Almost two million Americans each year suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI’s occur as a result of physical trauma to the brain. The most common symptoms include headaches, memory loss, depression, and/or personality changes. Upon violent impact to the head, a chemical called glutamate accumulates in the brain.
For those with brain injury or mental illness, wouldn’t it be nice to “hear” and “see” what is going inside your body in order to gage progress and plan for improvement? Stress, anxiety, and depression are very complex phenomenon with a basis inside the brain. Biofeedback is essentially a tool that measures how your body reacts to various neurological states.
What if there was a way to treat ADHD without taking a trip to the pharmacy? Believe it or not, this idea is not too farfetched. Many doctors describe exercise as a natural “medication” that can treat ADHD symptoms effectively. While exercise will most likely not replace traditional treatment options, it can be used as a strong compliment. In fact, exercise often affects the same core component as the stimulants do: one’s executive functions. Memory, inhibition, attention, and prioritization are all examples of executive functions.
Since ancient Hindu and Chinese times, meditation has been promoted as a medicine for health and success. But does meditation have any basis in Western science? The answer, based on multiple recent peer-reviewed studies, has been overwhelmingly “yes!”
The brain is vital organ that, like the other organs in the body, depend on nutrients for healthy function and endurance. Those with ADHD are even more dependent on proper nutrients and sleep. Cognition, memory, and mood may all be affected by eating well. More importantly, unhealthy eating and poor sleep can exacerbate ADHD symptoms and make a profound difference in academic success.
According to the most recent studies, experts define ADHD as a developmental disorder affecting proper use of executive functions. One can think of executive functions as the brain’s “command center,” controlling focus, organization, memory, action, and effort. In short, it is the self-management system of the brain that is tasked with operating unconscious decisions in daily life. As a developmental disorder
The dreaded “C-word” is thrown around in everyday life, most notably in sports. However, many can be left unsure if they have a concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Often, there are often no physical signs during a concussion. The most important thing to understand about a concussion is
David K Johnson, PhD and the Department of Defense have teamed up to investigate the healing effects of aerobic exercise on mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI). The researchers are focusing on United States soldiers who have experienced brain injuries from improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, in Iraq and Aphganistan.
A new study suggests there’s some science behind the claims made for mindfulness meditation. The benefits of mindfulness meditation, increasingly popular in recent years, are supposed to be many: reduced stress and risk for various diseases, improved well-being, a rewired brain.
The Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruits, olive oil and whole grains, and moderate in protein and animal fats. The Mediterranean diet has been shown in many studies to be beneficial in reducing the risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke. A new study shows it may also be good for the brain.
