1. BRAIN TRAINING Workshop 81

2. 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 BrainHQ
• Demonstration

3. Workshop 8: Learning Objectives
Explain how brain stimulation increases the plasticity of the brain
List the benefits of brain training
Describe how BrainHQ 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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?

7. 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 7

8. 6 Core trends affecting the brain with ageing
Brightness: Tired thinking and acting
Speed: Slower processing
Accuracy: Missing the details
Recognition: Poorer understanding
Clarity: Interference from a noisy world
Recording: Poorer ability to control learning, or ‘rise to the occasion’ 8

9. Why Brain Train?
As well as improving plasticity brain training has shown improvements in…
More Focus
Navigation
Memory
Brain Speed
Better Mood
People Skills
Attention
Intelligence
Safer Driving

10. 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) 10

11. How can we stimulate the brain????

12. 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

13. Ways to stimulate the brain
Sudoku
Games
Table Tennis
Write
Crossword
Read 13

14. Ways to stimulate the brain cont ……
Converse with Neighbours
Theatre
Talk to yourself
Break Routine
Lectures
New Routes
Ways to stimulate the brain cont …… 14

15. Other ways to stimulate the brain
Try New Things
Cook new recipes
Listen to new/different music
New Smells 15

16. ACTIVITY
Can you think of any other activities that may be helpful for you or others to maintain brain health and plasticity?

17. Meditation
The right and the left side of the brain are responsible for very different functions

18. Brain Training - BrainHQ

19. BrainHQ
BrainHQ is a brain-​training system built and tested by an international team of top neuroscientists and other brain experts
BrainHQ is proven to work—dozens of published papers, which show real benefits from using the exercises
Cytoplan is utilising this brain training programme 19

20. Research Processing Speed
                                                                                                                                                      
The IMPACT Study- Training with BrainHQ increased auditory processing speed by 135%. For people in their 60s and 70s, this change meant they could process speech at the same rate as an average 30-something. People in the “control” group watched educational videos instead of using BrainHQ, and did not significantly improve.
Published Research on BrainHQ and Processing Speed
Perhaps the most important goal of BrainHQ training is to speed up your brain’s processing. That’s because quick, accurate processing of information that comes in
Research
Processing Speed
An average increase in auditory processing speed of 135% and doubling in visual processing speed (measurement of brain age)
Attention
Significant changes in brain behaviour in ways that improve selective visual attention - eg ignoring distracting images
Memory
An average improvement of 10 years in memory
Everyday Cognition
People feel more capable in daily activities 20

21. Research Vision and Hearing
                                                                                                                                                      
The IMPACT Study- Training with BrainHQ increased auditory processing speed by 135%. For people in their 60s and 70s, this change meant they could process speech at the same rate as an average 30-something. People in the “control” group watched educational videos instead of using BrainHQ, and did not significantly improve.
Published Research on BrainHQ and Processing Speed
Perhaps the most important goal of BrainHQ training is to speed up your brain’s processing. That’s because quick, accurate processing of information that comes in
Research
Vision and Hearing
Improvement in the ability to hear in noisy or crowded places.
Mood and control
Felt more confident and greater control over their lives
Physical brain change
Increase in white matter of the brain and neural response to speech
Safer Driving
38% fewer dangerous driving manoeuvres 21

22. Research Health Balance and Fall Risk Increase in self-rated health
                                                                                                                                                      
The IMPACT Study- Training with BrainHQ increased auditory processing speed by 135%. For people in their 60s and 70s, this change meant they could process speech at the same rate as an average 30-something. People in the “control” group watched educational videos instead of using BrainHQ, and did not significantly improve.
Published Research on BrainHQ and Processing Speed
Perhaps the most important goal of BrainHQ training is to speed up your brain’s processing. That’s because quick, accurate processing of information that comes in
Research
Health
Increase in self-rated health
Balance and Fall Risk
Using a set of BrainHQ exercises for 20–30 hours resulted in significantly higher scores on measures of balance and gait 22

23. Attention - Exercises 23

24. BrainHQ Exercises 29 brain training exercises focusing on: Attention
Brain speed
Memory
People skills
Intelligence
Navigation 24

25. Demo – Double Decision, Visual Sweeps, Scene Crasher
ACTIVE_Study&gclid=CO7DmeLB6c8CFUUq0wodQTUBbQ

26. How to access BrainHQ 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 26

27. 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

28. Homestudy Module Week 8 Well Done! Keep self care planning
Follow the Programme .

29. Feedback questionnaires
Feedback is welcome – please complete now and hand-in on your way out.
Thank you !