Cognitive Brain training

Cognitive brain training is about giving the brain a workout or sending it to a brain gym to improve

fitness levels. The actual doing of cognitive brain training will entail a series of “brain games” or

intellectual tasks the person practices to improve learning and general cognitive functions, such as

memory, information processing speed and attention. Psychology and neuroscience perception of

learning and learning methods has changed over the years. Today the science community agrees

that regardless of age or learning abilities, brain training is a scientifically proven method to acquire

new learning skills and improve cognitive functions. This dispenses with the old myth that a person

can’t improve IQ at any stage in life or change the way we think and learn.

Thanks to technology, cognitive training has moved out of the psychologist’s office and online where web based software uses game based learning to improve a person’s cognitive abilities. It is not new news that we all should be keeping our brains active throughout our life, from childhood to adulthood. For cognitive brain training to be meaningful, it should firstly assess our current IQ or intelligence function before proceeding to train our memory and other cognitive abilities such as verbal comprehension via the brain games. Any cognitive training should deliver optimal brain training for the mind over a period of time that constantly stretches the brain to train harder and raise IQ.

One area of cognitive brain braining is “hot cognition”, this is a term psychologists use to describe high speed decision making under pressure, this is the decision making we do in the face of risks when our emotional state can play a big role. Another area of cognitive training is referred to as

“cold cognition,” this decision making is all about being pragmatic, logical, and less emotional as in answering educational tests or aptitude tests.

Hot cognition training is great for people who need to make hot decisions like businesspeople, CEO’s, managers who need to be able to comprehend lots of data quickly and decide in a short time frame while cold cognition training is great for students, lawyers, advisors or teachers. Regardless of a person’s (adult or kid) motivation to undertake cognitive training, “hot cognition” for rapid decision making using data or “cold cognition” for tests, exams using memory recall, the only way to achieve results is deliberate practice.

So how does a person go about cognitive training? Well, one place to start is brain training games, especially, as new research shows, N-Back games. In a recent university study, people playing N-Back games (which are stocked with hot decision choices) learn how to make decisions better. Next, a brain training program is a great way to improve the brains perceptual reasoning and fluid intelligence along with improving multitasking skills (brain training has also been found to reduce cognitive decline in older people). Scientists have discovered that people who engage with varied brain training tasks, such as attention priority, had increased levels of awareness in the right superior and middle frontal gyrus of the brain, an area involved in multitasking.

Cognitive brain training is also undertaken with people who have learning disabilities (ADHD and dyslexia) who may have average or even above average intelligence but need to be taught in a different way to maximize their intellectual capacity.

Psychologists and neuroscientists now know that brain training is the best form of cognitive training in helping to strengthen memory, improve attention, raise IQ levels, help with ADD and ADHD and even delay dementia or other neurological disorders. Cognitive brain training goes beyond helping people not to accept learning difficulties but to help any child or adult to acquire new skills, improve intelligence and make learning easier.