Healthy Brain, Happy Life (46 page)

Brain Hacks, 106, 133–34, 160–61

for curbing addictions, 197–99, 200

finding right, 106, 133–34, 160–61

four-minute workouts, 133–34, 160–61

frequency of, 108, 154

meditation vs., 249–52

seven-minute workouts, 178

for stress, 172, 176–79, 180

Suzuki begins training, 81–84, 87–89

Suzuki’s fitness wake-up call, 79, 81, 82–83

types of, 154

exercise, and brain function, 107–12, 115–26, 160

creativity, 233, 235

effects in elderly adults, 115–19, 133

effects in healthy young adults, 115–16, 119–22

effects on mood, 92, 93–95, 148–52

effects in school-age children, 116

effects on Suzuki, 96–98, 107–8, 120, 126–27, 155–57

endorphins, 93–94, 105, 106

key unanswered questions, 153–55

memory performance, 111–12

neurogenesis, 109–12, 122–26, 133, 176–77

NYU class.
See
“Can Exercise Change Your Brain?” class, at NYU

popular press on, 152, 155

exercise logs, 139

exercise studies, 115–26, 156–57.
See also
“Can Exercise Change Your Brain?” class

animal (rat) studies, 108–12, 115, 119–20, 123–24, 141, 147, 152–53, 155

TBI patients, 148–52

Extreme Makeover
(TV show), 240

facial gestures in response to environment, 191

facial recognition, 25–26

feng shui, 261–63

fight-or-flight response, 164, 167, 183

“fit, fat, and fearful,” 85

fitness buddies, 106

fitness instructors, 82, 83, 106

fitness training, 81–84, 87–91.
See also
intenSati

fitness schedule, 106, 154–55

fitness wake-up call, 79, 81, 82–83

“Flowers for Algernon” (Keyes), 120

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), 124–25, 191, 223, 248

focused attention, 108, 221, 232, 234, 241, 246

Fogg, BJ, 240–41

food

facial responses to enjoyment of, 191

Suzuki as foodie, 32–34, 61, 71–72, 86–87, 131, 206

Suzuki’s eating habits, 83–85, 86–89, 170

taste, and olfactory bulb, 33–34, 37

taste cortex Brain Hack, 38

food set point, 88

four-minute Brain Hacks.
See
Brain Hacks

four-minute workouts, 133–34, 160–61

France, 26–36

Franco, James, 120

French language, 28, 29–30, 254–55

Freylekhman, Inessa, 261–64

friendships, 96–97, 185

frontal lobe, 14–15, 44

creativity and, 225, 227, 229, 236

language acquisition and, 27

meditation and, 247

stress and working memory, 169

frontal lobotomies, 44

fundamental (core) pleasures, 188–89

fusiform face area, 25–26

gamma wave (gamma oscillation), 243–45, 247

Gardner, Howard, 26

gender differences, and science, 1–2

generosity, 202–3, 210

genes (genetics)

addiction and, 195–96

stress and, 175

Gladwell, Malcom, 101

glia cells, 16–17, 37

glycogenesis, 165

gold standard (test), 117–19, 120–21, 133

grant writing, 85, 107–8, 119, 120

grudges, 128

Guernica
(Picasso), 219

habits

breaking, 82–83

creating new, 239–41

striatum’s role in, 15, 48

happiness, 3–5, 92, 172, 188–89, 221, 237

Harrison, Rex, 9

healthy addictions, 188, 200

heart rate, and stress, 164, 165, 167

heroin, 194–95, 197

hiking, 106

hippocampus, 15

exercise and, 109–12, 152, 176–78, 235

imagination and, 15, 222–23, 235

London taxicab driver study, of brain plasticity, 23–25

memory function and, 15, 33, 42–43, 44, 45–47, 49–50, 54–59, 68, 98–99, 111–12, 189

