Improve Brain Memory.. Tips for a good & Sharp Brain Memory.

A good memory can help you ace a test, work a crossword puzzle, and figure out complex computer programs. But can your lifestyle affect your ability to remember?
"It reduces memory performance. It reduces your ability to pay attention to things," says Dr. Charan Ranganath, associate professor at the University of California at Davis.

 get enough sleep. While you rest, your brain's two memory systems -- the hippocampus and the neo-cortex -- talk to each other.
"Sleep is very, very important to consolidate information that we learned the day before," says Dr. Eric H. Chudler, associate professor in the department of bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle.
"Social stimulation, for one thing, will get you more alert and aroused," says Dr. Ranganath.
One report showed talking to another person for just 10 minutes led to significant improvement on memory tests. Researchers say pets count as companions, too.

Also: try neurobics.
"The truth is, the brain is like a muscle, because the more you use the brain, the more effective it is," says Dr. James McGaugh, neurobiologist at the University of California, Irvine.
The idea is to challenge it in unexpected ways. Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, closing your eyes to find your keys in your purse, or reorganizing your desk.
"Anything that you can do to engage the brain is going to make the brain work a little better," says Dr. McGaugh.
Researchers who followed nearly 500 people for 21 years found that ballroom dancing was the most protective physical activity. It reduced dementia risk by 76 percent.
"The adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks really isn't true," says Dr. Chudler.
Researchers say nutrition is also important for a good memory, but there's no scientific proof that supplements like ginkgo biloba or other popular vitamin blends work.
They also say crossword puzzles and games like Sudoku can't hurt, because anything that challenges your brain and keeps it active is useful.

BACKGROUND: You spend your whole life forming memories, but your ability to remember them starts slipping away as early as age 25. Researchers say one reason is a shrinking region of the brain called the hippocampus. This area has been linked to dementia and stress disorders. In a recent study, researchers examined the size of the hippocampus in brains with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and no memory problems. They found patients with smaller hippocampi and higher rates of shrinkage in the brain area were two- to four-times more likely to develop dementia. Only one in 200 people live past the age of 90 without developing dementia. The good news is research shows there are ways to reclaim memories.

MUSIC: A recent study found the region of the brain where past memories are supported and retrieved is also the place that links familiar music, memories and emotion. That region is called the medial prefrontal cortex. In the study, each participant recognized about 17 out of 30 music samples, and about 13 of those brought back a strong personal memory. "When you're hearing one of these pieces of music that's evoking these memories, the memory is unfolding in time," Petr Janata, associate professor of psychology, told Ivanhoe.

NICOTINE: Following earlier research showing the memory benefits of nicotine in rats, researchers conducted a small study involving 80 Alzheimer's patients who were given a pill containing a compound that stimulated nicotine receptors on the brain. After taking the pill once a day for eight weeks, the patients performed better on tests of long-term memory, working memory and speed of cognitive processing. A recent animal study also found nicotine may help dementia patients retain their memory for as long as an additional six months.

BRAIN GAMES: A study being conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Irvine, suggests people who spend three hours or more of their day doing certain mentally-involved activities like card games may be at reduced risk for developing dementia. The study is one of a select few that provides scientific evidence to support the benefits of these types of games on memory.