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The Brain Alchemist is my new blog  that I started on a new platform a few months ago.  I explore and write about neuroscience, communication, social media and content strategies that boost learning, engagement and influence.  Click here to check it out.    

Brains Driven to Distraction: The Urge to Search

If your typical day feels like a rush of harried interactions and distractions, you are not alone.  The prevalence of virtual communication makes it easy to leave a conversation mid-sentence as soon as our attention is highjacked by another urgent message.  Although we consider it poor etiquette to engage in multitasking while talking to someone face to face or even over the phone, many of us feel no qualms multitasking when we respond to emails or type text messages.  Mental noise and distractions become routine: unrelated thoughts buzzing in our heads as we are trying to concentrate on a project, ringing phones, interrupting colleagues, urgent phone messages and emails.  Everything and everybody fight for our attention.

Although we often complain about distractions, an honest introspection will force many to admit that we sometimes enjoy this hectic pace of hopping from task to task, from conversation to conversation.  I, for once, feel that my brain is impacted by heavy computer use.  Reading a long article online without succumbing to the urge to tweet about it mid-page takes effort.  I may also be guilty of stealing a glance at the computer screen while talking to my husband.  He usually calls me out for that. 

What drives our brains to distraction?  Blame our wired urge to search.

In 2009, The New York Times published an article titled "As Jurors Turn to Web, Mistrials Are Popping Up," reporting on the increased number of mistrials as jurors around the country used their BlackBerrys and iPhones to seek information about cases beyond the admissible evidence.  Jurors are prohibited from gathering or sharing facts about the cases outside the courtroom, so judges had no choice but to declare mistrials.  Months of work were wasted as the jurors' urge to search prevailed over common sense and direct instructions.

Our brains prefer stimulation over boredom.  The brain is motivated by curiosity and the search for patterns.  That's how we learn.  The brain makes sense of the world around us by predicting certain outcomes, comparing these predictions to what actually happens and detecting prediction errors.  Based on this information, our dopamine neurons adjust their expectations, enabling us to learn from our past experiences.

When the brain is busy predicting, it increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is responsible for focused attention and more pleasurable experience.  Interestingly, our prediction neurons become even more excited when there is no pattern to be found.

In Slate's article "Seeking," Emily Yoffe writes:

Actually all our electronic communication devices—e-mail, Facebook feeds, texts, Twitter—are feeding the same drive as our searches. Since we're restless, easily bored creatures, our gadgets give us in abundance qualities the seeking/wanting system finds particularly exciting. Novelty is one. Panksepp says the dopamine system is activated by finding something unexpected or by the anticipation of something new. If the rewards come unpredictably—as e-mail, texts, updates do—we get even more carried away. No wonder we call it a "CrackBerry."

Distractions provide novelty and stimulation to our brains while maintaining the sense that we can never figure it all out, so the search for meaning continues.

…It feels like it's time to check for updates on a fan page I frequent.  My brain doesn't want to miss a thing.  

How to deal with negativity and your cynical brain

Have you ever been in a situation when you need to do something but feel resistance?  Negativity gremlins are whispering in your ear:  "Who do you think you are?" or "You are not good enough."  If your gremlins happen to be nagging worries, slimy self-sabotage, endless procrastination, debilitating doubt, or paralyzing fear, you may be having a case of the cynical brain.

According to the Webster's Dictionary, the word "cynical" implies a "contemptuous disbelief in human goodness and sincerity."  You doubt either yourself or others, or maybe, the whole world.  Your negativity gremlins can keep you stuck and dissatisfied.
 
While it may appear that the cynical brain attacks your character and undermines your good intentions, in fact, the cynical brain often simply wants to protect you.  It does so by diverting your attention to the negativity gremlins that can keep you paralyzed with fear and self-doubt and prevent you from acting decisively.  The cynical brain likes status-quo. 

Attention is the most important asset these days, and there are many things that compete for our brain's attention.  Negativity gremlins frequently win because we are wired to pay more attention to our negative emotions, just in case there is a tiger, an angry boss, or some other danger around the corner.  It's a built-in self-preservation mechanism.  It is usually associated with the fight-or-flight response and a narrow focus, or tunnel vision.  When the cynical brain is in control, our mind is shut down to alternative interpretations or better options.  The negativity gremlins fixate your attention on what's wrong. 

In order for the brain to broaden its focus and be more receptive to new information, you need to shift into a more positive state of mind.  You want to begin by acknowledging the cynical brain.  It's important to recognize your own self-sabotage when it happens and identify the thinking patterns that grab your attention and hold you back.

In his book "Thinkertoys," creativity expert Michael Michalko offers an exercise aimed at replacing negative attitudes with more positive thoughts.  The exercise is called "Tick-Tock" and can be adapted to help the cynical brain shift out of the negative stories.   

First, divide a piece of paper into two columns and write the word "Tick" in the left-hand column and "Tock" in the right-hand column.  In the "Tick" column, list all the negative thoughts you have about your current situation.  The mere act of labeling and writing down negative thoughts and feelings often takes the negative energy out of them.  It's like venting in private that tames your gremlins. 

Next, examine your negativity gremlins and come up with more positive approaches and ideas to substitute for those negative thoughts in the "Tick" column.  Replace each subjective negative thought with a positive alternative and intention and write it down in the "Tock" column.

This is a powerful exercise on changing thinking habits.  Not only it can help the cynical brain to open up to new possibilities, with practice, this process of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones can become a mental habit. 

You don't need to meditate for hours to improve concentration

Studies have shown that meditation techniques can promote significant changes in brain areas associated with concentration.  However, initial experiments involved well-trained meditators.  For instance, in his collaboration with the Dalai Lama, Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, found much greater activation of powerful gamma waves in the trained meditating monks than in the students during meditation [PDF]. The intense gamma waves signaled higher mental activity, better concentration, learning and memory.

Now, it appears that we can get cognitive benefits associated with mindfulness without spending hours in meditation, although the practice still needs to be consistent.  According to a recent study, meditation-trained participants showed a significant improvement in their critical cognitive skills after only four days of training for only 20 minutes each day:

The experiment involved 63 student volunteers, 49 of whom completed the experiment. Participants were randomly assigned in approximately equivalent numbers to one of two groups, one of which received the meditation training while the other group listened for equivalent periods of time to a book (J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit) being read aloud.

Prior to and following the meditation and reading sessions, the participants were subjected to a broad battery of behavioral tests assessing mood, memory, visual attention, attention processing, and vigilance.

Both groups performed equally on all measures at the beginning of the experiment. Both groups also improved following the meditation and reading experiences in measures of mood, but only the group that received the meditation training improved significantly in the cognitive measures. The meditation group scored consistently higher averages than the reading/listening group on all the cognitive tests and as much as ten times better on one challenging test that involved sustaining the ability to focus, while holding other information in mind.

