Richard Restak

Discover the Influences of Social Media, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Climate Change, Stress, and More on Our Brains and Behavior Unique to the Twenty-first Century. During the past twenty-five years, we’ve encountered powerful influences for good and bad on brain function and even brain structure. Consider the changes that have already taken place in how we communicate. During the last half of the twentieth century, images displaced words as the common parlance of communication. On the nightly news we’ve become accustomed to watching images drawn from video cameras used by law enforcement and, thanks to a proliferating number of cellphones, everyday use. Yet AI is turning the traditional dynamic that images carry more weight than words (“seeing is believing”) upside down because we now have to question the authenticity of images. We are finding ourselves forced to adjust to a world where what we see is not always what’s really happening. Next, consider the effects of our changing environment on our brains and our behavior. There is good reason to believe that a link exists between an increase in global temperature and suicide. Wildfires, becoming more and more common thanks to climate change, affect air quality, which is often undetectable by the average person until it reaches toxic levels. Studies have proven that wildfire smoke is affecting our brains and potentially causing disease. Perhaps the greatest twenty-first century contributor to changes in brain function is stress. Due to many factors explored in the book, it’s likely that levels of mental and emotional instability are on the horizon that can only be fully understood by focusing on the changes in the human brain brought about by these unparalleled levels of stress. The brain is always evolving. The 21st Century Brain will describe those influences on brain and behavior that are unique to this century, as well as available preventive measures to mitigate some of these factors. This book is a quintessential study on how our brains are uniquely changing in the twenty-first century, as well as a guide to the personal and collective measures that can be taken to eliminate these factors or reduce their impact.

A RENOWNED BRAIN EXPERT SHARES THE SIMPLE TRICKS THAT WILL FUTURE-PROOF YOUR MEMORYMemory gets worse with age - right? A fact of life. But what if we told you that wasn't necessarily true? That memory decline isn't inevitable. In The Complete Guide to Memory, renowned neurologist and bestselling author Dr Richard Restak distils the wisdom of an entire career into a one-stop guide to the science of memory. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience, case studies, famous anecdotes and more, he offers tips and tricks for anyone who wants to strengthen their memory, protect themselves from diseases like Alzheimer's and think smarter. Learn how to boost your memory through techniques like:-Mind mapping and making lists-Reading more novels than non-fiction-'Chunking' several pieces of information together to make them easier to remember-Choosing manual methods over technological solutions like phones and GPSPacked full of information for anyone curious about the power of their memory, this is the only guide you need to train your memory and make it stronger.

The comprehensive guide to preventing Alzheimer's and other thinking disorders, from the leading authority and bestselling author of The Complete Guide to Memory, Dr Richard Restak. According to the WHO, Alzheimer’s ranks as the seventh leading cause of death globally. By 2050, or earlier in the absence of a breakthrough, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s is projected to reach 12.7 million people. But the more you know about dementia, the more tools you’ll have to prevent or delay its onset – and the more thoughtfully you’ll be able to understand and interact with loved ones living with the condition. In How to Prevent Dementia, top neurologist Dr Richard Restak arms us with practical advice for how to reduce the risk factors - from better sleep, diet, regular exercise and physical activity to the importance of maintaining social networks and intellectual stimulation, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of new medicines. Dementias exist on a continuum and by understanding the steps we can take to lessen the odds of developing disease, the illness becomes less anxiety-inducing to comprehend, and we change our understanding of thinking, forever.

A comprehensive guide to preventing Alzheimer’s and other thinking disorders from bestselling author and renowned authority Dr. Richard Restak! How to Prevent Dementia begins with the principle that the more we know about dementia, the easier it is to prevent or delay it. A better foundation of knowledge also helps people to understand and interact thoughtfully with family members and other loved ones who may have Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Dr. Restak examines the basic thinking of normal everyday people and progresses to people with thinking disorders. In understanding that dementias exist along a continuum, starting with perfectly normal performance and ending at the extremes of mental dysfunction, we learn how our attention to everyday habits, choices, and behaviors can affect where we are located along that continuum, as well as whether or how we will progress from one part to another. As can be gleaned from recent reports, researchers may be on the cusp of a meaningful treatment or cure for Alzheimer’s. Dr. Restak also helps the reader to grasp both the positive and challenging consequences of the new medications that will soon be available. At the end of the book, the reader will understand what practical steps can be taken each day to lessen the odds of dementia and how to take advantage of new medications, while gaining a better understanding of thinking and what it is like to have it falter.

A comprehensive guide to understanding how memory works, how memory forms, the mind-body connection, and more! In the busy, information-filled world in which we live, it’s often easy to forget things and hard to keep track of how details get stored in our brain. The Complete Guide to Memory serves to provide a one-stop resource that covers the essentials on memory. World-renowned memory expert, Dr. Richard Restak, addresses the following topics in detail: How memories formThe different kinds of memoryChanges in brain structureThe mind-body connectionThe relationship between memory and emotional regulationAnd much more! With tips and tricks to manage memory well for people of all ages and personal examples of the techniques used, this book leaves no stone unturned.

Neurologist and bestselling author Dr. Richard Restak shares research and advice to help better understand how aging affects the brain, as well as practical tips on how to retain peak mental ability as you grow older. Filled with specific advice and simple exercises, this groundbreaking guide from acclaimed neurologist Dr. Richard Restak draws on scientific research to help maintain and increase brain power at any age. Explaining that the key to peak mental ability is keeping the brain active, Dr. Restak provides thirty practical suggestions that will bring a new and positive approach to mental fitness into your life. Helping reawaken intellectual curiosity, understanding the role of genetics and diet in staying mentally fit, and shattering myths about Alzheimer's, strokes, insomnia, and depression, Older and Wiser is the guide you need to keep your brain operating at peak levels.

This is your brain on puzzles. Everyone knows that puzzles can improve your brain function. Now a leading neurosurgeon and a noted puzzle designer team up to reveal the fascinating science behind it. Packed with illuminating insights and dozens of puzzles, this is both a lively book of popular science and an engaging set of exercises in developing a wide array of thinking and memory skills.

Integrating the latest research into brain science and psychology, the author introduces a program for enhancing one's cognitive abilities, organizing thoughts and ideas, strengthening sensory capacities, and developing memory.

" A wise and compelling guide . . . the true fountain of youth."—Dr. Stephen R. Covey author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People The acclaimed life plan for good health, fulfilling relationships, and financial security The brain-body connection is the interaction among three factors: the health of your brain, your attitude, and your physical health. In this breakthrough guide to a longer, better life, authors David Mahoney and Richard Restak, M. D., draw on state-of-the-art brain-body research to demonstrate the vital importance of handling stress properly, lifelong education and mental activity (use it or lose it!), the social connection, physical exercise, and rearranging your brain's hardwiring toward optimism. Featuring 31 practical, essential tactics, The Longevity Strategy is a user's manual for the best years of your life. "This book brings us good news: the more we use our brains, the more likely we need not retire." — James Watson, Ph. D., winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine "I learned the hard way about the validity of the brain-body connection. The Longevity Strategy will make it a great deal easier for you to learn just what it means, too."—Mike Wallace "Superb . . . chock full of practical scientific knowledge that can help one become and stay healthy, wealthy, and wise."—Bart Kosko, Ph. D., author of Fuzzy Thinking "Intelligent, witty, and informative."—Leon Cooper, Ph. D., winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics