As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be.? We suddenly can't1.remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old acquaintance's name, or the name of an old band we used to love. ?As the brain2.fades, we euphemistically refer to these occurrences as "senior moments."3. While seemingly innocent, this loss of mental focus can potentially have a 4. detrimental impact on our professional, social, and personal5.well-being.?
Neuroscientists are increasingly showing that there's actually a lot that can be done. ?It6. turns that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental 7.workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive8.functions.??Thinking is essentially a 9.processof making neural connections in the brain.? To a certain extent, our ability to 10.excelin making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited.? 11. However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate12. according to mental effort.
Now, a new San Francisco Web-based company has taken it a step 13. further and developed the first "brain training program" designed to actually help people improve and regain their mental 14. sharpness.? Called Lumosity, it was designed by some of the leading experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology from Stanford?University.
The Web-based program that 15.allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills.? The program keeps 16.track of your progress and provides detailed feedback 17. on your performance and improvement.? Most importantly, it 18.constantly modifies and enhances the games you play to 19.build on the strengths you are developing--much like an20.effective exercise routine requires you to increase resistance and vary your muscle use.