BRAINY RESOURCES

Intelligence

Brain food

Stress

Omega oils

Oily fish

Amygdala

Hippocampus

Cortex

Human

Neuron

Dendrite

Learning styles

Happiness

Emotion

Dopamine

Sleep

Grey matter

Glial cells

White matter

Axon

Dyslexia

Language

Cerebellum

Limbic system

Neuroscience

Basal ganglia

Books to Inspire and Inform

First, no apologies for suggesting my own brain books. Blame My Brain explains teenagers’ brains  -  reassuring and fascinating for teenagers and their significant adults. Know Your Brain dissects young brains, showing how each is different. Details in the right-hand sidebar.

Below are other suggestions. None requires special knowledge.

"The 21st-Century Brain" by Steven Rose

Excellent explanation of where brain science is now and where it’s going. HOWEVER, do not buy this as well as Rose’s "The Future of the Brain". They are the same book: different cover, different reviews, different publisher, identical words. Shame on the publishers for lack of honesty. I was tempted to recommend neither in my irritation at being conned out of some dosh, but it’s a good book.

"Mapping the Mind"

by Rita Carter

Clear, comprehensive, incisive

"The Essential Difference"

by Simon Baron Cohen

Think male and female brains are the same? Think any differences are socially constructed? Think again ...

"How the Brain Learns"

by David A Sousa

Perfect for teachers

"Multiple Intelligences" by Howard Gardner

Mathematicians and linguists aren’t the only brainy ones ...

"The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat"

by Oliver Sacks

A classic of its genre

Learning Styles in Action by Barbara Prashnig

For teachers  -  if you can put a quarter of it into practice, you’re amazing, but even just reading it will be fascinating

I have included some activity books in the column headed Activities.

Best Websites

Be careful what you believe on the internet. Too much is drivel, often drivel based on other drivel. I’ve picked the most reputable sites, which use solid research from universities or well-renowned organisations. Also, with respect to good journalists, I suggest that you read science stories in newspapers with scepticism  -  they’re often headine-grabbing stories based on mistaken conclusions from small-scale studies.

My Three Shrinks  -  every two weeks, over some wine, three psychiatrists chat and argue about a particular topic and you get to listen in. It gets quite heated sometimes. For adults.

Skeptic Magazine  -  for everyone who wants to see through the wool and guff and rubbish that you may sometimes read in newspapers and on the internet. There’s a junior version too.

Neuroscience for Kids -  the perfect brain website for schools. It may say it’s for kids, but it’s all you need as an adult as well. Rich in information and activities. If you’re a teacher or a pupil, you will find this incredibly useful.

Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science blog teaches you to avoid being conned by all the false conclusions that litter the internet and newspapers. A must for all teachers, parents and anyone who wants to be equipped with the truth.

The National Geographic Brain site has some excellent pictures. Sometimes it also has some great info and activities but they keep changing the content so I can’t promise anything ....

Bristol University has an excellent website devoted to educating people of all ages about the brain. There are links, games and activities.

All In The Mind  -  A completely remarkably and endlessly fascinating website from Australia’s ABC radio station, with audio-clips of a whole series of programmes on the brain and mind. Wonderful stories of huge insight.

The All In The Mind Blog, from broadcaster, Natasha Mitchell

The 60-second Psych from Sciam Mind  -  every Monday, tune in for a one-minute snippet of something interesting and quirky from brain research. Or subscribe (free) to the RSS Feed and have the weekly piece delivered straight to your computer.

Activities

"Brain-training"

If you’ve been awake recently, you’ll have heard about Brain Training. It’s the idea that by doing special daily mental exercises you can improve overall brain ability. There is no proof of this. While doing mental maths  will improve your mental maths, there’s no proof that it makes your brain better in other ways. I believe that the best way to a better brain is a variety of ordinary activities, including talking, playing music, physical exercise, and including maths (sorry), reading and writing, (three activities which use many brain areas at the same time).

Recently, one study showed some skill transfer but the results contradict all previous research. The truth is not yet clear, so don’t get carried away, but if you want to read the study, it’s here.

I’ve tested the Nintendo Brain-Training programme (below) and the charming Dr Kawashima told me that my brain age "improved" from 46 (I actually am 46, so that was reasonable) to 25 in two weeks. A few days later I was a young 21. Stunning! I had to stop, in case I ended up with a baby’s brain. What a load of nonsense. The Nintendo programme, like other activities, provides enjoyable and useful mental exercise. It does not, however, make my brain younger. And you do not need to buy it to exercise your brain.

It’s good fun though and many kids find it motivational. It won’t make your brain younger, but it’s not bad exercise. Just like many cheaper or free forms of exercise...

An excellent piece of software for your PC. It plots your improvement but doesn’t make the silly claim of giving you a younger brain.

 
Click here for some Brain Teasers to get your maths brain in gear. There are problem-solving exercises for different age groups or to do as team activities in class.

Fancy a Daily Sudoku puzzle? Click the link. Scientists are not yet sure what difference puzzles like this make to your brain ability, but they do believe that keeping your brain active with puzzles, logic and problem-solving is a good idea. It may delay the onset of age-related dementia  -  it’s not proven, though.

Want to analyse your (or your son/daughter/pupil’s) different intelligences according to the theory of Multiple Intelligences? There’s a fun test here.

There’s an interesting version of the Epstein creativity test here, to see how finely-honed your "creative competencies" are. I was disappointed with my score, considering I think of myself as highly creative!

A book of brain workouts for children

And for adults ...

"Training Your Brain  -  for the over-50s"  -  I admit I haven’t read this but then I do have the brain of a 21 year-old, apparently, so I don’t need it ...

My own daily brain-boosting tips are FREE:

• read aloud for half a minute
• write (by hand) a couple of paragraphs
• do some simple maths  -  with a friend, ask each other quickfire simple sums
  
• go for a brisk walk
  
• don’t go hungry or thirsty
• spend time on a hobby
• laugh
• learn something new  -  new word, fact or skill
  
• listen to music
• do a puzzle  -  crossword or sudoku or whtever you like
• sleep well