The researchers instructed the participants in this meditation training "to relax, with their eyes closed, and to simply focus on the flow of their breath occurring at the tip of their nose. If a random thought arose, they were told to passively notice and acknowledge the thought and to simply let 'it' go, by bringing the attention back to the sensations of the breath."

While these gains in concentration and other cognitive skills sound amazing after such a brief period of time, it helps to remember that the brain is like a muscle.  It needs a regular workout to stay in shape. 

Brain Awareness Week: 15 Amazing Examples of Neuroplasticity in Action

It's Brain Awareness Week, and today I want to remind you of how amazing your brain is and how much of its vitality depends on what you do with it every day.

If you ever doubt your ability to change, or feel stuck in your old ways, or wonder if it's too late, what I am about to share with you may surprise or amaze you.  That was my reaction.  The current science of the brain changed what I learned about the brain in the mid-1990s when I studied linguistics and cognition, and it wasn't even that long ago.

The truth is that we are continuously changing although we may not always realize it.  For example, most of the cells and tissues in the human body keep regenerating and are much younger than the person in which they are found.  You may have heard a statement that our body changes every 7 years.  The average age depends on the types of cells and tissues, some take much less time to renew, others take longer.  You habits and your lifestyle all have an impact on how your body turns out. 

Neuroscientists tell us now that our brain can also rejuvenate and improve itself.  Our brain forms new neurons throughout our lives, and the connections and functions in the brain change as well. What we do day to day influences our brain's function, and we can participate actively and consciously in the rewiring of our brain. The brain's ability to rewire itself as a result of life experiences is called neuroplasticity.  That's right, our brains are plastic.

Norman Doidge in his book "The Brain that Changes Itself:  Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science" talks about a paradox of change.  The forces that enable us to change are also responsible for keeping us stuck.  If we keep doing the same, we may think nothing changes, but in fact, the more we repeat a certain behavior, the stronger the corresponding pathway in the brain grows, making it more difficult to unlearn the pattern.  The good news is that the same principle applies when we learn a new skill or habit.  The more attention we pay to it and the more we practice it, the easier it will become. 

As you read the following remarkable examples of neuroplasticity in action, consider how much power you actually have to shape your brain and your life.  It's never too late to change and build new good habits. 

1.  The adult human brain has approximately 100 billion neurons.  Education increases the number of branches among neurons, increasing the volume and thickness of the brain.  Brain is like a muscle that needs mental work-outs.  Learning and brain exercises slow age-related mental decline and even improve brain function. 

2.  Physical exercise promotes creation of new neurons in the brain, the process known as neurogenesis.  It also stimulates sensory and motor cortices and helps the brain’s balance system.

3.  As we age, we tend to shift cognitive activities from one lobe in the brain to another.  There is also an indication that we use both hemispheres as we age for the tasks that used to take place in just one hemisphere.  Perhaps, the brain optimizes itself to compensate for any weaknesses. 

4.  Specifically designed brain exercises have been shown to strengthen weak brain functions in children and adults with learning disabilities. For example, rote memorization can help the auditory memory.  Handwriting strengthens motor capacities, and adds speed and fluency to reading. 

5.  Stroke patients recover some lost abilities when the brain reorganizes itself to move functions from the damages location to a new one. 

6.  Because the brain physically changes its state as we think, it is possible to measure the changes electronically.  As a result, there's technology that allows completely paralyzed people move objects with their thoughts and interact with computers. 

7.  V.S. Ramachandran, Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition and Professor with the Psychology Department and Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego, uses imagination and illusion to restructure brain maps and help people manage their phantom pain and some forms of chronic pain, which he believes to be a construct of the brain that is projected on to the body.  For example, his invention of the mirror box helped many amputees get rid of the pain in the phantom limb. The brain is tricked into believing that the phantom limb is moving when the patient sees a mirror reflection of the moving good limb in the mirror box.

8.  People can improve performance through visualizations because action and imagination often activate the same parts of the brain.  When we need to learn a physical skill, mental practice of this skill can produce the same physical changes in the motor system as the physical practice.  This effect has been achieved in experiments that involved people learning to play the piano, as well as athletes in training.

9.  If you were to wear blindfolds for two days, your visual cortex would reorganize itself to process sound and touch.  Once you take the blindfolds off, the visual cortex will stop responding to tactile or auditory signals within twelve or twenty-four hours.

10.  The Sea Gypsies, Nomadic people who live in a cluster of tropical islands in the Burmese archipelago and spend most of their lives in boats on the open sea, can see clearly under water at great depths because they learn to control the shape of their lenses and the side of their pupils, constricting them 22%.  Most of us can’t do that, and pupil adjustment has been considered to be affixed, innate reflex.  However, in one study, Swedish children were able to learn the trick, and their brains responded to the training. 

11.  London taxi drivers have a larger hippocampus compared to bus drivers.  It's because this region of the hippocampus is specialized in acquiring and using complex spatial information in order to navigate efficiently. Taxi drivers have to navigate around London whereas bus drivers follow a limited set of routes.

12.  Collaboration between Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Dalai Lama explored the effects of meditation on the brain.  The researchers compared the trained minds of the monks and those of the volunteers.  The results showed much greater activation of powerful gamma waves in the monks than in the students during meditation.  Moreover, even when the participants were not meditating, the trained meditators' brains showed a large increase in the gamma signal.  In previous studies, mental activities such as focus, memory, learning and consciousness were associated with the kind of enhanced neural coordination found in the meditators.  The intense gamma waves signaled higher mental activity and heightened awareness.

13.  Plastic changes also occur in musicians' brains compared to non-musicians. Research shows that gray matter (cortex) volume is highest in professional musicians, intermediate in amateur musicians, and lowest in non-musicians in several brain areas involved in playing music: motor regions, anterior superior parietal areas and inferior temporal areas. There is also a dark side to neuroplasticity in musicians.  When a musician frequently uses two fingers together while playing the instrument, the brain maps for the two fingers sometimes fuse in such a way that the musician can't move one finger without the other.  This is a condition called "focal dystonia."  To play again, the musician's brain maps have to be separated through special training.

14.  Learning to juggle can increase gray matter in the occipito-temporal cortex as early as after 7 days of training.

15.  Extensive learning of abstract information can also trigger some plastic changes in the brain. Brains of medical students showed learning-induced changes in the parietal cortex and the posterior hippocampus - brain regions involved in memory retrieval and learning. 

Sources: 

Begley, Sharon. 2007. Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves. Ballantine Books.

Doidge, N. 2007. The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. New York:Viking.

