Test Your Brain Power

There are 2 clocks.  The red clock is broken, the hands never move.  The blue clock runs, but loses a second every 24 hours.  Which clock tells the right time more often?

Answer:  The Red Clock

Reason: The red clock will be correct twice a day whereas the blue clock correct when it is set and then again in 118 years when it has lost 12 hours.

There were several guests who voted for the correct answer, congratulations!  Please comment to this post with your email adress (the comments will not be published) so that we can choose a winner.

There are some normal effects of aging on the brain that everyone experiences - forgetfulness, learning new things is a little more difficult, it takes longer to recall information like names and dates.  For people who develop Alzheimer’s Disease, the effects are more severe and there are more of them.  Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that directly impacts behavior, memory, and thought processes.

Possible contributing factors to developing Alzheimer’s are believed to be a long history of high blood pressure, a history of head trauma, genetic predisposition, and elevated homocysteine levels.  Women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s because they tend to live longer, which gives them more time to develop the disease.

As Alzheimer’s progresses, symptoms increase and become more severe.   At first, it is often difficult to distinguish lzheimer’s from the normal effects of aging.  Symptoms in the first stage include repeating statements and questions, difficulty naming familiar objects, changes in personality, loss of interest in activities enjoyed before, frequently misplacing things, and getting lost on familiar routes.  Symptoms become more obvious as the disease advances.  Symptoms that are already present become more severe and new symptoms can include forgetting events from personal history, hallucinations, difficulty performing every day tasks, forgetfulness about recent events, and difficulty selecting appropriate attire.  In the final stages of Alzheimer’s, symptoms are the most severe.  People in the end stages of Alzheimer’s lose the ability to understand language, do not recognize family members like spouses and children, and cannot perform basic tasks independently like eating, bathing, and getting dressed.

These symptoms and more are caused by physiological changes in the brain.  As the disease progresses, communication between the different parts of the brain are disrupted by neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles,  and senile plaques.  Neuritic plaques are clusters of nerve cells that are dead or dying, other brain cells, and protein that form in the brain.  Neurofibrillary tangles are twisted protein fragments that clog the nerve cells from within.  Senile plaques the byproducts of nerve cells dying have accumulated with protein fragments.  These build ups in the brain disrupt the neural transmissions that make it possible for us to think, speak, move, and function in general.  While these may be found in any aging brain, they are found in very high levels in a brain suffering from Alzheimer’s.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, nor is there a proven method of prevention.  Studies performed on preventing Alzheimer’s have been inconsistent and inconclusive.  It is beleived that a healthy lifestyle that includes a well balanced diet, no smoking, and regular physical exercise can all at the very least help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s.  Some studies have indicated that folic acid, vitamins B3, B12, and C, as well as the spice turmeric may all help prevent the accumulative damage to the brain that is associated with Alzheimer’s.  Regular participation in intellectual activities like crossword puzzles, board games, strategy games, playing a musical instrument, and learning a language can all help minimize the build up of the tangles and plaques that are the root of the Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.  Even if all these steps do not help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s, they can’t hurt either.

The onset and progression is a frightening and frustrating experience for the person suffering from it as it is for the people close to the affected person.  In the years since it was first discovered by Dr. Alzheimer in 1906, support groups have developed for both the people suffering from it and their family members.

Here are some useful web sites for learning more about Alzheimer’s and finding support:

• Alzheimer’s Association
• Alz Online
• Pro Health
• Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
• Elder Care Link

Word ladders, which were originally invented by Lewis Carroll, are word games that involve making changes to a word one step at a time until a new target word is created.  For instance, a word ladder from CAT to DOG might look like this: CAT -> COT -> DOT -> DOG.  Some word ladders include clues for each step of the ladder, for others you need to figure it out for yourself each step of the way.

Periodically I will post word ladders.  These word ladders will have clues for each step up the ladder.  For this word ladder, you will need to change one letter each time.

Highlight in the space below for the answers.

CEASE

LEASE

LEASH

LEACH

PEACH

PERCH

PARCH

PATCH

Here are some trick questions to get your brain working.  To view the answer, highlight the blank area below the question.

