Brain Fog Got You Down?

The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) is usually the culprit when you feel that brain fog. That feeling of just being ‘bogged-down’ and no clarity. It can be devastating! It slows you down at work and in school, not being able to access the information you know that you know! It might be your medication, lack of good quality sleep or even general overwhelm from stress and anxiety. But the good news is there are ways of lifting that fog, understanding how the brain learns and then ‘retraining’ the brain to be more efficient and effective.

There are many different skills within the PFC and general exercises are awesome, however, the more specific we can get to the actual issue the more applicable or effective the exercises are.

Complete our PFC questionnaire then we will know better whether the issues are in: * decision speed
* focused/flexible attention
* pragmatics of language
* problem solving/critical thinking
* reasoning /deduction
* syntax of the language
* timing/rhythm.

Once we know this information, (plus specific ages), we can pinpoint specialized activities you may want to consider doing. These activities are meant to be ‘fractionated’ or completed in a consistent pattern to make the biggest impact on the learning process of the brain.

Here are a few general iPad activities:

* Decision Speed: Impulse Control, Reactionerd, Speed
* Flexible/Focused attn: Count25, Focus, Fit Brains
* Pragmatics: Between the Lines
* Problem Solving: Mastermind, Figure Analogies, B-Line
* Reasoning /Deduction: Have a Guess, 11+ NonVerbal Reasoning, Brain Trainer
* Syntax of Language: Conundra, Right Word, Words (FitBrains)
* PFC Timing: Dynamo, BeatLeap,

These are just a few but I have hundreds of specialized activities in my eBook series. Starting with our PFC eBook.

http://cognitive-connections.com/index.php/brain-shop/product/6-thinking-with-your-brain-in-mind-ebook

We can also look at other cognitive areas as well as the PFC, just in case some of the concerns are more based in the Temporal lobes, Parietal lobes, Occipital, Basal Ganglia, Cingulate or Limbic areas. If you are interested in a comprehensive look at your unique needs use this link and take our 400q Questionnaire and this will tell us enough information that we can send you a more comprehensive plan of cognitive exercises your brain needs. http://cognitive-connections.com/400Q/400Q.htm

If you should want to discuss personal concerns directly please fill out the contact info on my website and I will get right back to you. http://www.cognitive-connections.com

Loads of BRAIN energy to each of you!
Dr. Lise’

“Batter Up…Player Down”

Awww… so cute and soft and cuddly! At what point is it we look at this sweet innocent little face and ask this little man or sweet little girl, to entertain us by running as fast as they can bumping, banging, pushing or falling into another person, and then encouraging them to chase a ball.

Here’s a game…a game of risk, a game of challenge. How about 10,000 children run all over a field and it is promised that each of you at some point (and you never know when) will get your head clobbered…could be hard enough to ‘ring your bell’, maybe hard enough to be carried out on a stretcher but either way it will happen and probably many times. But the reward is that 6 out of the 10,000 on the field will have a shot at playing with other Pro’s; 7 figure income, huge homes, and nice clothes. Oh, and more than likely it will leave lasting behavioral changes; inappropriate responses to people, easily angered, more likely to take risks, can’t think things through, depressed, and possibly can’t keep a job because you may not be able to think ahead or remember details.

The clincher is, as a society we are encouraging our babies to grow to be aggressive, competitive sports players on the .06% chance that they may succeed into a Pro athlete. The other 9,994 people that tried as hard as they could now are failing school, because they are inattentive (that happens with ‘head bonks’) and are acting out in class, even being mean (they just saw their Mom fighting with another parent at their game last night! Oh by the way, the practice for these games, for an 11 year old is from 6:30-9:00 pm every Tuesday & Thursday night, meaning interrupted sleep which leads to less Prefrontal Cortex access. Every weekend games and very little down time to relax much less do their homework. So they are growing up in a very fast paced, anxiety-driven, competitive life. It is no wonder our children are the most medicated group of Americans, for anxiety and focus.

