Rovio, S et al. (2005). Leisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Lancet Neurology.
Sanchez, M et al. (2011). BDNF polymorphism predicts the rate of decline in skilled task performance and hippocampal volume in healthy individuals. Translational Psychiatry (2011) I, e51, DOI:10.1038/tp.2011.47.
Tan, Q et al. (2016). Midlife and late-life cardiorespiratory fitness and brain volume changes in late adulthood: Results from the Baltimore longitudinal study of aging. Gerontol A Bio Sci Med Sci, DOI:10.1093/gerona/glv041.
Wueve, J et al. (2004). Physical activity, including walking, and cognitive function in older women. JAMA, DOI:10.1001/jama.292.12.1454.
9. A stone-age brain in the digital age
Florio, M et al. (2015). Human specific ARHGAPIIB promotes basal progenitor amplification and neocortex expansion. Science, DOI:10.1126/science.aaa1975.
Raichlen, D et al. (2011). Relation between exercise capacity and brain size in mammals. PLOS One, 6(6):e20601.
Raichlen, D et al. (2013). Linking brains and brawn: exercise and the evolution of human neurobiology. Proc Biol Sci, DOI:10.1098/rspb.2012.2250.
INDEX
A
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), 63–65, 68, 69, 72, 73, 76–84
ARHGAPIIB, 196
abdominal fat, 49
abstract thinking, 14, 167
abuse, 10, 74
accumbens nucleus, also nucleus accumbens, 65–68, 83
adrenal glands, 24
aggression, 42
aging, brain’s, 119, 120, 179–180, 186
the right prescription to apply the brakes on the brain’s aging, 189
alcohol, 10, 34, 72, 74, 110, 119, 129, 141, 211, see also abuse
Alzheimer’s Disease, 182–184
Amish, the, 199
amphetamine, 69, 100
amygdala, 25–27, 31–33
amygdala hijack, 47
and anxiety, 52
and fear, 42
in teenagers, 41
analytical ability, 14, 31
anatomy of stress, 35
antidepressant pharmaceuticals, 23, 91, 97, 101, 107, 136, see also SSRI
side effects of, 99
anxiety, 18, 22, 23, 26–27, 30–42, 49–57, 92, 100, see also stress
Appetite, 49, 92, 93
Ariaal tribe, 80–82
artistic ability, 14, 149, 152
Association area, 8
associative memory, 140
atomic weapons testing, 135
attention, visual, 165
auditory cortex, 8
average life span, 204
axon, 168
B
BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor), 101–108, 118, 120, 125, 127, 181, 197, 208
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 147, 158
belief in one’s own ability, 107
blood fats, 185
blood glucose, 185
blood pressure, 28, 30, 48, 54, 185
blue zones, 187–188
Blumenthal, James, 95, 96, 98
brain cell, 6–7, 9, 10, 13, 26, 34, 36, 55, 62, 65, 66, 68, 72, 94, 98, 100, 102, 106–108, 119, 121, 124–131, 135–138, 141, 208, 210
and BDNF, 107
creation of (neurogenesis), 134, 135, 137, 141
the first, 195
brain connections (pruning), 9
brain GPS, 139
brain, left side, 14, 169
brain plasticity, 11–17
and stress, 55
brain programs, see functional network
brainstorming, 148, 153
brain, the
aging of, 177–189
damage to, 29, 43, 102
and the memory, 128
right side, 15
size of, 6, 25
brake pedal for the nervous system, see GAD and hippocampus
BrdU (bromodeoxyuridine), 131, 134, 135
C
C-14, 135–136
CAT scan, 12, 14, 90
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), 54
CCK4 (Cholecystokinin tetrapeptid), 56
Caenorhabditis elegans, 210
calories, 169, 201–202
