"On the Brain" with Dr. Mike Merzenich, Ph.D. http://merzenich.positscience.com Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:26:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Large Study Underway To Test Posit Science Exercises in People with Schizophrenia http://merzenich.positscience.com/2013/06/large-study-underway-to-test-posit-science-exercises-in-people-with-schizophrenia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=large-study-underway-to-test-posit-science-exercises-in-people-with-schizophrenia http://merzenich.positscience.com/2013/06/large-study-underway-to-test-posit-science-exercises-in-people-with-schizophrenia/#comments Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:24:14 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=289 We are excited to share this video news report about a schizophrenia study we have been working on for the past few years. The e-CAeSAR Study is being conducted in partnership with the Schizophrenia Trials Network at ten top-tier research centers nationwide. The trial tests a unique online cognitive training program (called “PACR”) designed for people with schizophrenia who wish … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2013/06/large-study-underway-to-test-posit-science-exercises-in-people-with-schizophrenia/feed/ 0 Study: Posit Science Brain Training Shows Significant, Lasting Gains in Cognitive Function http://merzenich.positscience.com/2013/05/study-posit-science-brain-training-shows-significant-lasting-gains-in-cognitive-function/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-posit-science-brain-training-shows-significant-lasting-gains-in-cognitive-function http://merzenich.positscience.com/2013/05/study-posit-science-brain-training-shows-significant-lasting-gains-in-cognitive-function/#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 21:05:50 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=281 I woke up in a cheerful mood this morning because yesterday the results of a scientific study were published and they once again demonstrated that very strong benefits can be achieved through only 10 hours of Posit Science brain training. The cognitive benefits were not just seen in the tasks themselves, but in measures of everyday activities. What’s more, the … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2013/05/study-posit-science-brain-training-shows-significant-lasting-gains-in-cognitive-function/feed/ 0 Promising Results in Controlling Tinnitus with Brain Training http://merzenich.positscience.com/2011/04/promising-results-in-controlling-tinnitus-with-brain-training/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=promising-results-in-controlling-tinnitus-with-brain-training http://merzenich.positscience.com/2011/04/promising-results-in-controlling-tinnitus-with-brain-training/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:46:40 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=255 I had the great pleasure of visiting a wonderful research team studying the neurological origins and treatment of tinnitus at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis last week.  About 30 million U.S. citizens have tinnitus.  For about 4 million of them, the tinnitus is identified as “severe” – which means that it is continuously disturbing and intrusive, makes normal … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2011/04/promising-results-in-controlling-tinnitus-with-brain-training/feed/ 6 Lessons from the Hand and Mind Symposium http://merzenich.positscience.com/2010/05/lessons-from-the-hand-and-mind-symposium/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lessons-from-the-hand-and-mind-symposium http://merzenich.positscience.com/2010/05/lessons-from-the-hand-and-mind-symposium/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 20:27:55 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=251 I had the great pleasure of attending a symposium held in the College of Education at my alma mater, the University of Portland, focused on this interesting subject, and the implications that it bears for effective learning and teaching. My co-participants were distinguished professors in linguistics and education science (Ellyn Arwood and Richard Christen), and two wonderful educators working on … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2010/05/lessons-from-the-hand-and-mind-symposium/feed/ 2 Visual training to retain driving competence — and your independence! http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/07/visual-training-to-retain-driving-competence-and-your-independence/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=visual-training-to-retain-driving-competence-and-your-independence http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/07/visual-training-to-retain-driving-competence-and-your-independence/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:00:05 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=250 Today, Posit Science announced the release of a new computer-based visual training tool, DriveSharp, specifically designed to improve the performance abilities of adult automobile drivers to a degree that can be expected to very substantially impact their driving safety. This training employs two very important brain plasticity-based strategies to improve your visual assets that support safe driving. The first is … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/07/visual-training-to-retain-driving-competence-and-your-independence/feed/ 0 The brain plasticity revolution http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/07/the-brain-plasticity-revolution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-brain-plasticity-revolution http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/07/the-brain-plasticity-revolution/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:08:33 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=249 I delivered a lecture at the University of Konstanz in Germany two weeks ago, as a part of the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Heidelberg Akademie. This is one of 7 scientific academies in Germany. Because Germany was created as an amalgamation of powerful states in the 19th Century, its scientific academies originate with and are still identified … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/07/the-brain-plasticity-revolution/feed/ 3 Autism and early oxygen deprivation 2 http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/autism-and-early-oxygen-deprivation-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=autism-and-early-oxygen-deprivation-2 http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/autism-and-early-oxygen-deprivation-2/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:52:58 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=248 I received a wonderful comment about the hypothesis that early umbilical cord clamping might contribute to the risk of origin of autism from a wonderful former colleague, Dr. David Blake, a researcher in the Department of Neurology at the Medical College of Georgia. His observations: Fraternal twins typically have different placentas, whereas identical twins share a placenta but have different … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/autism-and-early-oxygen-deprivation-2/feed/ 9 A Danish delight! Progress in treating cerebral palsy and related movement disorders? http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/a-danish-delight-progress-in-treating-cerebral-palsy-and-related-movement-disorders/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-danish-delight-progress-in-treating-cerebral-palsy-and-related-movement-disorders http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/a-danish-delight-progress-in-treating-cerebral-palsy-and-related-movement-disorders/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:05:29 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=246 I delivered a lecture sponsored by the Danish Neuroscience Society and the Helene Elsass Center (a wonderful new research institution in the suburbs of Copenhagen) that has developed a state-of-the-art research and treatment center focusing on cerebral palsy. I was delighted to sit down with the Center’s Director, Peder Esben Bilde, to review new training software developed by therapists and … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/a-danish-delight-progress-in-treating-cerebral-palsy-and-related-movement-disorders/feed/ 1 Tinnitus. A special example of a failure mode for your plastic brain. http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/tinnitus-a-special-example-of-a-failure-mode-for-your-plastic-brain/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tinnitus-a-special-example-of-a-failure-mode-for-your-plastic-brain http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/tinnitus-a-special-example-of-a-failure-mode-for-your-plastic-brain/#comments Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:27:01 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=239 Millions of individuals (2% of humankind) are plagued by continuous sounds generated in their skulls, not coming from the real world. Because these ringing or roaring sounds are inescapable and because they strongly influence emotional-control processes in the brain, they can literally drive an individual who hears them incessantly just a little bit crazy. No one dies from tinnitus (although … Continue reading →

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]]> http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/tinnitus-a-special-example-of-a-failure-mode-for-your-plastic-brain/feed/ 5 Brain plasticity monitored and induced by magnetic stimulation http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/brain-plasticity-monitored-and-induced-by-magnetic-stimulation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=brain-plasticity-monitored-and-induced-by-magnetic-stimulation http://merzenich.positscience.com/2009/06/brain-plasticity-monitored-and-induced-by-magnetic-stimulation/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:28:26 +0000 Dr. Michael Merzenich http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=241 I had the pleasure of spending a day last week talking with a world authority on brain plasticity issues, Harvard professor Alvaro Pascual-Leone. Dr. Pascual-Leone has employed a special tool in many of his studies, both to document brain change, and to induce it for the benefit of patients. That tool is direct magnetic stimulation of the brain. A very … Continue reading →

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