Davidson, R. J., J. Kabat-Zinn, J. Schumacher, M. Rosenkranz, D. Muller, S.F. Santorelli, F. Urbanowski, A. Harrington, K. Bonus, and J.F. Sheridan. 2003. Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine. 65 (4):564–570.
http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/web/pubs/2003/alterations_by_mindfulness.pdf

Draganski, B., C. Gaser, G. Kempermann, H.G. Kuhn, J. Winkler, C. Buchel, and A. May. 2006. Temporal and spatial dynamics of brain structure changes during extensive learning. Journal of Neuroscience. 26:6314–6317.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16763039

Gaser, C. and G. Schlaug. 2003. Brain Structures Differ between Musicians and Non-Musicians. Journal of Neuroscience. 23:9240 - 9245.
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/23/27/9240

Maguire, E.A., K. Woolett and H.J. Spiers. 2006. London taxi drivers and bus drivers: A structural MRI and neuropsychological analysis. Hippocampus. 16:1091-1101.
http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/Maguire/Maguire2006.pdf

Schwartz, J.M. and S. Begley. 2002. The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force. New York: Harper Collins.

Media multitaskers are more susceptible to distractions

Media multitasking is increasingly common in this day and age.  If all this flow of information makes it hard for you to pay attention and stay focused, you are not alone.  According to new research by EyalOphir, Clifford Nass, and Anthony D. Wagner at Stanford University, people who multitask suffer from a weaker self-control ability.  The following excerpt is from the Scientific American article "Portrait of a Multitasking Mind" by Naomi Kenner  and Russell Poldrack:

The researchers asked hundreds of college students fill out a survey on their use of 12 different types of media. Students reported not only the number of hours per week that they used each type of media, but also rated how often they used each type of media simultaneously with each other type of media. The researchers created a score for each person that reflected how much their lifestyle incorporated media-multitasking.

They then recruited people who had scores that were extremely high or low and asked them perform a series of tests designed to measure the ability to control one's attention, one's responses, and the contents of one's memory. They found that the high- and low- media-multitasking groups were equally able to control their responses, but that the heavy media-multitasking group had difficulties, compared to the low media-multitasking group, when asked to ignore information that was in the environment or in their recent memory. They also had greater trouble relative to their counterparts when asked to switch rapidly between two different tasks. This last finding was surprising, because psychologists know that multitasking involves switching rapidly between tasks rather than actually performing multiple tasks simultaneously.

On the positive side, heavy media multitaskers may be better at reactive control when they are quick to respond to the relevant cues from the external world.  This ability can be useful in the environments where things change fast.  It also helps to build habits more easily in response to common situations.

Brains Benefit From Multilingualism

Various studies have explored the link between the ability to use more than one language and improved cognitive function and thinking.  Now, for the first time, the research team appointed by the European Commission conducted an analysis of scientific literature, European and international, on this subject during the period of May 2008-June 2009 across all 27 EU Member States plus Norway and Turkey.  The findings are described in the report "The Contribution of Multilingualism to Creativity" [PDF].

The inventory of research-based publications covered the following five hypotheses.

• There is a link between multilingualism and creativity
• Multilingualism broadens access to information
• Multilingualism offers alternative ways of organizing thought
• Multilingualism offers alternative ways of perceiving the surrounding world
• Learning a new language increases the potential for creative thought. 

The Science Daily article "Brains Benefit from Multilingualism" quotes David Marsh, specialized planner at the Continuing Professional Development Centre of Jyväskylä University, who coordinated the international research team behind the study:

"The research report brings forth six main areas where multilingualism and hence the mastery of complex processes of thought seem to put people in advantage. These include learning in general, complex thinking and creativity, mental flexibility, interpersonal and communication skills, and even a possible delay in the onset of age-related mental diminishment later in life," Marsh relates.

One of the central cerebral areas highlighted in the research report is the one responsible for memory function. People rely especially on the short-term memory when thinking, learning and making decisions.

"It is obvious that enhanced memory can have a profound impact on cognitive function, says David Marsh. -- This may be one reason why the multilingual shows superior performance in handling complex and demanding problem-solving tasks when compared to monolinguals. They seem to be able to have an advantage in handling certain thinking processes," March continues.

It was assumed earlier that differences in the brain would only occur if a person is bi- or trilingual, that is with a very high command of different languages. The recently published research suggests, however, that changes in the brain's electrical activity may occur already in the beginnings of learning a new language.

Perhaps, it's time to add learning a new language to your 2010 resolutions.  It seems that the benefits are there regardless of whether you learn to speak it proficiently. 

Related post: "Learn a language in 2009 and improve your brain"

How To Think Clearly Under Pressure

About a week ago, I was at a seminar conducted by David Rock, the author of the recently published book "Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long."  It was an engaging and thought-provoking presentation that challenged many of our typical work habits that we think serve us well.  One of the insights had to do with thinking clearly under pressure.  We've all been there:  when we need to come up with a solution fast in stressful circumstances, and our mind "freezes."  There's an explanation for that. 

The prefrontal cortex, the brain region implicated in planning complex cognitive tasks, decision making, and moderating correct social behavior, is easily overwhelmed.  We can process just about seven pieces of information in our conscious mind at any given moment.  The more data we have to deal with, the harder it becomes to think clearly. 

In addition, our frontal lobes consume lots of energy.  When we experience strong negative emotions, as when we are angry or under stress, the glucose goes to the amygdala in the limbic system of the brain, triggering the "fight or flight" mode.  The prefrontal cortex doesn't have enough energy to think clearly anymore.  That's how our mind "freezes." 

On top of that, our brain is more attuned to negative information and tends to perceive anything unfamiliar as a threat.  Uncertainty is a threat.  Change is a threat.  Loss of face is a threat.  This response has good evolutionary reasons, it helped our predecessors survive.  Most of the threats in our daily life, however, are not "life or death" scenarios, but the brain is wired to react to them as if they were that serious.  With all that negativity bias of the brain and the limited capacity of the prefrontal cortex, how can we think better under pressure?  The following three steps may help.

1. Become aware of the strong negative emotions and how they affect your thinking.  Self-awareness is the most important brain optimization tool.  Without it, you are prone to repeat the same patterns over and over again because the brain likes to conserve energy, predict your typical responses, and activate them automatically.
2. Label the negative emotion you are experiencing.  Studies have shown that labeling emotions with just a word or two reduces their effect.  Say the label out loud if you can.
3. If your emotions are triggered by a specific situation, try to reframe it in a less threatening way for the brain.  Your interpretation needs to make sense, and it must be believable to you.  One more thing.  You have just a few seconds to reframe before the prefrontal cortex experiences the energy drain.  Not a lot time, I know, but it's worth practicing if you want to learn how to think clearly under pressure.  Remember: things are rarely as good or as bad as they seem.   