Why are 2009 pennies worth more than 2008 pennies?

Because there is 1 more penny in 2009 pennies than 2008 pennies.

What is an eleven letter word that is always spelled incorrectly?

Incorrectly

I can go up a chimney down but not down a chimney up.  What am I?

An umbrella

There are 6 apples and you take away 4.  How many do you have?

4

If it is 20 cents for one and 40 cents for twelve, how much for one hundred twelve?

60 cents - for the house number 112

An electric train takes 10 minutes to get up to full speed.  At full speed the train is moving north at 100 mph.  The wind is blowing to the west at 10 mph. Which way does the smoke blow when the train is at full speed?

No direction, there is no smoke from an electric train.

There was a show on TV recently that dealt with the way the two halves of our brains communicate with each other and how that communication affects our actions.  The Show was House M.D. on the Fox network, the episode was “Both Sides Now.”  The patient in the episode was a young man who had undergone brain surgery that severed the communication between the left and right hemispheres in his brain in order to stop the seizures he was having.  He is now having trouble controlling his left arm, it is throwing things at people and lashing out.  The doctors think that his brain may be trying to reestablish communication between the two hemispheres.  One of the tests they do is to flash words on screens, one screen is only visible to the left brain the other to the right.  The words that the left brain can see, the patient is able to say out loud, the words that the right brain can see, he can’t say, but can draw.

This demonstrates one of the key differences between right and left brain functions - the left brain recognizes the words, the right brain recognizes the meanings.  The surgery that the young man had is something that is done, though rarely, to stop seizures called corpus callosotomy.  The corpus callosum is the connection between the two hemispheres of the brain that allows them to communicate.  Since language and communication are the domain of the left brain, there is very little perceptible change in the way a person who has had a corpus callosotomy interacts with the world.

Here are two interesting sites to visit to learn more about the effects of communication disruption between the right and left hemispheres of the brain:

Video Split Brain Behavioral Experiments

Interactive demonstraion http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/split-brain/index.html

A king wanted to divide his riches between his three sons.

He said, “I have 21 identical, equally large chests - seven of them are filled to the top with gold coins, seven are filled halfway with gold coins, and seven are empty.  The gold in them is yours if you can divide it equally among yourselves following these three rules. You must each have the same amount of gold. You must each have the same number of chests.  You may not take gold out of any of the chests.”

There are two possible solutions. What are they?

Stumped? Here’s a hint:

For both solutions 2 of the brothers will have as many empty chests as they do full chests.

Solutions:

For both solutions, each son gets 7 chests and 3 1/2 chest worth of gold.

Solution 1:

1st son gets: 1 full chest, 5 half-full chests and 1 empty chest

2nd son gets: 3  full chests, 1 half-full chest and 3 empty chests

3rd son gets: 3  full chests, 1 half-full chest and 3 empty chests

Solution 2:

1st son gets: 2  full chests, 3 half-full chests and 2 empty chests

2nd son gets: 2  full chests, 3 half-full chests and 2 empty chests

3rd son gets: 3  full chests,  1 half-full chest and 3 empty chests

A rope ladder hangs over the side of a boat, the end touching the water. The rungs are 1 meter apart and the tide is rising 50 centimeters every hour. How many rungs will be covered after 5 hours?

The correct answer is 0 - none of the rungs would be under the water.  Boats float, so the boat will rise with the tide and the ladder will stay with only the end touching the water.

One person, a guest, select 0 as the answer.  Please comment back to this post with your email address (the comment will not be published) so that we can get you your prize.  Congratulations!

Our brains need a steady stream of fuel in order to function properly.  This fuel come in the form of glucose which our bodies get from carbohydrates.  Our brains use 20% of the energy our bodies create from carbohydrates and the demand continues around the clock.  When there are not enough glucose for the brain to function properly, it experiences an energy crisis which can result in effects as harmless as clouded thinking or as severe as seizures.  Carefully choosing which carbohydrates we consume can have an effect on how our brains function.  Loading up quickly on simple carbohydrates may result in an initial boost, but can end up causing energy deprivation.  Complex carbohydrates offer a long lasting energy supply and do not cause an energy crisis for our brains.

