BRAIN TRAINING Workshop 8 Content of Workshop Recap

BRAIN TRAINING Workshop 8

Content of Workshop • Recap workshop 7 and Self Care Journey • Brain training, its importance and benefits • Specific brain training exercises & activities • Research that supports brain training • An introduction to Brain. HQ • Demonstration Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Workshop 8: Learning Objectives • Explain how brain stimulation increases the plasticity of the brain • List the benefits of brain training • Describe how Brain. HQ can be used to train the brain • Explain how research continues to show the importance of brain training in maintaining cognitive function • Identify which exercises and activities specifically improve brain function • Implement brain training exercises and activities to help improve cognitive response Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Recap of Workshop 7 • Why physical activity improves cognitive function • Information on gyms/home exercise/group & club exercise, equipment and exercise monitors • 6 steps to help you stay motivated Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

In a Nutshell • Regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 50% • Exercise stimulates the brain’s ability to maintain old connections as well as make new ones • It’s never too late to start! Remember Olga Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Self Care Journey Home Study • How did you get on? • How did you find using the self coaching questions? • What progress are you making with your Self Care Plans? Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Brain plasticity……. • The ability of the brain, at any age to adapt and change (for better or worse) • The brain’s lifelong capacity for physical and functional change Brain training has been shown: • To increase the plasticity of the brain • By challenging and stretching the brain new connections are created and maintained Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Recording: Poorer ability to control learning, or ‘rise to the occasion’ Brightness: Tired thinking and acting Speed: Slower processing 6 Core trends affecting the brain with ageing Clarity: Interference from a noisy world Accuracy: Missing the details Recognition: Poorer understanding Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Why Brain Train? As well as improving plasticity brain training has shown improvements in… More Focus Navigation Memory Brain Speed Better Mood Attention People Skills Intelligence Safer Driving Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Research - Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s • Cognitive Training (CT) has shown promise in the treatment of AD, helping learning, memory, executive functioning, activities of daily living, general cognitive problems, depression, and self-rated general functioning (Sitzer et al 2006) • “There is some evidence that the ageing brain is malleable and that cognitive function can be facilitated through cognitive training or engagement in demanding tasks that provide a sustained cognitive challenge” (Park, 2013) • Results indicate that memory training can result in significant neural changes that are measurable with brain imaging. They also show that the brains of people with mild cognitive impairment remain highly plastic (Beville et al, 2011) Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

How can we stimulate the brain? ? Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Vagus Nerve Stimulation • Gargling – several times per day. This activates muscles at the back of the throat which stimulate the vagus nerve and gastrointestinal tract • Singing loudly – again this activates muscles at the back of the throat which activate the vagus nerve • Gagging – activate your gag reflex when you brush your teeth. Place the toothbrush towards the back of your tongue and press down. Careful not to jab the toothbrush against the back of your throat 12 Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Ways to stimulate the brain Table Tennis Read Games Crossword Sudoku Write Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Ways to stimulate the brain cont …… Break Routine Theatre Talk to yourself Converse with Neighbours New Routes Lectures Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Other ways to stimulate the brain Cook new recipes Try New Things Listen to new/different music New Smells Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

ACTIVITY Can you think of any other activities that may be helpful for you or others to maintain brain health and plasticity? Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Meditation The right and the left side of the brain are responsible for very different functions Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Brain Training - Brain. HQ Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Brain. HQ • Brain. HQ is a brain-training system built and tested by an international team of top neuroscientists and other brain experts • Brain. HQ is proven to work—dozens of published papers, which show real benefits from using the exercises • Cytoplan is utilising this brain training programme Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Research The IMPACT Study- Training with Brain. HQ increased auditory processing speed by 135%. For people in their 60 s and 70 s, this change meant they could process speech at the same rate as an average 30 -something. People in the “control” gr Processing Speed Published Research on Brain. HQ and Processing Speed An average increase in auditory processing speed of 135% and doubling in visual processing speed (measurement of brain age) Perhaps the most important goal of Brain. HQ training is to speed up your brain’s processing. That’s because quick, accurate processing of information that comes in Memory An average improvement of 10 years in memory Attention Significant changes in brain behaviour in ways that improve selective visual attention - eg ignoring distracting images Everyday Cognition People feel more capable in daily activities Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Research The IMPACT Study- Training with Brain. HQ increased auditory processing speed by 135%. For people in their 60 s and 70 s, this change meant they could process speech at the same rate as an average 30 -something. People in the “control” gr Published Research. Vision on Brain. HQ and Processing Speed and Hearing Perhaps the most important goal of Brain. HQ training is to speed up your brain’s processing. That’s because quick, accurate processing of information that comes in Improvement in the ability to hear in noisy or crowded places. Physical brain change Increase in white matter of the brain and neural response to speech Mood and control Felt more confident and greater control over their lives Safer Driving 38% fewer dangerous driving manoeuvres Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Research The IMPACT Study- Training with Brain. HQ increased auditory processing speed by 135%. For people in their 60 s and 70 s, this change meant they could process speech at the same rate as an average 30 -something. People in the “control” gr Published. Health Research on Brain. HQ and Processing Speed Balance and Fall Risk Using a set of Brain. HQ exercises for 20– 30 hours resulted in significantly higher scores on measures of balance and gait Perhaps the most important goal of Brain. HQ training is to speed up your brain’s processing. That’s because quick, accurate processing of information that comes in Increase in self-rated health Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Attention - Exercises Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Brain. HQ Exercises 29 brain training exercises focusing on: • Attention • Brain speed • Memory • People skills • Intelligence • Navigation Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Demo – Double Decision, Visual Sweeps, Scene Crasher http: //www. brainhq. com/active-study-results? lead_id=google-search-text-custom. ACTIVE_Study&gclid=CO 7 Dme. LB 6 c 8 CFUUq 0 wod. QTUBb. Q http: //www. brainhq. com/welcome#train/brain_speed/1/0/0 http: //www. brainhq. com/welcome#train/memory/9/0/0 Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

How to access Brain. HQ • Go to www. brainhq. com • Click subscribe • Sign up for £ 9 per month or £ 66 per year *currently on offer • You will be sent daily and weekly tasks/ targets • It will track performance and set appropriate exercises based on performance Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Summary of today • Brain training, its importance and benefits • Ways to stimulate the brain • Research that supports brain training • Specific brain training exercises & activities • Practical exercise or demonstration Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Homestudy Module Week 8 • Well Done! • Keep self care planning Follow the Programme Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan

Feedback questionnaires • Feedback is welcome – please complete now and hand-in on your way out. • Thank you ! Action Against Alzheimer’s Programme © Cytoplan