expenditure, 170, 180
carbon dioxide, 45–46
cavities, see ventricle
cerebellum, 118
cerebral cortex, 33, 36, 70, 101, 118, 155, 168, 193–194, 196
motor cortex, 8
children and teenagers, the right prescription for, 175
chocolate, plain, 141
chronic stress, 32
Chimpanzee, 194, 196
cocaine, 100
cognitive abilities, 2, 10, 83, 98, 142, 151, 169, 171, 180, 182, 184, 211
cognitive functions, 5, 30–31, 74, 142, 178, 180, 193
cognitive processing speed, 85
cognitive training, 142, 174, 206
computer game, test, 124–125, 142, 174
concentration, 60–87
the right prescription for, 87
trouble with, 64
and walking, 14
connections, 6–7, 9–11
connectivity, brain, 5, 10, 11
consciousness, 8, 70–71, 154, 155
convergent thinking, 148–149, 154
corpus callosum (callosal commisure), 16
cortex, cerebral cortex, 33, 36, 70, 101, 118, 155, 168, 193–194, 196
cortisol, 24–30, 40, 49, 104, 128, 166
and grueling races, 128
Costa Rica, 187
creativity test, (Alternative uses test), 148
creativity, 146, 147–159
the right prescription for, 159
crossword, 142, 184, 185
Crowe, Russell, 157
curiosity, 109
cynical, 41–42, 108, 109
D
DNA, 13, 121, 135–136
DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging), 169
DRD4, 80
Darwin, Charles, 147
death hormone, see cortisol
dementia, 173, 182–188, see also aging, brain’s
depression and wellbeing, 90–115
antidepressants, 107
and BDNF, 108
neurogenesis, 134
the right prescription for, 115
Descartes, René, 70
detail, memory, 14, 16
Diazepam, 33
din, inbuilt, 72
divergent thinking, 148–149, 153, 156
dopamine, 54, 66–68, 71–74, 76, 80, 87, 98, 100–101, 107–109, 113, 156, 158, 203
Dorsey, Jack, 147
dyspnea, 45, see also suffocation
E
Einstein, Albert, 6, 147, 157
endocannabinoids, 112–114
endogenous morphine, see endorphin
endorphin, 54, 110, 111–114, 203
energy consumption, the brain’s, 19
enriched environment, 130, 138
epilepsy, 173
episodic memory, 140
Eriksen-Flanker test, 61, 62
Eriksson, Peter, 131, 134, 135
estrogen, 104, 106
euphoria, 109–114, see also runner’s high
everyday activity, 169, 187
evolution, 3, 24, 25, 200
executive control, 5, 165–166, 175
in children, 170
F
FDA (Food and Drug Administration), 94
FMRI (Functional MRI), 213–214
farmer, 80–81, 198–200
fat, 113, 168
burning, 49
fat tissue and depression, 104
saturated, and neurogenesis, 141
storing, 49
fear, 31, 42–46, 50, 53, 56, 57
fight or flight, 24, 31, 47, 48, 54
fitness and memory, 122
fitness training
and BDNF, 101–108, 118, 120, 125, 127, 181, 197, 208
most beneficial, 208
and stress, 55
&
nbsp; Fixx, James, 111
Flanker test, 61–62
flavonoids, 141
Fluoxetin, 94
free radicals, 102, 185
frontal lobe, 4, 8, 10, 30–33, 35, 40, 46, 52, 61, 62, 74–76, 83, 140, 141, 154, 158, 170, 172, 179–180
and ADHD, 76
and aging, 179–180
and concentration, 74, 76
and stress, 30
functional network, 7
G
GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid), 18, 34, 36, 40
GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), 35
Gage, Fred “Rusty”, 131, 135
generalized anxiety, see GAD
genetic factor
and dementia, 184
and depression, 106
Genetic material, see DNA
go all out, 143, 151
Gogh, Vincent van, 157
Goleman, Daniel, 47
grades, 163–170
gray matter, 168–169
gyrus dentatus, 137
H