mood states and, 15, 33, 92, 152

stress function and, 167–68, 176–77, 183

H.M. (Henry Molaison), 42–43, 44–47, 49, 50, 52–54

hobbies, 172

Hoffman, Philip Seymour, 230–31

Holiday, Billie, 219

house cleaning exercise, 134

hugs and kisses, 184

Hula-Hoop, 134, 184

human anatomy, 19–22

hunger, 87, 88

“I love you,” 65–67, 182

imagination, 222–23

hippocampus and, 15, 222–23, 235

role in creativity, 222–23

immune system, and stress, 163, 165, 167

improvisation, 228–30

inferior frontal gyrus, 27, 37

inner critic, 229–30, 231

insight, and creativity, 222, 230, 232

inspiration, and creativity, 217, 218

insular cortex

meditation and, 248

pleasure and, 191, 193

insults, 128

intenSati, 89–92, 106

mood-boosting effects of, 92, 93–95

in NYU class, 121–22, 124, 135–45

teacher training, 99, 113–15, 238

intentional exercise, 95, 96–97, 104–5, 237.
See also
intenSati

TBI patient study, 148–52

interventional studies, 117–18, 133

invention, Brain Hacks, 220

Jack in the Box curly fries, 170

Jaffard, Robert, 30–31, 34, 41, 42

jazz improvisation, 228–30

Jobs, Steve, 213, 216

joy, and creativity, 221

jumping jacks, 160

jumping rope, 161

Kahlo, Frida, 219

Kansas City Royals, 68

Keller, Thomas, 61–62, 72

kids, Brain Hacks, 134, 224

King and I, The
(musical), 9

Kuhl, Patricia, 27

Lady Gaga, 219

language acquisition, 27, 37

Lashley, Karl, 43–44, 45, 52

learning

declarative memory, 46–48, 49, 52, 56, 59–60, 98–99

focused attention, 108, 221, 232, 234, 241, 246

reward system and, 189–96

second language acquisition, 27, 37

Leibovitz, Annie, 71

letting go of expectations, 234–35

life coaches (coaching), 127–28, 129–31, 185

liking (pleasure) response, and reward system, 189–96

Limitless
(movie), 120

Lindsley Prize, 53

Loewi, Otto, 218

London taxicab driver study, of brain plasticity, 23–25, 37

long-term potentiation (LTP), 110–11, 112, 133

love, 65–67, 182, 184, 221

reward system and, 203–10

loving kindness meditation, 241, 245, 246, 248, 259, 261

lyrical improvisation, 228–30

Ma, Yo-Yo, 32

McCain, John, 175

McDormand, Frances, 71

McGill University, 42, 190

Maguire, Eleanor, 23–25

manifesting, 238, 253

mantras, 95–96

for meditation, 238, 241, 246, 253

Marnie (life coach), 127–28, 129–31

massages, 184, 211

matchmakers, 100–101, 102–3, 127, 157–58

Matisse, Henri, 218–19

medial temporal lobe, and memory function, 45–51, 54–59

meditation, 237–67

brain activation and, 244–45, 247–49

Brain Hacks, 241

brain size and, 248

brain waves and the binding problem, 243–45

exercise vs., 249–52

loving kindness, 241, 245, 246, 248, 259, 261

neuroscience and Dalai Lama, 241–43

object-based vs. open monitoring, 246

research studies on, 243–45, 247–49, 250–51

for stress, 172

Suzuki’s experience, 143, 237–39, 252–61

meditation buddies, 241

memory (memory function), 5, 41–60

associations in, 56–58, 60, 75, 76, 77

Brain Hacks, 76–77

brain plasticity and, 30, 58–59

declarative, 46–48, 49, 52, 56, 59–60, 98–99

emotional resonance and, 66–68, 75

exercise and, 111–12

factors improving, 67–68

forming new memories, 54–60

Lashley’s theory of, 43–44, 45, 52

London taxicab driver study, 23–25

Milner and Scoville’s theory of, 42–47

practical tips for making things memorable, 66–68, 75

shifts in understanding of the brain and, 42–47

Suzuki’s research on, 50–59

types of, 47–48, 98–99

memory encoding, 111, 125–26, 146–47

memory loss, 68–69

exercise study, 116–17

Keller’s experience with father, 61–62

patient H.M. and, 42–43, 44–47, 49, 50, 52–54

Suzuki’s experience with parents, 62–67

symptoms of, 68–69

Mendelssohn, Felix, 51

menstrual cycle, disruption of, and stress, 167

Milner, Brenda, 42–47

Milner, Peter, 190, 192, 193

mind-body connection.
See
brain-body connection

mindful exercise.
See
intentional exercise

mindfulness.
See also
self-awareness

intenSati workout for, 89–91

stress management, 184, 250–51

mindfulness-based stress reduction, 250–51

Mishkin, Mort, 30, 49, 54–55

monoamines, 93

Montreal Neurological Institute, 32