Did you know 1.3 million children sustained injuries bad enough to land them in the hospital last year and all under the guise of playing a ‘game’. It was also documented that 1 child every 3 minutes was seen for a sports-related concussion! The group ‘Safe Kids Worldwide’ reported that 1 in 5 kids that go to ER are going for a Sports related injury. *http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/06/injuries-athletes-kids-sports/2612429/

This report also stated
* Football resulted in both the highest number of all pediatric injuries (394,350) and the highest concussion rate (40 per 10,000 athletes). Wrestling and cheer-leading had the second- and third-highest concussion rates (15 per 10,000 athletes and 12 per 10,000 athletes, respectively).

* Ice hockey had the highest percentage (31%) of concussion injuries; its rate was 10 per 10,000 athletes.

* The most common injuries were to the ankle (15%), followed by head (14%) finger (12%), knee (9%) and face (7%).

I can understand the ‘draw’ to competition and the need to ‘live on’ through your child, I have two children myself, and got caught up in the social aspect of travel soccer. But now we are in an age of knowledge, it seems parents might reconsider ‘forfeiting’ their child’s school performance and future for a chance at playing a Sport now. It is well known exercise in important and vital to growth, however, competitive, aggressive contact sports are unnecessary for any human development. As Beth Silverberg states in this video, we are creating new gladiators, and all for our entertainment. http://youtu.be/TYhvWmyUrts

What gift do you really want to give your child to live with as an adult?

Auditory Processing- Remediation of Auditory Sequential Memory

At Cognitive Connections, we find many people have concerns with listening skills. Did you know most men start to lose their ability to discriminate the tiniest sounds (phonemes) in a word around 25 years old. Whereas, women start to lose this ability during peri-menopause, when they no longer need to distinguish between their babies cries.

We have found that using EEG Neurofeedback (and for us, specifically NeurOptimal ) will allow the body to be as relaxed as possible while allowing the brain to be as focused as it can be. This sets a platform for learning new information. When the brain is unable to learn this information on its own, a remediation process can help with learning. We use games, table-top activities, songs and rhythm to create a new learning environment so the brain can make this new connection.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a condition in the brain that happens when the brain is unable to decipher the auditory information the ears actually hear. This interpretation of auditory information can have a ‘break-down’ from what the ears hear and what the brain perceives. This means the ‘mechanisms for hearing’ may work fine, but the brain misinterprets the signals. The remediation process can consist of FUN games that will assist in helping that brain process this information in a different way for comprehension and performance. We focus on four basic areas of Central Auditory Processing; Auditory Discrimination, Auditory Association, Auditory Reception and as you will learn more about today, Auditory Sequential Memory. I will suggest a few ‘remediation’ games should you decide this is a problem in your life.

Auditory Sequential Memory: the number of random digits an individual can recall from working memory. The longer the series of numbers the stronger the ‘rote memory’ that brain can hear and retain. Therefore, this is the area that makes someone appear smart, or sadly, appear as if they know very little about a topic. It either allows you to memorize a great deal of information (to pass tests) or it inhibits someone from storing this information in short term memory for recall. This is important because we need to ‘hold’ information in our working memory so we can postulate, deduce, and reason with the information before making a decision about it. All of our ‘story problems’ require a healthy working memory to be able to solve math problems.

A typical adult has a 7-10 digit Auditory Sequential Memory, most children have attained this by age of 10-12 years old. If you think you or your child’s Sequential Memory needs assistance you might want to try some of the following games. They can all be found online and purchased relatively inexpensively, some may even be found used on E-bay. Of course, most of us were raised with family games that increased this ability, such as; “I am going on a picnic and I am going to take…” (then you must remember each person’s item and add to the list), or perhaps the handheld game of ‘Simon’.

Games for increasing Auditory Sequential Memory

Brain Fitness Pro /Jr. by Mind Sparke
Earobics
Soundsmart
Sequencing in a Flash
Brain Builder

There are many other Web-based, Board, Card, Hand-held, iPad and Android games that will ‘exercise’ the brain in a way that will increase the number of digits a brain can retain. For an individualized Cognitive Plan for yourself for Peak Performance or for your child, please contact http://www.Cognitive-Connections.com or 317-888-7420.