Fuel and Function

Glucose

In order to function properly, our brains need a steady stream of glucose.  Unlike the cells in the rest of our body, neurons cannot store glucose.  This means that the bloodstream is the only supplier of glucose to the brain, a drop in blood sugar levels means a drop in the fuel supply for the brain.  When there is not enough glucose in the bloodstream, the brain goes into an energy crisis.  There are several ways this energy crisis can manifest itself.  The least severe of the manifestations is clouded thinking or trouble concentrating.  As the energy crisis continues it is possible to loose consciousness as the brain further looses the ability to sustain proper function.  At the most severe end of the spectrum, an energy crisis can lead to seizures.  The brain’s demand for fuel doesn’t stop when we are asleep either.  The neurons need the energy for the growth and repairs that take place while we sleep.

Carbohydrates

There are two basic groups of carbohydrates - simple and complex.  Simple carbohydrates are short chains of glucose molecules that enter the bloodstream quickly.  Complex carbohydrates are longer chains that take more time to break down into the smaller chains that enter the bloodstream.

Simple Carbohydrates

Simple Carbohydrate

The simple carbohydrates, like those found in refined and processed foods, are short chains that are easily broken down for the energy.  Sodas, table sugar, honey, candy, and frosting are examples of simple carbohydrate sources.  When we consume simple carbohydrates, they are absorbed by the bloodstream directly from the stomach.  While there may be an initial boost in energy and brain function, the high level of sugars in the bloodstream has two results.  The first is that this short term energy source runs out quickly as there is not a steady stream of it being released into the blood.  The second is that a high level of sugar in the blood triggers the pancreas to make more insulin to help remove the sugar that isn’t needed at the moment.  The increased insulin levels do not go down as soon as the rush of sugar has ended which results in too much sugar being removed from the blood and a reduction in the energy being delivered to the brain.  A prolonged cycle of short bursts of high sugar levels can eventually result in type 2 diabetes, which further impacts brain function by a narrowing of the arteries and a restriction of blood flow to the brain.

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex Carbohydrate

The complex carbohydrates, like those found in natural foods and whole grains, are longer chains that are more difficult for the body to break down into the short chains carried by the blood for energy.  The liver breaks down complex carbohydrates over time, gradually releasing the energy into the bloodstream.  This helps maintain a consistent blood sugar level, thereby delivering a steady stream of energy to the brain.  As a result of the reliable energy source, the brain is able to maintain proper function and we do not experience the difficulty focusing or thinking that can often be found after the sugar rush from simple carbohydrates is over.  Clearly, a diet consisting of complex instead of simple carbohydrates is best for maintaining proper brain function.

Sources of Complex Carbohydrates

Foods that have a low glycemic index provide out bodies with complex carbohydrates.

• Beans
• Carrots
• Chick peas
• Lentils
• Milk
• Potatoes
• Whole grain bread, cereal, and pasta
• Yams
• Yogurt

A man needs to transport a fox, a goose, and a bag of grain across a river.  He has a boat but it is only big enough for him and one of the three.  He has to be careful which two he leaves together - the fox will eat the goose and the goose will eat the grain.

How can he get all three across the river without the goose being eaten by the fox or the grain being eaten by the goose?

Stumped?  Here’s a hint:

On one of his return trips, he brings one of the three back with him.

Here’s the answer:

Trip 1: He takes the goose, leaving the fox and the grain together

Return 1: Back with an empty boat.

Trip 2: He takes the fox

Return 2: Back with the goose.

Trip 3: He leaves the goose and takes the grain

Return 3: Back with an empty boat.

Trip 4: Takes the goose across, now all 3 are across the river.

Hannah loves her name, and likes to say “Was it a car or a cat I saw?” What is her favorite city?

Answer: Saxet, Texas

“Hannah” and “Was it a car or a cat I saw” are both palindromes - words, numbers or phrases that are the same frontwards as backwards.  “Saxet, Texas” is also a palindrome, making it Hannah’s favorite city.