brain carnival, blog carnival

Time does not equal money

Another off-task post only tangentially related to the narrow focus of this blog. Again, an article from Science Daily regarding how time is perceived as a resource, particularly when compared to money. Turns out time is not perceived the same as the almighty dollar.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, time perception, money, temporal processing

Animals "stuck in time"

This is a bit off the mark regarding the focus of this blog, but it might make for interesting cocktail chat. Science Daily reports the results of a study with rats that suggest that, contrary to human time perception, they have little idea of the past or the future.


Technorati Tags: IQ Brain Clock, mental time keeping, time perception, rats, past, future

Scientific American Mind IQ Brain Clock article

Another popular press article addressing the importance of the brain and the perception/temporal processing of time...this time in the Feb/March 2008 issue of Scientific American Mind.

The cover of the issue teases the reader with the title "The time machine inside your head." The actual title of the article is "An odd sense of timing" by Pascal Wallisch (currently located as a Postdoctoral Fellow at NYU/CNS).

In general, given the page-length constraints of these popular press type of articles, this is a well-written article. As is the case with most articles that attempt to cut a wide swath in the coverage of a wide and deep field of research and theorization, it has a number of strengths and limitations. The author correctly points out the fact that many questions still remain unanswered regarding the neuro-cognitive mechanisms involved in human temporal processing.

The regular reader of the IQ Brain Clock understands that human time perception covers a broad array of timing behaviors that have been ordered on the order of 10-12 scales of magnitude (click here for prior post). Although not made explicit to the reader, the authors discussion of the precision of timing involved in the brains coordination of motor control/timing is referencing the mental timing system operating at the second and millsecond levels. A quick transition (in the article) is then made to the top end of the end of human timing systems, namely the circadian system that regulates sleep and wake cycles. Potentially lost in this transition is the important understanding that human beings have a wide range of behaviors that are governed by multiple systems of timing, each operating on a different range of time.

On the positive side, the author does touch on some of the key brain areas involved in the processing of time at the second and millisecond levels (the key focus of this blog), temporal processing important to intellectual performance (see prior posts regarding temporal g). Correct mention is made of the importance of the the basal ganglia, striatum, cerebullum, and frontal lobes (the prefrontal cortex/lobes should have received more mention..but I'm probably being a bit picky). The author makes use of two common metaphors used to explain the IQ brain clock, namely, the synchrony involved in the performance of a symphony orchestra (see "Brain Clock IM 2007 Keynote" PPT slides, located on the right side of the home blog page, for the use of this analogy in some of my attempts to explain mental timing) and the "beat of a metronome" to represent the "salvo of nerve cell impulses in the brain" that are "counted" by the brain to represent time.

A significant portion of the article, and probably the material of most popular interest, is the coverage of the subjective perception of time. That is, why, under different circumstances, does time seem to "fly" while in other circumstances time seems to "stand still." Readers who want more information should check check out a prior post re: temporal awareness.

Bottom line - I'm pleased to see the increased recognition of the internal brain clock in more mainstream media. Understanding human temporal processing, IMHO, has the potential to help us better understand a range of important intellectual behaviors and, more importantly, has the potential to produce neuro-cognitive based IQ Brain Clock "fine tunning" interventions that may improve intellectual and academic performance.




Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, IQ Brain Clock, brain clock, mental clock, mental timing, interval timing, circadian, basal ganglia, striatum, frontal lobes, prefrontal cortex, metronome, temporal awareness, Scientific American Mind

State of the brain fitness software revolution

Brain fitness. Clearly a hot buzz phrase the past few years. What does it mean? What is happening? Where is it headed? Should I purchase some of the advertised software/technology to keep my mind fresh and protected from the influence of aging? Curious minds want to know...and Sharp Brains has provided the most comprehensive synthesis of the brain fitness software field to date.

As mentioned previously, Sharp Brains recently published "State of the Brain Fitness Software Market 2008." Before proceeding I need to mention that, IMHO, the Sharp Brains organization is the leading critical voice in the field of brain fitness. I've often called them the Ralph Nader of brain fitness. Thus, I believe their first "state of the market" report should receive serious attention by anyone interested in this emerging field. It is my understanding that a similar hardware report is in development. I can't wait!