Since your brain is most creative when it's well rested and not over-stimulated with data and distractions, for example, in the morning or during a walk in nature, it is a good idea to think about how you would deal with common stressors in your life while the waters are still calm.  It doesn't matter to the brain whether you see something with your eyeballs or in your mind's eye, so rehearse your reactions in advance.  Reframe your triggers and picture yourself handling a difficult situation with ease and grace.

Meditate NYC : Free Meditation Instruction at Open Houses Throughout NYC, November 9 – 15

Meditate NYC begins on Sunday, November 8 with an afternoon of meditation instruction by Buddhist teachers from a great variety of traditions. The event is free and open to all.  Meditate NYC's kick-off will be followed by a full week of free meditation instruction, November 9 – 15.  People from all faiths, backgrounds, and experience are welcome at Open Houses hosted by meditation groups and dharma centers throughout the NYC area.

Ongoing scientific research confirms meditation's positive effects on body and mind. Meditate NYC offers an accessible way to find out what various approaches to meditation involve and what the benefits are.  For more information, visit http://meditatenyc.org

How to deal with difficult people, rejections, and negative opinions of others

How do you deal with difficult people?  Are you bothered by conflicts, rejections, or negative opinions of others?  Most of us are.  Somehow, it's hard to stay detached and let go.  Some of us spend much time reflecting on past conversations, thinking of what was said, and how it was said, and what it meant.  

I notice how my 4-year-old daughter is learning her social skills.  When she comes back from her playschool, she now likes to talk about who her friend is and who isn't, and who is "mad" at whom.  Their friendships and preferences come and go, and their little disagreements and disappointments with one another are easily forgotten.  It's all light-hearted at this point.  Interestingly, it is in this tender age, before our cognition is fully developed, when we form many of our subconscious brain maps and beliefs.  And as we grow, these subconscious beliefs may make it more difficult for us to forget, forgive, and move on.

The good news is that we can change our reactive patterns.  We cannot control other people's behavior, so the best approach is to learn to manage our own responses.  It becomes easier if we understand how our brain responds to perceived threats.  Because so many of our beliefs are subconscious, as adults, we may not even be aware of what pushes our buttons and why.  We may just notice that we become defensive, stressed, or self-critical.  If the brain recognizes something as a threat, it activates the amygdala, which is part of the limbic system of the brain, responsible for the emotional control and memory of our emotional reactions.  The limbic system can process something as a threat even before the stimulus reaches conscious awareness, triggering the "fight or flight" response. Our body is then flooded with cortisol, and the decision-making and rational parts of the brain shut down to mobilize our resourced for the attack or retreat.   

In addition, the brain evolved to be sensitive to status and authority, i.e. how we look relative to someone else.  As a result, we tend to worry about what others think of us.

Sometimes, just understanding these "quirks" of the brain and becoming aware of what's happening to us in the moments when our buttons are pushed can be helpful. Reframing the situation to lessen the threat is also helpful. We can change the brain's processing of our usual triggers if we consciously choose a behavior different from what we tend to do.  In other words, we can create new neural pathways in the brain with better responses.  So, once we become aware of what's happening, it helps to switch our mind to something that produces positive emotions fast and can reward the brain with the "feel good" molecules, like dopamine. The quicker we can replace the negative reaction with a positive one and the longer we can sustain the positive, the easier it will be for the brain to rewire itself. 

Next time you have to deal with negative reactions, difficult people, or explosive situations, start practicing this "reframe-switch-sustain" approach.  A similar process was used by psychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder patients and described in his book "Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior."   The consistent application of his neuroplasticity-based technique helped the patients improve their OCD symptoms and caused the corresponding physical changes in the brain, which were confirmed by brain scans.  This practice can also help us with our everyday worries and anxieties.

Finally, it's good to remember that our brains are social and mirror emotional responses.  We have the power to manage our own reactions and help others step out of their trigger points if we engage with love, kindness, fairness, and support.

Recharge Your Brain - Brain Minute Video

Negative subliminal images are better detected than positive messages

According to Wikipedia, "[a] subliminal message is a signal or message embedded in another medium, designed to pass below the normal limits of the human mind's perception. These messages are unrecognizable by the conscious mind, but in certain situations can affect the subconscious mind and can negatively or positively influence subsequent later thoughts, behaviors, actions, attitudes, belief systems and value systems."

A new study by a UCL team led by Professor Nilli Lavie provides evidence that people are able to process emotional information from subliminal images and are better at detecting negative subliminal messages.  ScienceDaily reports: 

In the study, Professor Lavie and colleagues showed fifty participants a series of words on a computer screen. Each word appeared on-screen for only a fraction of second – at times only a fiftieth of a second, much too fast for the participants to consciously read the word. The words were either positive (e.g. cheerful, flower and peace), negative (e.g. agony, despair and murder) or neutral (e.g. box, ear or kettle). After each word, participants were asked to choose whether the word was neutral or 'emotional' (i.e. positive or negative), and how confident they were of their decision.

The researchers found that the participants answered most accurately when responding to negative words – even when they believed they were merely guessing the answer.

"There has been much speculation about whether people can process emotional information unconsciously, for example pictures, faces and words," says Professor Lavie. "We have shown that people can perceive the emotional value of subliminal messages and have demonstrated conclusively that people are much more attuned to negative words.

Professor Lavie explains that there are evolutionary advantages to responding quickly to subliminal negative information because those emotional messages may have helped us avoid danger. 

Visual Attention Guides Perception and Quiets Background Noise

In the article "Attention Makes Sensory Signals Stand Out Amidst Background Noise," ScienceDaily reports on a new mechanism that explains how our brain is able to process and make sense of various details in our environment that our visual system takes in:

When light hits the retina, visual information is translated into a cascade of nerve impulses sending signals deep into the brain. It is here, in the brain's visual cortex, which resides in the occipital lobe at the back of the skull, that these signals are interpreted and give rise to perception. But the visual system has limited capacity and cannot process everything that falls onto the retina. Instead, the brain relies on attention to bring details of interest into focus so it can select them out from background clutter.

Scientists had known for some time that attention to visual details increased the firing of neurons that responded to those details.  What they didn't realize until now is that attention also reduces background noise, improving the clarity of the signal:

The findings of the Salk researchers, published in the September 24, 2009 issue of the journal Neuron, reveal that the uptick in the firing rate is only a small part of the story. "What we found is that attention also reduces background activity," says postdoctoral researcher and first author Jude Mitchell, Ph.D. "We estimate that this noise reduction increases the fidelity of the neural signal by a factor that is as much as four times as large as the improvement caused by attention-dependent increases in firing rate. This reduction in noise may account for as much as 80% of the attention story."

The study reminds us that attention is our window into the world.  The results seem to support the following practical observations:

1. When you present visual information, less is better if you want more control over what your audience notices. 
2. The old saying is true:  We see what we want to see.  The rest is noise.

