It's a new chore to juggle this plethora of passwords and PINs, but
that juggling also creates new opportunities, Epstein says.
"Instead of having to remember phone numbers and birthdays, we must
learn how to operate all the devices," he says. "Yes, we become
more reliant on the machines, and we can lose certain skills. But
we are not evolving out of our ability to remember." He sees
Ciesinski's challenge - all that finding and operating - as a
different kind of brain exercise: "As long as we nurture our memory
in other ways, there isn't a problem."
UCLA's Small believes that mental aerobics, physical exercise, and
a good diet go a long way toward ensuring that the 100
billion or so brain cells in each person function efficiently [see
"Food For Thought" below]. He also agrees that packing data into
electronic devices isn't necessarily a bad thing. "With the amount
of information we're confronted with in today's world, it is
essential to find ways to manage and cope," he says. "Ideally,
these devices allow us to use our memories for other, more
important things."
food for thought
although there's a genetic component to memory,
ucla professor dr.
gary small says that it's only about one-third of the package. "the
other two-thirds involves lifestyle choices, including diet and
exercise," he says.
one of the problems with the human body is that aging causes dna to
break down. so-called antioxidants - abundant in green leafy
vegetables, citrus, berries, raisins, and other fruits and
vegetables - can keep the brain humming, small notes. others have
promoted supplements, such as ginkgo biloba, which may help
increase blood flow to the brain, and huperzine a, an herbal
extract that may keep neuro-transmitters functioning well.