HPA-axis, 24–25, 30, 33, 49, 52, 53
Hadza, the tribe, 199
Hamburger, Viktor, 105
HAROLD (Hemispheric symmetry reduction in older adults), 179
hashish, 112
heart rate, increased, 24, 25, 54–55
and anxiety, 54–55
and BDNF, 103
and stress and anxiety, 57
heart, the, 24, 37, 46, 54, 56, 103, 167, 175
higher cognitive function, 30–31, see also frontal lobe
hippocampus, 26–27, 29–32, 37, 40, 46, 52, 57, 101, 106, 107, 118–122, 125, 127, 130, 134–141, 143, 164, 169, 172, 179, 181, 185, 186
Hippocrates, 205
Hoffman, Dustin, 15
Holyfield, Evander, 47
Homo erectus, 192–193
Homo sapiens, 193
hormonal imbalance, 104
horror movie, 46
hunter-gatherer, 3, 198–202
and ADHD, 80–81
hypothalamus gland, 24
and BDNF, 107
and memory, 154
and nanny neurons, 36–37
and stress, 24
I
IQ, see intelligence
inflammation, 104, 106, 185
impulse control (response inhibition), 77
impulse control, 64, 69, 75, 78–79, 178
impulsivity, 41, 63, 64, 78–82
information filtering, 154–155
intelligence, 38, 39, 43, 171, 172, 192, 196, 197
interval training, 208
and anxiety, 57
and BDNF, 103, 181
Ironman, see marathon
J
Jay-Z, 94
Jobs, Steve, 147
K
Kahneman, Daniel, 75
Kotelko, Olga, 186–187
kynurenine, 37
L
labor pains, 133
language, 2, 9, 12, 164, 185, 199
language center, 185
Lazy, 201–202
learning and BDNF, 102
leptin, 113
Levi-Montalcini, Rita, 105
lifestyle, 2, 3, 11, 13, 41, 42, 78, 80, 83, 84, 131, 198, 200, 202, 204
limbic system, 112
linguistic part, 14
logical reasoning, 172
long term memory, 55, 121, 125, 128, 141
low libido, 95
Lucy, 192–193
M
MIST (Montreal Imaging Stress Test), 28, 30
MRI, 3–4, 12, 52, 61, 119, 122, 131, 164, 167, 170, 186, 205, 206
Mack, Michelle, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19
marathon, 51, 129, 132, 133, 169, 177, 203
marijuana, 112
Marshmallow test, see Mischel
mathematical thinking, 14, 74, 169, 172
maximum capacity (heart rate), 56, 87
melatonin, 70
memory, 117–143
and BDNF, 102
episodic, 140
and hippocampus, 26
motor, 124
negative, 53
the right prescription for better memory, 143
and weight training, 140
working, 140, 165, 170, 175
memory center, see hippocampus
memory consolidation, 125
memory, short-term, worsening, 27
memory test, 122, 123, 164, 182
mice, 4, 37, 105, 112, 118, 121, 128, 130, 131, 134, 196, 198
mice, ultra-runner, 128
military recruit testing, 172
miracle substance, see BDNF
Mischel, Walter, 74–76
morphine, 109–112, 114
motor cortex, 8, 184
motor memory, 124
Mozart, Amadeus, 152–154
Murakami, Haruki, 146, 151, 154, 158
muscles, 5, 28, 33, 37, 40, 113, 123, 151, 163, 171, 173
mutation, 181
myelin, 168
N
NGF (Nerve Growth Factor), 105
nanny neurons, 36, 40
Nash, John, 157
Neanderthals, 193
negative memories, 53
nerve pathway, 35
neurotic, 108, 109
neurotic, personality, 102
neurogenesis, 134, 135, 137, 141
and depression, 138
neuron, 126
neuroplasticity, 11–17
neurotransmitter, 66, 98, 109
Newton, Isaac, 153–154
nicotine, 100
Nietzsche, Friedrich, 157
noradrenalin, 87, 98, 100, 101, 107
O
obesity, see overweight
occipital lobe, 4, 8
Okinawa, 187
opium, 109–110
Oppezzo, Marily, 149
orbitofrontal cortex, 214
overweight, 104, 106
and children, 164, 166–167
and depression, 106
Oxazepam, 34
oxygen, lack of, 46
P
PET scan, 112
PISA test, 162
PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), 50
painkiller, pain relief, 110
pain, memories of, 133
pain threshold, 114
panic attack, 23, 25, 26, 31, 50, 53, 55
and training, 56, 57
parietal lobe, 8, 10, 61, 62
pattern separation, 137–138
Peek, Kim, 15–17
personality, 74, 80, 82, 98, 108–109
and BDNF, 102
physical education, 162
pineal gland, 70
pituitary gland, 24
Plato, 70
play, 175
and ADHD, 77
point of failure, 123–124, 171
positive-negative axis, 10–11
prefrontal cortex, 31, 40, 74, 75, 112, 167, 178, 179, 194
and running, 112
protein-rich nutrition, 193
prescription for the brain, the right, 208–211
Prozac, 94–101
pruning, see connectivity
psychiatric disorder, 155
R
Ramón y Cajal, Santiago, 126
Ratey, John, 108
reading comprehension, 164, 165, 167, 170, 173, 175
receptor, 68, 110, 112, 156
reptilian brain, 35
reward system, 65–72, 100
roundworm (Caenorhabditis elegans), 210
Rohypnol, 34
runner’s high, 109, 111–114
running, 208
and anxiety, 54
to apply the brakes on the brain’s aging, 189
and concentration, 87
and depression, 115
Russell, Bertrand, 157
S
SSRI (Selective Serotoning Reuptake Inhibitors), 94, 98
Sardinia, 187
Sagan, Carl, 193
Schizophrenia, 155, 157
sedentary, 79, 83, 85, 166, 16
7, 180, 184, 203, 204
selective attention, 61–62
Selective forgetfulness, 132
self-confidence, 33, 41
self efficacy, see belief in one’s own ability
sensory information and dopamine, 71
serotonin, 94, 98, 100, 101, 107, 109, 113, 203
sex, 66, 100
and neurogenesis, 141
short term memory, 27, 55, 92, 125, 141
sitting, 85, 169–170
Sleep disturbance, trouble sleeping, 23, 95
Småland, 187
Social phobia, 50
socialization, 65, 66, 69, 77, 108, 211
spatial navigation, 27
spider, 43–44, 46
stress, 21–57
anatomy of, 35
and children, 170–171
chronic, 27, 32
and depression, 104
fracture, 114
hormone, see cortisol
and muscles, 37–40
relief from, 34
stress system, see HPA-axis
test, see MIST
and weight training, 37
stress and anxiety, the right prescription to rid yourself of, 57
Stroop test, 178, 179
suffocation, 46
Sugar cravings, 49
suicide, 93, 102, 173
supplements, nutritional, 206
survival, 25–26, 38–39, 66, 79, 138, 203
synapse, 126
System 2, 75
T
tarantula, 44
teenage angst, 40–41
temporal lobe, 4–5, 25, 43, 71, 119, 140
tendril, see axon
thalamus, 71, 154–158
the right prescription
to apply the brakes on the brain’s aging, 189
for children and teenagers, 175
to feel better overall, 115
for improved concentration, 87
for improved memory, 143
to increase creativity, 159
to rid yourself of stress and anxiety, 57
Tyson, Mike, 47
U
UF (Uncinate Fasciculus), 35
Ullén, Fredrik, 156
ultra-runner mice, 128
ultra running, 128
Urbach-Wiethe disease, 43
V
Vasa Cross-Country Ski Competition, 206
ventricle, 70
Vinci, Leonardo da, 70
visual attention, 165
visual cortex, primary, 7, 140
visuospatial orientation, 15, see also spatial navigation, brain GPS
vocabulary comprehension, 172
W
walk, 5, 16, 205–206, 208
to apply the brakes on the brain’s aging, 189
weight
and depression, 92
and stress, 48
weight training and memory, 140
white matter, 168–169, 173
against dementia, 182
and memory, 120
to prevent anxiety, 57
Working memory, 140, 165, 170, 175
The Real Happy Pill Page 21