It is not possible to summarize the information packed 87-paged report in a blog post, so I'll only provide a few tidbits.

First, as stated at the Sharp Brain web page:

• The report tracks developments at over 20 public and private companies offering tools to assess and train brain functions and provides important industry data, insights and analysis to help investors, executives, entrepreneurs, and policy makers navigate the opportunities and risks of this rapidly growing market. The report discusses the implications of cognitive science on healthy aging and a number of disorders such as attention deficits, dyslexia, stroke and traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, autism, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease. The report also provides information and frameworks to help institutional buyers make informed purchase decisions about brain fitness programs.

A few (select) highlights:

• Revenues for the US brain fitness software market was estimated to reach $225 million in revenues in 2007...reflecting a large increase from $100 million in 2005. Clearly the brain fitness movement has reached and passed the tipping point.
• Considerable confusion exists in the market. Many products and claims proliferate, but, according to Sharp Brains, only five programs have demonstrated positive cognitive effects in tightly controlled research studies (e.g., studies that use randomized controlled trials). Readers are encouraged to visit the Sharp Brains web page and blog for objective evaluations of new and emerging brain fitness product claims.
  
• The consumer brain fitness market showed significant gains from 2005 to 2007 (from a few million in 2005 to $80 million). Consumers should expect an increasing array of products directly targeted at the end-user consumer. Expect a number of new software and technology start up companies to join the bandwagon this year.
  
• Nintendo's Brain Age and training games are credited as being one of the major forces in the increased interest in brain fitness.
• There are four primary customer segments: consumers, healthcare & insurance providers, K12 school systems, and fortune 1000 companies, military,and sports teams.
• Does any of this glitzy stuff work? It depends. As is the case with most cognitive or educational interventions, short-term (proximal) improvement (measured in weeks) is often demonstrated. However, the evidence for long-term (distal) improvement and maintenance is minimal to none, and consists largely of circumstantial evidence. Long-term improvement due to cognitive-based interventions has been one of the more elusive searches for the holy grail in the area of intelligence.
  

I could go on, and on, and on. If you are interested in capturing an accurate picture of the state of the brain software research and market there is only one option...purchase their report. The report is organized into seven chapters:

• Why now? Market Overview
• The Science of Brain Fitness: Neuroplasticity, Neurogenisis and the Cognitive Reserve
• Consumers--Taking Charge of Their Brain Health
• Healthcare and Insurance Providers--Focus on Preventive Health
• K12 School Systems--Responding to Learning Disabilities in New Ways
• Fortune 1000 Companies, Military and Sports Teams--Improving Productivity
• Future Directions: Market trends 2007-20015.

Other brain-related blogs have commented on this report. For example, check out the Brain Injury News and Information Blog.

Finally, given that I'm an educational psychologist who has consulted on a research project (using randomized control and treatment groups) that demonstrated short-term (proximal) positive academic effects for the Interactive Metronome technology (click here for more information and here for conflict of interest disclosure), I was most interested in the conclusion that the K-12 educational market "remains largely untapped due to limited research linking cognitive training to academic performance." I hope this changes. I predict that there will be increased interest in the application of brain fitness software and hardware in the K-12 school-age market, most likely driven first by parents purchasing products in hopes of improving the educational performance of their children.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neurotechnology, brain fitness, Sharp Brains, software, intelligence, IQ, Interactive Metronome

Brain Blog Carnival Encephalon #41

Thanks to Mind Hacks for the FYI re: the 41st edition of the brain blog carnival Encephalon.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, Encephalon, brain carnival, blog carnival

More on speech and the IQ brain clock

Yet another research article [Peter & Stoel-Gammon (2008). Central timing deficits in subtypes of primary speech disorders. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, March 2008; 22(3): 171–198] indicating the importance of mental timing and speech (click here for prior related posts), in this case CAS (childhood apraxia of speech). According to the journal authors, this subtype of speech disorder is somewhat controversial in clinical practice. It is defined as "a motor speech disorder that specifically interferes with motor planning and/or programming, resulting in moderate to severe deficits in speech intelligibility."

