Training the Mind

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that affects over 50 million people worldwide. There are no cures, and all current treatments come with side effects. Imagine a drug that is given for just a short while that shuts down seizures and restores normal brain function long after the drug is withdrawn. This is the Holy Grail of epilepsy research that lays across the scientific Bridge of Death! Using state of the art computational approaches to map 20,000 genes in each of 100,000 brain cells, we are ready to face the Bridgekeeper. Initial results in animal models of epilepsy show that an arthritis drug already in use may hold the key to shutting down seizures and restoring brain function. How do we know so much about epilepsy, genes and brain cells? Well, you have to know these things when you’re a SCIENTIST, you know.

Everyone has seen ads for apps that claim to “train your brain.” Here I’ll talk about the science of cognitive training including why training general cognitive function is really difficult, what types of activities tend to improve cognitive function (e.g., complex experiences like action video games) and which have minimal impact (most apps you see ads for), and general principles for maximizing cognition.