The best smell for your brain: the science of olfaction and emotion

What comes to mind if I ask you to imagine that you are at the following places: 

• a bakery,
• a candle store,
• a hospital,
• a rose garden,
• a perfume counter? 

One of your associations is likely to be the sensation of smell because all of the places above have strong aromas.  Does it feel like you can almost smell them?  Those aromas can quickly change your moods and emotions, and evoke memories.  Why do odors play such a significant part in our emotional regulation?

The sense of smell is the only one of the five senses directly linked to the limbic system – the center of emotions in the brain.  According to "Essential Oils Desk Reference," when we inhale a fragrance, the odor molecules travel up the nose where they are trapped by olfactory membranes, protected by the lining inside the nose.  Each odor molecule fits into specific receptor cell sites. Each one of these hundreds of millions of nerve cells is replaced every 28 days.  When this lining of nerve cells is stimulated by the odor molecules, it triggers electrical impulses to the olfactory bulb in the brain.  The olfactory bulb than transmits the impulses to the gustatory center, responsible for our perception of taste, the amygdala, where emotional memories are stored, and other parts of the limbic system of the brain. 

Alan Hirsch, M.D., F.A.C.P., the founder and neurological director of The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, explains this quick connection between odors and emotions in his interview for the medical journal Alternative & Complementary Therapies [PDF]:

What makes the sense of smell unique among the senses is that the brain reacts positively or negatively to an odor before identifying the source of the odor.  That is, a person encounters a pleasing smell and his or her reaction is one of pleasure.  Then, a second later, the person figures out that he or she had smelled lilacs.  Visually, one sees a picture of a tree or a cow and first identifies the subject, and then determines whether or not he or she likes the picture.  This is the opposite of the sense of smell; with smell emotional reaction comes first.

As we all know, smells can also transport us into the past.  In one of his studies, Dr. Hirsch discovered the number-one odor to evoke childhood memories.  Can you guess what it is?

We looked at 989 people from 45 states and 39 countries, and found that the number-one odor that made people nostalgic for childhood was baked goods.  After that, it depended on when and where they grew up.  If they grew up on the East Coast of the United States, the smell of flowers made people nostalgic for childhood.  In the South, it was the smell of fresh air; in the Midwest, the smell of farm animals; and in the West it was the smell of meat cooking or meat barbecuing.

It turns out that environmental smells affect our behavior.  In the same interview, Dr. Hirsch reports that people drive more aggressively on days when there is bad smell of air pollution, causing an increase in motor-vehicle accidents.  Bad environmental odors tend to promote aggression, impede learning, and encourage school kids to misbehave.

I don't know about you, but I am about to diffuse some peppermint oil to improve my environment.  It helps with task performance by increasing concentration, enhances athletic performance [PDF], and curbs appetite [PDF].  Smells good to me!

Related Posts:
Do you smell success?
Want to be a better problem-solver in your dreams?
Orientation Series: 21 Steps to Becoming a Better Learner: Memorizing

To learn more about essential oils:  http://www.smartessentialoils.com

How to maximize brain power

"If we want to simplify and deepen our lives, we must simplify and deepen our minds. When we become more centered, clear, spacious, caring, and open, there is suddenly much more room in our frenetic lives for both others and ourselves."
— Lama Surya Das

How do you start your work day?  Do you jump right into your email inbox and get lost in the sea of unread messages calling for your attention?  If so, before you know it, your mind is probably racing from one thought to another, to another.  Unless your primary job function is to respond to email messages, email is a good example of how we give away the control of our schedule in response to other people's agendas and invite overwhelm into our day right from the start.  We also lose precious moments when we can maximize brain power.  How so?

When too much noise and input enters our brain, we become fuzzy thinkers.  In addition, overwhelm and information overload add to our stress levels.  Prolonged stress elevates cortisol, a stress hormone that appears to shrink the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with memory and other cognitive functions. 

The point is that if we want to be efficient, productive and creative at work, we need to put more thought into how we start our days.  Much like we are better off taking the earliest flight if we want to leave on time because flight delays tend to snowball, we should spend our early work hours on some deep thinking because distractions snowball too. 

You can come up with your own empowering morning routine that can help you maximize brain power for your most important projects: 

• Set your morning agenda the day before.
• Think of a brain-friendly ritual that will signal the transition into the work routine.  You can choose to mediate, take a morning walk, listen to music or something inspirational that can put you in a good mood.  We think better when we feel good.  According to the research conducted by neuro-psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, positive emotions tend to broaden our focus, enabling us to discover more tools and solutions to life's challenges and making us more resourceful.    
• Limit the noise and distractions and spend your precious morning hours reflecting, writing, creating, strategizing, or trying out unconventional problem-solving approaches. 

What's your favorite mourning routine to maximize brain power?

How Nature Can Improve Brain Function - Brain Minute Video

Related post:  "How the city hurts your brain" by Jonah Lehrer

When your loss is your brain's win

Have you ever bought a lottery ticket or at least, been tempted to buy one?  Your rational mind understands that the odds of winning are slim, but that tingling of hope inside says, "Somebody inevitably wins.  What if it's me this time?"   You are not alone.  In fact, the odds of winning a lottery are stacked clearly against you because our brains like gambling and prompt so many to buy those lottery tickets. 

The uncertainty of the reward is what keeps the brain interested.  When the brain is busy predicting if we win or lose, it produces more of the neuromodulator dopamine, which is responsible for focused attention and more pleasurable experience.  That explains how people can spend hours pulling a lever of a slot machine.  Imagine what would happen if you were to get a regular salary for pulling the same lever but no chance of a random win. You'd be bored to death very soon.  Random rewards keep the excitement alive but can also lead to gambling addictions. 

Finance professor Peter Tufano of Harvard Business School used this behavior of dopamine neurons for the force of good when he created a pilot program called "Save to Win."   Michigan residents now can invest as little as $25 into a one-year Save to Win Certificate of Deposit for a chance to win an annual grand prize of $100,000, plus monthly cash prizes varying up to $400.  The goal, of course, is to encourage more people to save. 

Here's something even more exciting.  Our brains interpret near misses as wins, causing us to keep playing longer.  In a recent fMRI study conducted by Luke Clark of the University of Cambridge, near misses activated the reward system of the volunteers who were playing a computerized slot machine in the same way as wins.  The researchers saw a lot of activity in the striatum and the insula - areas involved in reinforcing behavior with positive feedback.  Since people are generally not happy when they feel they were so close to winning but didn't, you may wonder about the reason for this odd behavior of the brain.  The answer may be that such positive reinforcement after near misses encourages learning.  The brain wants us to keep practicing the skill until we get better. 

