Keep Your Brain Alive: 83 Neurobic Exercises

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Summary: This little book has changed my life. No kidding.
Review: This little book, with such a simple premise, has changed my life. Really. I approach each day with the recommended exercises in mind. It's so surprising how small changes in my routine feel so good and make such a difference. I'm very interested in how these new insights will help me be more productive and content.

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Summary: A very helpful book
Review: What I liked about this book and its system of neurobics is that i can strengthen my brain by doing such seemingly ordinary things as taking a different route to work. It's completely unintimidating...even fun. I wish I could find a diet system that was as simple as this seems to be. I have checked out the science and think this neurobic technique can do for my mind what aerobics is doing for my body.

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Summary: Interesting, thought-provoking, and empowering.
Review: When a 61-year old is given a book like this, one doesn't know whether it should be taken as cautionary or as caring. Putting that aside, I was pleasantly surprised to find an "aging" book that gave me new suggestions for combatting the erosion of my brain power -- something other than the standard jumping jacks and crossword puzzles and "make new friends". The idea that I can tap into the pharmacy in my brain, as the book describes, to stimulate brain cell growth is personally enmpowering. Some of the so-called "neurobic" exercizes are fun, some sound too simple, but overall they allow the reader to understand what's involved so that new exercizes canbe invented.

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Summary: Neurobiologists know: this is pure fiction
Review: Yes, this book does offer a "very interesting explanation of how the brain processes information." Unfortunately, that explanation is not supported by experimental evidence. There really is no data to suggest that poking at produce or walking around a room with your eyes shut is going to induce the production of neurotrophins. Nor that such production of neurotrophins would result in new synapse formation. Nor that those synapses would result in a healthier brain. The arguments presented in this book form a house of cards that rely on premises that have no foundation in scientific fact. Dr. Katz must be calculating that his standing as a respected neurobiologist will be sufficient proof of his unsupported theories. It's unfortunate that he didn't use his intelligence and erudition to bring some real neurobiology to the lay public.