The authors conclude that "this study is consistent with the presence of a central timing deficit in children with speechdisorders, expressed across modalities (oral, hand) and across types of timing measures (greater rhythmic structure, small-scale durational accuracy), affecting children with fewer
apraxic characteristics to a lesser extent."

Caveat....this is small sample size study (11 clinical subjects and 11 matched controls) that needs replication in additional samples.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, education, neuropsychology, neuroscience, speech, language, apraxia, mental timing, brain clock, IQ Brain Clock, temporal processing

Brain fitness is hot industry

Thanks to Sharp Brains (again) for pointing this blog to a Reuters news article on the continuated expansion/explosion of the brain fitness industry. According to Alvarado over at SB, this is one of the better news articles on the brain fitness industry.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, neurotechnology, brain fitness, Sharp Brains, IQ Brain Clock

Brain Blogging # 29 brain carnival

The 29th edition of the Brain Blogging brain carnival is now up. Thanks GNIF.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, Brain Blogging, GNIF

Out of Sync and Synchronized Brains

Interesting FYI post at the Eide Neurolearning Blog re: the "Out of Sync Brain." Readers of the IQ Brain Clock will notice a similarity to my hypotheses re: the importance of mental/interval timing in synchronizing various parts/networks of the brain for effective cognitive performance (check out my IQ Keynote address PPT show from this past year)


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, brain, synchrony, mental timing, interval timing, brain clock, IQ Brain Clock, mental time-keeping

Highlights of Sharp Brains brain fitness software report

More on the Sharp Brains first report on the status of the brain fitness software market...a list of highlights over at the Brain Injury News and Information Blog.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, aging, neuropsychology, neuroscience, brain fitness, neurotechnology, Sharp Brains

Music helps with stroke recovery

Interesting post at the BPS Research Digest re: study suggesting that listening to music may help people recover better from strokes.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, nueropsychology, neuroscience, brain injury, stroke, rehabilitation, music therapy

State of the Brain Fitness Software Market - Sharp Brains 2008 report.

As I've mentioned previously, and also at IQ's Corner (click here), the Raph Nader of the emerging field of brain fitness software is Sharp Brains. I love their blog so much that I provide a feed of all their topic posts on the right-hand side of my IQ Brain Clock blog.

Sharp Brains just released their first "State of the Brain Fitness Software Market 2008" report. I would love to read it, but @ $495 the price is too step for me.

Kudos to the folks at Sharp Brains.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, neurotechnology, brain fitness, Sharp Brains

Time to think. When to think. Our 24 hour clock

[Double click on image to enlarge]

When do you think the best...and why? I started skimming the article below and quickly realized that it was more than I wanted to know about the circadian pacemaker. Maybe I was trying to read it at a time when my cognitive processes where not functioning at their optimal level (due to my circadian clock).

As noted in prior posts, research has suggested that human beings have multiple timing systems that are active over more than 10 orders of magnitude. At the top is the 24 hour circadian pacemaker/oscillator system, a level far removed from the focus of IQ's Brain Clock on interval and milisecond timing systems. However, the title of this article grabbed my attention...which quickly wanned....zzzzzzzzzzzzz....I need a nap (this is not a reflection on the scholarly merits of the article...just my capacity to sustain interest, arousal, motivation, etc. to read the digest it.)

However, I did find a very nice conceptual figure (and I love conceptual model figures) the authors used to organize their literature review re: cognitive functions impacted by our circadian rhythms. The figure is above (double click to enlarge).

I decided to make this article available to readers in hopes that someone may take the time to read it and summarize it in layman's terms. If anyone would like to make a guest post re: this article, let me know via the "comment" feature. Maybe my fellow blogger at "A blog around the clock" might eventually post something regarding this article (if he has not already).

• Schmidt, C. & Collette, F. (2007). A time to think: Circadian rhythms in human cognition. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 2007, 24(7),755–789 (click here)

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, circadian, brain clock, interval timing, sleep, cognitive performance

Brain fintess: Posit Science Brain Fitness Impact study video

I just ran across a video on You Tube reporting on the Posit Science Brain Fitness Impact study with adults 65+ years of age. Check it out. The brain fitness movement continues to accelerate.



Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, brain fitness, aging, Posit Science, IMPACT study, neurotechnology