mood (mood states), 92–95

brain basis of, 15, 33, 92–93, 105

effects of exercise on, 92, 93–95, 105, 148–52

Moreno, Patricia, 89–91

Morning AH Meditation
(Dyer), 238–39

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 221

Moth Radio Hour
(podcast), 6, 38

motivation (wanting) response, and reward system, 189–99, 200

motor cortex Brain Hack, 38

motor system-based learning, 97–99

MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), 53, 54, 226–27

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
(O’Brien), 119–20

Multiple Intelligences
(Gardner), 25–26

muscle mass, 82, 87

music

Auditory cortex Brain Hack, 38

Brain Hacks, 37, 38, 106, 133

for exercise, 106, 133, 161

Suzuki’s love of, 9, 11, 31–32, 51, 133, 158–59

musical improvisation, 228–30

myelin, 16

My Fair Lady
(musical), 9

myths about creativity, 214–16

National Academy of Sciences (NAS), 72–73

National Institutes of Health (NIH), 30, 54–59, 70, 107

negative emotions, and creativity, 221

Nelson, Tim Blake, 230–31

neuroendocrine system, and stress, 165–66, 183

neurogenesis, 33–34

adult neurogenesis theory, 177–78, 183

effects of exercise, 109–12, 122–26, 133, 140–41, 176–77

effects of stress, 168, 176–77

neurons, 15–17,
16,
37

“Neurophysiology of Memory” class, at NYU, 97, 98–99

neuroplasticity, 37, 269–70

Brain Hacks, 37–39

definition of, 18–19

enriched environment study, 17–19

exercise and, 108–15, 123

food, wine and, 33–34

London taxicab driver study, 23–25, 37

in New York City doormen, 25–26

second language acquisition and, 27, 37

neurotransmitters, 92–95, 96, 105, 218

Newport, Carrie (personal trainer), 82, 83, 84, 86, 87, 96, 197

Newton, Isaac, 218

New York City doormen

facial recognition in, 25–26

Suzuki’s conversation with doorman, 128–31, 173

New York City Marathon, 198

New York Times,
53, 61–62, 178

New York University (NYU), 1–2, 4, 6, 49, 61, 71, 72, 73–74, 85–86, 97, 200.
See also
“Can Exercise Change Your Brain?” class, at NYU

“Brain and Behavior” class, 145–46

Emotional Brain Institute, 230–31

“Neurophysiology of Memory” class, 97, 98–99

New York University Langone Medical Center, 148–52

Nissl stain, 50

nondeclarative learning, 98

noradrenaline, 93, 105

norepinephrine, 93, 105

novelty (novel events)

memory and, 75, 76, 77

as teaching tool, 145–46

nucleus accumbens

addiction and pleasure and, 194, 196

pleasure and, 190, 191, 193

obesity, and cognitive function, 140

object-based meditation, 246

observational studies, 117–18, 121, 133

occipital lobe, 15, 227–28

Odyssey House (New York City), 197–98, 202

office, Brain Hacks, 220

office exercises, 134, 161

Olds, James, 190, 192, 193

olfactory Brain Hack, 38–39

olfactory bulb, 33–34, 37, 109

olfactory environment, 33–34, 37

“
Om varunam namah,
” 253

“Once More with Feeling” (event), 230–31

online dating, 100, 157–58, 254

open monitoring meditation, 246

optimism, 185, 269

orbitofrontal cortex

music and, 32, 37

pleasure and, 191, 193

originality, as myth of creativity, 215–16

outdoor activities, 106

overweight, 2, 79, 83, 84–85, 86–89

Paltrow, Gwyneth, 71

parahippocampal cortex, 51–57, 59, 218

parietal lobe, 14–15

creativity and, 225, 227, 232

language acquisition and, 27, 37

meditation and, 251

Parkinson’s disease, 153, 227

past and future thinking, 223

Patient H.M. (Henry Molaison), 42–43, 44–47, 49, 50, 52–54

paying it forward, 203

Penfield, Wilder, 42–4

Pepper (cat), 88

perirhinal cortex, 51–57, 59, 217–18

Permanent Present Tense
(Corkin), 46

personal coaches (coaching), 127–28, 129–31, 185

Peru’s Cotahuasi River, 79–81

Picasso, Pablo, 219

pillow fights, 160

Pitt, Brad, 25

pleasure (liking), and reward system, 189–96

Brain Hacks, 211

Pop Rocks, 10

portion sizes, 86–87

positive affirmations, 95–96

boosting mood with, 94, 142, 144

for dating, 99, 100

in intenSati workout, 89–93, 94, 95–96, 104–5, 137–38, 142–43

for workouts, 95–96, 104–5

positive emotions, and creativity, 221

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 168, 169, 177

power poses, 94–95, 105