How could you use this reward system of the brain to help you build good habits faster?  Here are a few things you can do:

Create a reward jar and fill it with pieces of paper with the descriptions of things you'd enjoy doing (your rewards), mixed with some blank papers.  If you stay on track with your new habit, let's say, for a week, pull a piece of paper from the jar to see if you've got your lucky reward.  Sometimes, you will, other times, you won't (if you get a blank paper), but that's exactly the point.  If you brain knows that the reward is coming, it feels nice, for sure, but not so exciting after a while. 

If you want to help others improve and grow, do random acts of kindness to encourage paying it forward, give unexpected gifts to celebrate accomplishments, express your gratitude by sending a thank-you note by snail mail (it is so rare these days that it would seem like a win to the recipient).

And remember that near misses are your opportunity to become better.  Our dog trainer taught us to give our dog a treat every time the dog got a bit closer to the desired behavior.  It's not just dogs that can learn new tricks with positive reinforcement.  Encouragement goes a long way for people too.

Yawn, smile, and simplify

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
~ Leonardo da Vinci

I was reading my Sunday paper last weekend and saw a cartoon depicting two birds sitting on a wire.  They were watching the third bird that was about to fall down and was struggling to hold on to the wire.  The caption read "You're overthinking this, Phil."  

Do you sometimes complicate things excessively?  I am guilty of it, I'll admit.  Here's a related belief that comes up in coaching:  we distrust simple solutions.  If something is too easy, it can't be the answer.  Are you familiar with that kind of thinking? Yet, simple practices can be very effective in producing remarkable results. 

Take an example of recent neuroscience discoveries in the area of brain health.   A few weeks ago, I was at a workshop conducted by Mark Robert Waldman, co-author of "How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist."   The topic was "Imagination, Reality, and Maintaining a Healthy Brain."  When it comes to maintaining a healthy brain, the strategies are simple and effective when done consistently.  The authors list eight ways to exercise your brain to enhance your physical, mental and spiritual health.  The easiest two may surprise you. 

Do you know, for example, that a simple act of yawning improves alertness and concentration, optimizes brain metabolism, lowers stress, and increases memory recall among other things?  Now, that's what I call brain efficiency.  So, yawn on purpose.  In fact, do it right now.  Take a deep breath and get yourself into the yawning mood.  If you have people around, that's even better because yawning is contagious. It can even improve group cohesiveness because it helps people synchronize their behavior with others. 

If you are tired of yawning, smile.  Smiling stimulates brain circuits that strengthen empathy and a positive outlook on life.  Even if you don't feel like smiling, try it anyway.  You'll give a signal to your subconscious that you are happy, and it can improve your mood.  

Yawn, smile, and simplify! That's today's lesson.

People in a Good Mood See More

When we are in a positive mood, our visual cortex takes in more information, while negative moods result in tunnel vision, according to a recent University of Toronto study.

In my previous post on "Positivity," I wrote about Barbara Fredrickson's research indicating that positive emotions tend to broaden our focus, enabling us to discover more tools and solutions to life's challenges and ultimately making us more resourceful. 

Now, the University of Toronto study shows that good moods also create such broad focus for our perceptual experience.  In the article "People Who Wear Rose-colored Glasses See More, Study Shows," ScienceDaily reports:

The researchers first showed subjects a series images designed to generate a good, bad or neutral mood.  Subjects were then shown a composite image, featuring a face in the centre, surrounded by "place" images, such as a house. To focus their attention on the central image, subjects were asked to identify the gender of the person’s face.  When in a bad mood, the subjects did not process the images of places in the surrounding background.

However, when viewing the same images in a good mood, they actually took in more information — they saw the central image of the face as well as the surrounding pictures of houses.  The discovery came from looking at specific parts of the brain — the parahippocampal  "place area" —  that are known to process places and how this area relates to primary visual cortical responses, the first part of the cortex related to vision.

The researchers suggest that good moods help us see more in our environment, but the downside is that the broad focus can distract us from critical tasks that require narrow focus, such as operating dangerous machinery.  In contrast, bad moods limit our ability to integrate information that is outside our immediate attention. 

Want to be a better problem-solver in your dreams?

"Ideas twinkle in dreams like bicycle lights in a mist." 
- Michael Michalko, "Thinkertoys"

Have you ever been caught daydreaming or doodling in class, during a lecture or at a business meeting?  While others could interpret it as a sign that your mind was meandering aimlessly instead of paying attention, neuroscientists now provide us with the evidence to the contrary.  It turns out that the daydreaming mind continues to solve problems, and doodling actually helps remember things better.  The advice to 'sleep on it' isn't a bad idea either. 

According to a recent University of British Columbia study, activity in numerous brain regions increases when our minds wander.  Daydreaming activates both the brain's "default network," which is linked to easy, routine mental activity and the "executive network" - the brain areas associated with high-level, complex problem-solving. The findings support the notion that daydreaming, which can occupy as much as one third of our waking lives, allows us to shift our attention from routine tasks to work through more important problems in our lives.  You may not be able to accomplish an immediate goal if you daydream, but you can come up with a creative solution to a life challenge. 

If you feel the urge to daydream during a boring presentation and want to improve your concentration, try doodling.  It may seem contradictory to the common perceptions, but doodling while listening can keep you on track with a boring task and help you remember details better.  In a recently published study, subjects given a doodling task while listening to a dull phone message had a 29% improved recall compared to their non-doodling counterparts. 

In addition, nighttime dreams can also help you solve problems.  A study conducted by the University of Alberta and the University of Montreal of 470 psychology students revealed that dreams that occurred six to seven days after the remembered event often reflected "interpersonal interactions, problem resolution and positive emotions."  These findings suggest that people continue to work through personal difficulties in dreams. 

Sleep psychologists claim we have about six dreams each night during rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep).  We often forget our dreams, but there are things we can do to recall dreams better and capture any creative ideas that emerged in the dream state:

1. If you've been working on a problem for a while, bring it back into focus right before you fall asleep.  Think about a question related to your problem that you'd like to get an answer to in your sleep.
2. When you awake, don't get up immediately.  Instead, lie quietly as you reflect on your dream.  If you have trouble remembering your dreams, try waking up thirty minutes earlier. 
3. Have a dream journal next to you bed so that you could promptly record any thoughts that came to you after you woke up.  Don't censor, just write down anything that comes to mind.  Your ideas are often triggered by your dream even if you can't remember the dream exactly.  After all, the contemporary scientific method was first reveled to René Descartes in his dream, which he promptly recorded in his dream journal.
4. You can later go over your dream journal again to see if any patterns, ideas, or insights emerge from your dream entries.

Finally, if you want your dreams to be more positive, try smelling something pleasant while you sleep.  German researchers used specific volatile odorants with a negative or a positive smell ("rotten eggs" versus "roses") to stimulate subjects during sleep.  When the unpleasant odor was used, the subjects reported that the emotional coloration of the dream was predominantly negative.   When they smelled the pleasant odor, their dreams had a positive coloration.