Cognitive Connections Gains a New Member of our Team

Our new ‘Emotional Support Dog’, Fergie was found in the American Maltese Rescue Center in LA. Fergie, a 7 year old, 5 pound, deaf dog was chosen to join our team to provide an non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical method of promoting Oxytocin release. It has been shown through brain imaging studies that oxytocin reduces the activity of brain regions that produce anxiety. But there’s more…much much more…

Paul J. Zak, the author of The Moral Molecule, states “the first important finding is that 98% of the hundreds of people I have tested release oxytocin properly when they are trusted.”

He goes on to say “the human oxytocin system motivates a desire to interact with others, and those whose brains release a spike of oxytocin reciprocate the trust they have been shown.”

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-moral-molecule/200811/the-oxytocin-cure

A dog has such a trusting nature and only gives unconditional love that petting a dog releases oxytocin in both the dog and the human.

Research by Kerstin Uvnas-Moberg, an M.D. and Ph.D. at Uppsala University in Sweden, pioneered a study of oxytocin and its social bonding and anti-stress effects. Dr. Uvnas-Moberg’s findings suggests high levels of oxytocin, naturally occurring during breastfeeding, were linked to a mother’s increased sense of calm and desire to make social connection. She performed an experiment that showed that stroking rats 40 times a minute for 5 minutes reduced lab rats’ stress chemistry, increased their pain tolerance, and calmed them so deeply, some feel asleep.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/made-each-other/201005/dog-good

We have found holding our little Fergie, while doing EEG Neurofeedback and Biofeedback sessions, creates a profound sense of calm and a reduction in anxiety. While I understand some people may have an aversion to dogs, I believe for the majority of us, we will respond with a happier attitude as we get our Oxytocin boost through petting our little emotional support dog, Fergie.

What did You Feed Your Brain this Season?

In this season of self-absorption’ we find many people are using this time as an excuse to feed their addictions. ‘Sugar’ is found everywhere this time of year and most of us feel as if it is expected to partake in this device.

Sugar leads to a release of dopamine in an area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens – a section associated with motivation, novelty, and reward. Researchers have found this is the same brain region associated in response to cocaine and or heroin use.

“So, what?”

“Research studies have linked excess sugar consumption to dangerous levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad type!), increased plaque deposits in the arteries, and breast and colon cancers. High fructose corn syrup – that insidious ingredient found in many salad dressings, ketchup, coffee creamers etc., has been linked to increased heart disease and stroke. There is evidence that some cancer tumors have insulin receptors that feed on glucose” says, Melanie A. Greenberg, Ph.D. in The Mindful Self-Express.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201302/why-our-brains-love-sugar-and-why-our-bodies-dont

It isn’t just a weight gain! Another not so sweet effect is that it has been shown that an over-consumption of sugar is linked to the aging process!!!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305204328.htm

More than that…sugar has also been linked to depression, learning disorders and memory concerns, says David DiSalvo, of Forbes.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/04/01/what-eating-too-much-sugar-does-to-your-brain/

It is said the average person consumes up to 156 pounds of sugar PER YEAR! (reports the USDA, United States Department of Agriculture) It isn’t just that we eat or drink 31.2 – 5 pound bags of sugar…but that sugar is ‘hidden’ in everything that we eat! When we purchase food in a restaurant chances are even the chicken that has water added to it also has sugar and salt added to it. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) have found 27.5 teaspoons per day are ‘added’ to our food intake, which equates to 1/4 of our daily (2000 calorie) food intake! It is no wonder we can’t understand how or why we are gaining weight. But it isn’t just weight gain that sugar creates…

A diet high in sugar also limits our brains’ ability to form new memories, and learn new information, aiding in the age related diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer’s. But that’s not all…oh no that’s not all! The brain can get ‘over-wrought’ and literally ‘burned-out’ by over-dosing on sugar. As this occurs the brain’s ability to use the chemical ‘oxytocin’ (which should signal a persons ‘feeling’ of being satisfied) is reduced and the person continues to eat more and more because they do not feel ‘finished’ or satisfied. Hence, eating more sugar, and perpetuating a cycle of increased glucose, resulting in other health issues such as Diabetes.

