Comments on: Time lost, no intelligence gained

By: Ken

Ken — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:44:25 +0000

There seems plenty of incentive for privately funded research to see what can help the brain.

By: Paula Nelson

Paula Nelson — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:29:30 +0000

If the research is done using my tax dollars (or in England, pounds) I can judge the research based on its outcome, either partially or totally. It seems, however, that an assessment of what the research was trying to accomplish vs. using those same funds to save an actual life is valid criteria. Especially with limited resources.

By: Ken

Ken — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:13:59 +0000

Didn’t say they didn’t help some things, just not intelligence.

As to the merits of the research… if it had proved that this helped people recover or get smarter, it would have been worth it. You can’t judge research totally on the outcome.

I’ll leave alone the implied opportunity to suggest better uses for the time.

By: Paula Nelson

Paula Nelson — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:00:10 +0000

Not sure how to comment on this post:
A) Get off my back, dear. I love my Cross Sums and Sudoku. I long ago mastered both Brain Age versions. It isn’t time “wasted” because I wasn’t trying to improve my intelligence.
B) Just like training your body, you have to push your brain to grow/improve.
C) My grandmother knew that word & number puzzles and solitaire were helping her keep focused and sharp when her Lupus treatments were messing with her cognitive abilities. That was 20 years ago.
D) How much money was spent for this research??!! If it was publicly funded, how many cancer treatments could these same dollars have bought?

By: TR

TR — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:57:32 +0000

When someone discovers how the brain “thinks” let me know. I’ll make sure all correct moral decisions are catalogued!

By: D E

D E — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:06:46 +0000

Your raw intelligence (what IQ tries to measure) is set by early development, yes. However, mental exercises have been shown to be beneficial for things like preventing Alzheimer’s.

The simple fact is that you get better at things you practice, be it problem solving or physical motion.