Related post:  Take a nap

Body Movements Can Influence Problem Solving

Directed movements of the body can, outside of conscious awareness, guide higher-order cognitive processing, according to a new study, conduced by University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras with Vanderbilt University postdoctoral researcher Laura Thomas.  PhysOrg reports:

In the study, the researchers asked study subjects to tie the ends of two strings together. The strings dangled from ceiling rafters and were so far apart that a person grasping one could not reach the other. A few tools were also available: a paperback book, a wrench, two small dumbbells and a plate. Subjects were given a total of eight, two-minute sessions to solve the problem, with 100 seconds devoted to finding a solution, interrupted by 20 seconds of exercise.
...
Some subjects were told to swing their arms forward and backward during the exercise sessions, while others were directed to alternately stretch one arm, and then the other, to the side. To prevent them from consciously connecting these activities to the problem of the strings, the researchers had them count backwards by threes while exercising...

The subjects in the arm-swinging group were more likely than those in the stretch group to solve the problem, which required attaching an object to one of the strings and swinging it so that it could be grasped while also holding the other string. By the end of the 16-minute deadline, participants in the arm-swinging group were 40 percent more likely than those in the stretch group to solve the problem.

"By making you swing your arms in a particular way, we're activating a part of your brain that deals with swinging motions," Lleras said. "That sort of activity in your brain then unconsciously leads you to think about that type of motion when you're trying to solve the problem."

Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio said, "The mind is embodied, not just embrained."  This study demonstrates once again the important link between our mind and body, or "embodied cognition."

You can think on your feet quite literally.  So, next time you feel stuck trying to solve a problem, start moving.  Your body may guide your brain to an unexpected solution.  

This study is described in the article "Swinging Into Thought: Directed Movement Guides Insight in Problem Solving" by  Alejandro Lleras and Laura Thomas, appearing in an upcoming issue of Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.  To read the full report and watch the videos of the problem-solving and exercise sessions, click here.

Hear Frank Felberbaum On Memory Development And Brain-Power Performance

[UPDATE] Yesterday, I had the pleasure of  interviewing Frank Felberbaum, the memory expert and author of "The Business of Memory: How to Maximize Your Brain Power and Fast Track Your Career," with Rachel Kranz. 

Frank Felberbaum is president of Memory Training Systems, a division of The Felberbaum Consulting Group, Inc., a global company specializing in memory development and brain-power performance strategies.  Formerly founder and director of The Memory Training Institute in Geneva, Switzerland, he has implemented his unique memory systems at more than 175 major corporations.

In 1995, Frank Felberbaum represented the United States at the World Memory Olympics in London and was awarded a special medal.  From 1997 to the present, he has trained and coached many of the mental athletes who compete at the U.S. Memory Championship held in New York City.

Now, you can listen to his interview and learn how to tap your full memory potential and put your career on the fast track to success.

Most of us forget 85 percent of what we learn within 72 hours.  Frank Felberbaum has taught thousands of business people throughout the world, including employees and executives at dozens of Fortune 500® companies how to become more efficient, effective, and powerful on the job by mastering the three basic mental functions behind memory:

•    Paying attention:  How to be a better observer and stay focused in the era of multitasking.

•    Visualizing:  How to create mental movies that help retain information by telling stories.

•    Associating:  How to link newly acquired information to familiar experiences, which are easily recalled. 

You can listen to the interview via web at:

http://www.selfhelpbookmuse.com/memory-expert.html

To download the audio recording of the interview:

Download the audio recording of the interview [mp3, 8.12MB]

Music as medication

Music can entertain, shift our mood, relieve stress, promote cognitive development, make us better at recognizing emotion in sound, and now scientists search for evidence that music can heal, according to The New York Times article  "Composing Concertos in the Key of Rx" by Matthew Gurewitsch:

But could music ever take its place as medicine?

One expert who is betting that it will is Vera Brandes, the director of the research program in music and medicine at the Paracelsus Private Medical University in Salzburg, Austria. “I am the first musical pharmacologist,” Ms. Brandes said last fall in Vienna. In that capacity she is developing medication in the form of music, dispensed as a prescription. To market the product line, she helped found Sanoson (sanoson.at), a company that also designs custom music systems for medical facilities.
...

In a pilot study, which in 2008 received a citation at the annual scientific meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society in Baltimore, Ms. Brandes and international associates investigated the effects of music on patients suffering from hypertension for which no organic cause can be found.

“Conventionally hypertensive patients are treated with beta blockers, which suppress their symptoms,” Ms. Brandes said. “Music can address the psychosomatic root causes.”

According to her study, listening to a specially designed music program for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for four weeks, patients experienced clinically significant improvements in heart-rate variability, a major indicator of autonomous nervous function. In her next study Ms. Brandes will subject these findings to a full-fledged clinical trial.

Click here to read the full article.

Don't turn off your brain when receiving advice from a financial expert

A recent study into the neural mechanisms through which external information, such as professional advice,  is integrated into financial decision making may shed light on how Bernard Madoff was able to deceive so many people.  ScienceDaily reports:

A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows that expert advice may shut down areas of the brain responsible for decision-making processes, particularly when individuals are trying to evaluate a situation where risk is involved.
...
Study participants were asked to make a series of financial choices between a guaranteed payment and a lottery while undergoing fMRI scanning. During portions of the testing, the participants had to make decisions on their own; during other portions, they received advice from a financial expert about which choice to make.

"Results showed that brain regions consistent with decision-making were active in participants when making choices on their own; however, there occurred an offloading of the decision-making process in the presence of expert advice," says Jan B. Engelmann, PhD, Emory research fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and first author of the study.

The lesson is... don't outsource your critical thinking, especially when you talk to an expert.

Click here to read the full article.

Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg on "Positivity"

Last Sunday, I attended the discussion between neuro-psychologist Barbara Fredrickson and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg as part of the Brainwave series at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City.  The topic was how positive thinking influenced the mind.  Specifically, they talked about the effects of lovingkindness meditation practice on positive emotions and about the results of Dr. Fredrickson's research, described in her new book "Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive."  

The conversation began with the question about the roles of positive and negative emotions.  Psychologists have known for a long time that negative emotions are so salient and effective in seizing our attention because our survival has depended on them.  The fear of a tiger, the disgust at the sight of rotten food - those negative emotions have been there to protect us.  But why do we need positive emotions and how can we experience them more often?  This is the inquiry of the positive psychology. 

Dr. Fredrickson's research points out that positive emotions tend to broaden our focus, enabling us to discover more tools and solutions to life's challenges and ultimately making us more resourceful.  When we experience negative emotions, our focus is narrow.  This tunnel vision precludes us from switching perspectives and seeing creative solutions.  Positive emotions let our minds open, or "bloom."  In Dr. Fredrickson's study, the lovingkindness meditation practice has been shown to increase the frequency of positive emotions.  In the lovingkindness mediation, you gather your attention around words and phrases of love and peace that you repeat rhythmically and direct to yourself and others.   Those participants who saw a bigger increase in positivity from the start of the program also showed more benefits after three months of practice.  In the long term, positive emotions result in more resilience and life satisfaction.

All emotions are transient.  The point is not to try to be positive all the time, but rather to increase the frequency of positive emotions.  Dr. Fredrickson discovered that experiencing positive emotions in a 3-to-1 ratio with negative ones makes people more resilient and creative in meeting life’s challenges and achieving their goals.  You can find out your ratio and get other online tools at Dr. Fredrickson's website http://www.positivityratio.com.  As Sharon Salzberg beautifully said, what counts is the willingness "to begin again," to redirect the mind towards more positive alternatives.       

An interesting question was raised during the Q&A about the cross-cultural variance with regard to positivity.  Culture influences what we consider a positive experience.  For example, in cultures where individualism is praised, people feel positive when they stand out and accomplish something on their own.  In collective cultures, feeling connected to a group, fitting in, may be more important to increase positive emotions.  Reflecting on my own cross-cultural experiences, I wonder if the broad focus also facilitates cultural adjustment.  It would be interesting to see studies on this.

Brainwave at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City

Between February 21 and April 23, 2009, The Rubin Museum of Art will host its second annual Brainwave, which "explores the intersection of mind and matter with nearly fifty different events, including discussions with some of the world's premier artists and neuroscientists."  Here are just some of the offerings:

Twelve-time Grammy Award winner Paul Simon has a conversation with Daniel J. Levitin, the neuroscientist credited with fundamentally changing the way that scientists think about auditory memory.

Meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg meets with neuropsychologist Barbara Fredrickson to engage in the effects of positive psychology.

Stephen Mitchell celebrates the publication of his The Second Book of the Tao with a conversation on the psychology of the Taoist philosophy with neurobiologist and SUNY Professor John Kubie.

What is consciousness? To mark the publication of Alva Noë's new book, Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness, Alva Noë sits down with artist Eric Fischl to talk about how streams of consciousness work.

Why don't we eat fish guts for breakfast? Professor Paul Rozin is the leading authority on the olfactory senses of taste and smell. Here he sits down with noted chef Mario Batali to explore the edges of taste. Are we hardwired to find some things disgusting, or are these distastes acquired?

Pay attention! In her book Rapt, author Winifred Gallagher grapples with a number of provocative questions, including "Can we train our focus?" and "What's different about the way creative people pay attention?" Here she talks to performance artist Laurie Anderson about how the quality of our lives depends largely on what we choose to pay attention to.

Best-selling author Daniel Goleman discusses his new book, Ecological Intelligence, and what it means to be "green," including unearthing the hidden environmental consequences of what we make and buy.

Click here to read the full list of "Meetings of the Minds."  I plan to attend and blog about at least some of these events.

Learn a language in 2009 and improve your brain

As a linguist by training, I have always liked learning new languages.  In fact, English is not my native language, Russian is.  I started truly learning English when I was in high school and added a few more languages later while studying linguistics.  After reading "The Bilingual Brain" in the Society for Neuroscience Brain Briefings,  I am considering adding a new language to my 2009 resolutions: 

"Parlez vous francais? Sprechen Sie Deutsches? Hablas español? If so, and you also speak English (or any other language), your brain may have developed some distinct advantages over your monolingual peers. New research into the neurobiology of bilingualism has found that being fluent in two languages, particularly from early childhood, not only enhances a person’s ability to concentrate, but might also protect against the onset of dementia and other age-related cognitive decline."

Those who start learning languages at an early age benefit the most.

"In fact, being bilingual may give children an advantage at school. Bilingual preschoolers have been found to be better able than their monolingual peers at focusing on a task while tuning out distractions. A similar enhanced ability to concentrate—a sign of a well-functioning working memory—has been found in bilingual adults, particularly those who became fluent in two languages at an early age. It may be that managing two languages helps the brain sharpen—and retain—its ability to focus while ignoring irrelevant information."

I am glad I am raising my daughter bilingual (English and Russian), and we'll be adding Spanish soon.

Adults benefit from learning languages as well.  There are many misconceptions surrounding adult language learning, especially about the "critical period" hypothesis that argues that the brain is too rigid to learn after puberty, making second language acquisition more difficult for adults.  Current neuroscience research into the competitive nature of brain plasticity offers a different explanation.  The skills we practice compete for our brain map space.  In his book "The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science," Norman Doidge writes:

"As we age, the more we use our native language, the more it comes to dominate our linguistic map space. Thus it is also because our brain is plastic—and because plasticity is competitive—that it is so hard to learn a new language and end the tyranny of the mother tongue.

But why, if this is true, is it easier to learn a second language when we are young? Is there not competition then too? Not really. If two languages are learned at the same time, during the critical period, both get a foothold. Brain scans, says Merzenich, show that in a bilingual child all the sounds of its two languages share a single large map, a library of sounds from both languages."

This can also explain why learning a language as an adult is quite possible and much easier if you immerse yourself in the environment where that language is spoken, or if you otherwise have a strong need or desire to learn it, for example, when your close friends, your spouse, or your co-workers speak a different language.  If you put enough attention into it, it will happen.   It is, to a large extent,  an issue of priorities, time, and motivation. 

What language are you learning this year?

"How the city hurts your brain" by Jonah Lehrer

Jonah Lehrer, the author of "How We Decide," discusses the perils and benefits of city life as they relate to the brain in his article "How the city hurts your brain ...And what you can do about it" in The Boston Globe:

"Now scientists have begun to examine how the city affects the brain, and the results are chastening. Just being in an urban environment, they have found, impairs our basic mental processes. After spending a few minutes on a crowded city street, the brain is less able to hold things in memory, and suffers from reduced self-control. While it's long been recognized that city life is exhausting -- that's why Picasso left Paris -- this new research suggests that cities actually dull our thinking, sometimes dramatically so."

But the urban environment has its positive sides too, including creativity and innovation:

"Recent research by scientists at the Santa Fe Institute used a set of complex mathematical algorithms to demonstrate that the very same urban features that trigger lapses in attention and memory -- the crowded streets, the crushing density of people -- also correlate with measures of innovation, as strangers interact with one another in unpredictable ways. It is the 'concentration of social interactions' that is largely responsible for urban creativity, according to the scientists."

One of the ways to mitigate the negative effects of city living is to spend more time in natural settings that can restore and replenish our mental energy.  Click here to read the full article.

And check out the Urban Mindfulnes blog for tips on how to stay mindful in the city.