So, as we ‘choose’ what gifts we want our children to have as adults, it is imperative we LOVE them, by not ‘gifting’ them with a sugar addiction, or a brain chemistry that supports addictions but instead by educating them on how and what to feed themselves to maintain a healthy mental control of their bodies and brains!

With this thought in mind, I wish all of you a VERY happy and HEALTHY New Year!

Dr Lise’

Thinking with Your Brain in Mind; Flexible and Focused Attention…

Hi Friends,

This season we see all sorts of problems from sleeping to remembering where we left our keys!

Do you ever get an idea stuck in your head without being able to drop it? Or do you find it is uncomfortable switching or changing plans at the last minute?
I bet I can help with this!

If it is difficult to shift approaches or you find it hard to pay attention to two things at once or maybe you feel focusing and paying attention is more difficult than it should be then maybe your brain is having difficulties with Flexible and Focused Attention skills!

Some people need prompting to get things completed, they may have an issue with getting lost in the middle of a thought or they may even leave out very important details of a story or process.

I know this can be frustrating and sometimes embarrassing when your brain isn’t working as fast and efficient as you would like it to work! But, do not fear…I know how to help you with theses kinds of PreFrontal Cortex (PFC) concerns!

Attention Deficits can show in brain imaging as a neurological dysfunction and in an EEG as reversed cortical activity. The low slow activity is prevalent while eyes are open and the fast cortical activity increases when closing eyes and trying to relax. This keeps the person feeling brain drained as if they are working overtime.

At Cognitive Connections, I have developed a program that helps people learn about these important skills our brain does (even without us knowing it is doing it)! But it isn’t enough to know what it is supposed to do…it is necessary to know how to help yourself or your child learn these skills when they are not working as they should be!

The PFC’s Function: Focusing Attention, Organizing thoughts, Problem Solving, Foreseeing and weighing the possible consequences, making predictions, forming strategies and planning, impulse control and delaying gratification, modulating emotions…

Do you or someone you love need help with…

Flexible & Focused Attention
 Mental Flexibility,
 Shifting Approaches
 Switching Gears
 Staying Focused
 Holding onto several thoughts at one time
 Losing track in the middle of a thought
 Miss important details
 Get an idea stuck in your head

A few iPad games you might want to try if you think you might have some issues with this area of the brain are:
* The Stroop Effect
* The Tower of Hanoi
* Observation
* 4 Attention

I have 100’s of games want to learn more?

Look for our Volume 1 in the Series of 7 eBooks entitled “Thinking With Your Brain in Mind; A Look Into the Prefrontal Cortex…from Function to Remediation”

Just Another Thought from Dr. Lise’…

Thinking with your Brain in Mind…Brain Speed

Do you have a slow reaction time? Or do you find it is difficult to think fast enough to respond before others do?

I know how to help you with this!

If it is difficult to ‘think on your feet’ or if you find you just tire easily then perhaps you are experiencing problems with the Prefrontal Cortex. A place in your brain that is responsible for Decision Speed.

Some people have a difficult time getting started with a task, some may find it hard to work through the task quickly! I have even found some people will procrastinate and come up with reasons for why they cannot get started or complete a task. If these sound like you, then YOU are in luck!

Our ‘thinking part’ of the brain, sometimes referred to as the CEO of the brain, lies just behind the forehead. This area helps us modify our behavior, deciding what is appropriate therefore, letting us use our best behavior. It takes in ALL the information from the rest of the brain and then determines what our thoughts and actions should be to achieve our goals.

Focusing Attention, Organizing thoughts, Problem Solving, Foreseeing, and weighing the possible consequences, making predictions, forming strategies and planning, impulse control, and delaying gratification, modulating emotions…

At Cognitive Connections, I have developed a program that helps people learn about these important skills our brain does (even without us knowing it is doing it)!

