Written by Dr. Sheila Clonan
September 27, 2015 @ 9:30 am

Recent neurological studies have given us greater insight into brain plasticity, or the brain’s ability to adapt or change in response to experience.  This is the science behind such popular brain exercise apps like LumosityTM and CognifitTM that aim to re-train the brain by making new connections in neural circuits.  The idea is that by engaging in intensive and repetitive exercises that are tailored for specific goals, skills like memory, cognitive processing, and attention can be improved.  The jury may still be out on the effectiveness of some of these self-administered apps, but there is good research and evidence that brain plasticity is real. There is also substantial evidence that working memory, the part of the brain function that is key in handling processing, can be definitively improved through intensive intervention.  This is good news for all, but especially for children who are struggling in school as a result of a learning disability that may have a direct connection to working memory.  Such learning disabilities among children include ADHD, Dyslexia, Auditory Processing Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders.   

Written by Sheila Clonan
July 26, 2015 at 12:41 pm