Cognitive Self Testing

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jjnz
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by jjnz »

I use
http://www.quantified-mind.com/
and
https://www.humanbenchmark.com/tests/memory
My advice is don't get too carried away with these sorts of tests because
1) Despite test designers best intentions, all tests are learned, you get better at certain types of thinking and memory with repetition.
2) Reaction time testing will vary according to what sort of device you use ( Cellphones with touch screens may be significantly slower)
3) The last thing you want to do is create anxiety, and if you're apoe4 you are already anxious about losing your mind. From my experience my memory is twice as good when I'm in the right mood and have low inflammation, miles better after exercise and miles better when I'm relaxed with high heart rate variability.
So use these tests as a way to warm up your brain, to exercise it, do them daily, do something cognitively different every day, but mind over matter plays here, don't use them to prove to yourself that you're getting worse.
I spent a good three days ( when I had bad inflammation and headaches) beating myself up about how bad my memory was working ( I couldn't remember the names of my old employers or colleagues from a job I had 10 years ago) this included a 1 hour massage where instead of just enjoying it I spent the WHOLE time wracking my brain trying to prove to myself that I couldn't remember things.
5 days later memory seems fine.
If you do the time of day test on humanbenchmark.com you'll probably see there is enormous "variance" to how well your memory works and certainly from my experience exercise and anxiety have the greatest effect. So don't let these tests get you down, use them for what they are, exercises :)
circular
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by circular »

I would have a hard time finding it now, but some years back -- four or five? -- there was a paper showing that the best thing is to do something that requires a lot of synthetic thinking (as in synthesis), although they called it something different. They found that specific cognitives skills naturally improved as a sort of downstream effect among people who were cognitively engaged at these 'higher' levels. I like the idea of using the online games as daily exercise, but I think, without being an expert, that maybe the more synthetic modes of cognitive engagement would be more fruitful overall.
ApoE 3/4 > Thanks in advance for any responses made to my posts.
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Jan
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by Jan »

The "more synthetic modes of cognitive engagement" - I would agree. And I think great examples of that might be: learning a new language (I always have to change my husband's phone keyboard, when I borrow his phone), or formally learning music (as I think Stavia is doing) definitely would qualify.
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jelirn
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by jelirn »

Jan wrote:The "more synthetic modes of cognitive engagement" - I would agree. And I think great examples of that might be: learning a new language (I always have to change my husband's phone keyboard, when I borrow his phone), or formally learning music (as I think Stavia is doing) definitely would qualify.
I'm a newbie, so apologize if this is a dumb question. Does vocal music qualify? Or does it have to be an instrument?
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Jan
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by Jan »

Welcome, jelirn, I'm by no means an expert, so just offering a personal perspective here - I'd say, vocal music certainly could qualify.
I see music, math and language as very much interrelated. What they're trying to get at - again, just in my personal opinion or perspective or interpretation - is using your brain in new and expanding ways.

I play piano "by ear;" have never had lessons. I also sing. I "feel" music in my mind, and it "translates" or "travels" to the keyboard, and I can play it. I can be transfixed by hitting a certain note in singing, and just as transfixed at hearing that certain note on a musical instrument. Each of them translates as "vistas" in my mind.

Here's an article that probably speaks to what I am saying more clearly.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3957486/

excerpt:
"Musical sounds and all other sounds share most of the processing stages throughout the auditory system and although speech is different from music production in several dimensions, musical training has been shown to transfer to language related skills. For example, auditory brainstem responses to stop consonants in musically trained children as young as 3 years is more distinct, indicating enhanced neural differentiation of similar sounds that characterizes adult musicians and later translates into better ability to distinguish sounds in speech. ..."

And ... absolutely no dumb questions on our site.
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CoachDD
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by CoachDD »

Greetings everyone - I wasn't sure where to place this (and if it's beneficial, maybe it should be added to the wiki page?), so I'm sharing here.

I recently met with a Bredesen Protocol trained Naturopath (who I had worked with in the past). I found out that he was recently certified and he shared this intake sheet which allows him to gain insight on a patients' baseline - reviewing this may help some to determine if they should see a BP trained practitioner. I'd love others to pipe in with any feedback on this. . . and I apologize in advance if this is already in the "system" - admittedly, I haven't searched thoroughly through all of the materials and information in the forum.
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Jtmon
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by Jtmon »

From what I have read, the SAGE test is one of the most medically respected tests.
andyful20
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by andyful20 »

I’m new here just attempting to navigate this app and discussion re alzheimers re dr bredenson approach regarding his re code system


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Davida
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by Davida »

andyful20 wrote:I’m new here just attempting to navigate this app and discussion re alzheimers re dr bredenson approach regarding his re code system


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Hi andyful20 and welcome to the Apoe4 community. We're glad that you found this site and hopefully will acquire some helpful information. A lot of new users find the Primer to be a great starting place. It is written by a physician member and provides information on the Apoe4 gene, tips on diet, lifestyle choices, biomarkers to check and prevention strategies. Also our Wiki is a great resource for more in-depth articles such as The Bredesen Protocol. In Wiki, under 10.1 is the "How-To" Get the most out of the website. This I find wonderful in helping to navigate.

Again, a warm welcome and hope to hear more from you!

My best,

Davida
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Richard McG
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Re: Cognitive Self Testing

Post by Richard McG »

What are your opinions on Luminosity guys? Seems somewhat fun and challenging :)
52 years of age, 4/4, BMI ~19, Omad, No cognitive decline as of yet ;)
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