But it isn’t enough to only know what your brain is supposed to do like most other manuals and eBooks tell you. It is necessary to know HOW to help yourself or your child to learn these very specific skills when they are not working as they should be!

Interested in helping yourself?

Look for our Volume 1 in the Series of 7 eBooks entitled “Thinking With Your Brain in Mind; A Look Into the Prefrontal Cortex…from Function to Remediation”

Coming to a website near you SOON!!! Follow our blog and find the answers to your brain questions and concerns.

Where Do You Live?

Our brains are hard-wired to learn from our past mistakes, however, it is a delicate balance between constantly thinking about what you should have done (ruminating) and revisiting the past long enough to evaluate your actions and move on. Moving on to only focus on the future and ONLY think about what is down the road is also detrimental. However, again it is a necessity for our existence to see ahead, ‘what if I do this, how will that action affect that’? Making goals and planning on how to achieve them are part of being successful, but when we are only looking ahead and never appreciating the now, then the balance has also been skewed.

In my world of brain function both mulling and dwelling in the past and/or being hyper-focused in the future are considered concerns with turbulence in the 23-38 Hz levels. This condition, creates catastrophizing and ruminating and most Physicians would consider a variety of medications to help you. The medications will change chemically the functioning of the brain, decreasing the cortical activity, but most of the time creating unwanted side effects.

It is not my thought that medication is bad or unwarranted. I understand the need for medication at different times in peoples lives. However, I also personally try to take the path that is less invasive and allows the body to function on its own, renormalizing brain function. I have found that using a method that helps ‘retrain’ the brain to a homeostasis, that delicate balance point, will allow the body’s internal natural state to heal itself.

As the healing process occurs, the turbulence in the 23-38 hz frequency eases and the variance in the brain becomes less allowing the individual to be able to ‘live in the present’. Now they can make decisions based on what they learned in the past and what will affect their future.

We are able to assist people as they gain this peace and calmness, achieving the ability to sleep…to internally heal…to relax…and yet stay focused. If this is what you are looking for in your life you might want to consider Neurofeedback. It is a method that is noninvasive and yet can help make significant positive changes in your life.

At Cognitive Connections we are able to help with home rental units, in office sessions with us or with a purchase of a new system.

Just another thought by Dr. Lise’

Bulletproof Executive Neurofeedback Technology – Best Biohack Yet, with Dr. Valdeane Brown – Podcast

NeurOptimal is the Neurofeedback system we use at Cognitive Connections – we have been using Dr. Valdeane Brown’s system since its conception and have helped to transform many peoples life. This Neurofeedback system is VERY robust and although quite sophisticated it was created so YOU can use it safely and simply in the privacy of your own home. Whether it is for Peak Performance as with the Bulletproof podcast, or with a family member that has a brain concern; from a fall, stroke or birth condition, this program will make a significant difference in your life.

Here is a snippet from the Bulletproof podcast:

This episode of Bulletproof Executive is all about the most effective biohack yet – NeurOptimal® brain training. Dr. Valdeane Brown, Founder of NeurOptimal, joined Bulletproof on the show to share how his technology takes your performance to uncharted levels! The NeurOptimal brain trainer is the most powerful and affordable neurofeedback technology available. You will get to hear about the EEG technology and how it transforms your brain, upgrades athletic performance, and even helps with migraines, PTSD, and abusive relationships.

Does this sound too good to be true? Listen for yourself…

Dr. Valdeane W. Brown is an internationally recognized “trainer of neurofeedback trainers”, who has taught and consulted widely on personal and organizational transformation. With a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a background in math, Valdeane Brown physics, computer programming, philosophy, yoga, meditation and martial arts, Dr. Brown brings a presence and precision to his work. This is further informed by a profound sense of compassion, a facility with energy dynamics and a deep commitment to revealing the elegant simplicity inherent in learning and transformation.

