Posted: Feb 15, 2011 1:35 am
CdesignProponentsist wrote:RPizzle wrote:When I took organic chemistry, we had to be able to take various molecules and manipulate them using molecular modeling kits. During exams this had to be done in your head. I noticed that some people seemed to easily be able to rotate the structures in their mind, but for me it was like a brick wall.
I think as far as training the brain, practical training is what you need. Sudoku probably will not help you much with spacial skills when working with molecules. If you want to increase specific mental skills, you should focus your exercises on those skills.
Think of the brain as a round mountain and different parts of the mountain have different cognitive application, and think of your thought process as water falling on this mountain eroding streams and valleys. As you utilize specific cognitive applications, the streams in those areas become rivers. You build the needed connections in order to be better at doing these application.
So in essence practice what you want to get better at.
@mr Samsa, I agree, it looks like there is some question regarding fish oil and brain function. I do currently take it to lower my cholesterol along with red yeast rice, and had heard talk of it being beneficial for the brain as well. I guess this may not be the case. Oh well. I feel smarter at least
@ CdesignProponensist:
What you said makes a lot of sense. Part of the reason I was so interested in the brain training software/programs was due to wondering if there were more effective ways to learn certain things. In one brain training game for instance, there was a 3D picture of various shapes, and one had to determine on a 2D plane which angle the viewer was looking. This was meant to promote spatial reasoning. Another game had multiple items placed and removed from a box, and one had to keep track and remember the amounts of each. This was touted to promote memory. However, when the study that I linked at top showed that "brain training" games had no practical effects, it led me to wonder if there were empirically evidenced methods that were superior to brain training games or playing around with my molecular modeling kit until I "got it" for things such as spatial reasoning, memory, etc.