Building A Better Brain

"Do puzzles, I can't stand crosswords," says neuroscientist Antonio Damasio of the University of Iowa, "but they're a good idea." Psychologist Sherry Willis of Pennsylvania State University says, "People who do jigsaw puzzles show greater spatial ability, which you use when you look at a map."

And remember, researchers agree that it's never too late. Says Scheibel: "All of life should be a learning experience, not just for the trivial reasons but because by continuing the learning process, we are challenging our brain and therefore building brain circuitry. Literally. This is the way the brain operates."

This article also discusses the enigma of phantom limbs and how the brain continues to register impulses due to synaptic connectivity long after the limb itself is gone. If you are interested you can probably pick up a copy of this article at any library. The pictures are excellent and this is information that everyone should be aware of.

 By Daniel Golden and Alexander Tsiaras