Developer of the Five Phase Model and co-creator with his wife Sue of the Period 3 Approach to Clinical Neurofeedback, Dr. Brown has realized his vision of a truly comprehensive training system in NeurOptimal. His vision in bringing NeurOptimal to the world is to make personal transformation effortless and available to all.

Bulletproof Executive Radio at the iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store

Click here to download the mp3 of Podcast #54 with Dr. Valdeane Brown

What We Cover

2:25 Dr. Val Brown’s wide experience & the creation of NeurOptimal
5:30 The high cost and complexity of normal EEG technology
7:10 The problem with typical EEG technology
9:00 What is neurofeedback and why it is Dave’s most effective biohack
10:15 The central nervous system, neurofeedback, and connectivity
11:00 Dave’s problem with typical EEG technology
12:00 Dr. Val’s vision for neurofeedback and NeurOptimal
14:55 How the brain optimizes itself vs. controlling what your brain does
16:10 Hangovers and drunkenness vs. NeurOptimal feedback
17:15 Why negative feedback is more powerful than positive feedback
18:10 Real life examples of negative feedback
22:00 Dave’s initial response to NeurOptimal
22:45 The strange abilities of musicians and cameramen
24:40 “Therapy in the rearview mirror”
26:50 What aspects of life are NeurOptimal most impactful?
28:10 The answer to the teenage circadian rhythm
30:40 How NeurOptimal has helped people with abusive relationships
31:30 Val’s golf game and rapid improvement
32:50 Biohacking technology and sports
35:20 Special Ops psychophysiological abilities
37:40 The power of mastering awareness/focus at a young age
39:50 NeurOptimal and family
42:50 How the brain is blind to itself
44:10 Case study: NeurOptimal and migraines
46:00 The NeurOptimal approach to diagnosing health problems
47:50 How NeurOptimal takes your “game” to a whole new level
48:45 How many sessions does it take to improve performance?
51:55 What are the possible risks of NeurOptimal?
55:10 Case study: Problem with EEG
57:00 Top 3 recommendations to kick more ass in life

If you are interested in renting or purchasing a NeurOptimal system, give us a call and let us help you find a way to help yourself!

Just another thought by Dr. Lise’

The Brain Divided into the Most Magnificent 7 Areas…

Did you know your brain IS the boss of you? While you read this, your brain is keeping you alive by sending signals to keep your heart beating and your lungs moving in and out, as well as regulating all the busy systems of your body so that you can walk, eat, digest, think, and so much more. Like a supercomputer, your brain is interpreting huge amounts of information second by second in order to understand the world around you and the words on this page. Every system in your body is told what to do by the brain; everything we do is supported by the brain, though we are hardly ever aware of it. Without the brain, there is no You.

The prefrontal cortex (PFC), located just behind the forehead, is a section of gray matter that functions as the “CEO” of the brain or the conductor of an elaborate orchestra. Often thought of as the “thinking part” of the brain, the PFC helps us modify our behavior, make decisions about what is appropriate behavior, and takes in all the information from the rest of the brain to determine what our thoughts and actions should be to achieve our goals, weighing the potential benefits and consequences of what we do.

If you see yourself in any of these questions in the graphic above associated with the Prefrontal Cortex, then let us introduce you to an individualized program developed to assist you with your specific problem.

We have 23 years of experience, honing our skills and developing remediation programs, activities, and tools to help with these issues. If you are interested in finding a solution to those annoying little glitches that affect your timing or foul-up your reasoning and deduction skills, then take a look at our PFC eBook.

We have compiled several charts looking at each of the many functions of the PFC, as well as indicators of each problem; then we’ve listed numerous remediation activities, just for YOU!

This e-book on the Prefrontal cortex, is the first in a 7 part series of e-books covering the entire “Magnificent 7”! We are now taking pre-orders for shipment soon!

http://www.cognitive-connections.com/Brain-Shop/product/34-prefrontal-cortex-e-book-preorder

Order your copy today and let’s start ‘making connections, one neuron at a time’!