Recent Posts

An Invitation to Step Outside

Personal Perspective: From cable news to TikTok to Instagram, we're assaulted by news and noise vying for our attention. Stopping may not be an option, but how about pausing?

Personal Perspective: From cable news to TikTok to Instagram, we're assaulted by news and noise vying for our attention. Stopping may not be an option, but how about pausing?

Looking to the Past to See the Future

Learning from the past to prepare for the future is critical for the well-being of individuals and societies. For a better future, a historical perspective needs to be cultivated.

Learning from the past to prepare for the future is critical for the well-being of individuals and societies. For a better future, a historical perspective needs to be cultivated.

Lupus and Gut Microbes

Your gut microbiome can trigger an immune response, leading to chronic systemic inflammation and lupus. Here are some tips to tame your immune system and improve brain function.

Your gut microbiome can trigger an immune response, leading to chronic systemic inflammation and lupus. Here are some tips to tame your immune system and improve brain function.

What’s Your Story? How Narratives Shape Sense of Self

Exploring the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and narrative. What does telling your story mean? And can it truly capture who you are?

Exploring the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and narrative. What does telling your story mean? And can it truly capture who you are?

How Sleep Helps the Brain Build Learning Maps

Neuroplasticity and sleep hygiene enhance learning, memory, and habit formation by refining cognitive maps and strengthening neural connections.

Neuroplasticity and sleep hygiene enhance learning, memory, and habit formation by refining cognitive maps and strengthening neural connections.

A Prenatal Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease Risk

Prenatal exposure to neuroinflammation (cytokines) may provide a biomarker for the risk of later development of Alzheimer's disease.

Prenatal exposure to neuroinflammation (cytokines) may provide a biomarker for the risk of later development of Alzheimer's disease.

Our Quest for Ease May Be Bad for Us

The technologies of convenience are sabotaging skills and activities that connect us to the world and to others. The result? Depression, anxiety—and worse.

The technologies of convenience are sabotaging skills and activities that connect us to the world and to others. The result? Depression, anxiety—and worse.

The Healing Power of Life Review

Life review is one healing practice that can increase life satisfaction and lead to peace, contentment, and an understanding of one’s place in the world.

Life review is one healing practice that can increase life satisfaction and lead to peace, contentment, and an understanding of one’s place in the world.

Memories Are Collages of Impressionistic Flashbacks

Can you trust your memories? They hardly ever tell the truth over time.

Can you trust your memories? They hardly ever tell the truth over time.

The Body Keeps the Score. Should We?

All cells, even kidney cells, retain surprisingly detailed memories. How does this affect our everyday life? We will soon find out — but might regret the knowledge.

All cells, even kidney cells, retain surprisingly detailed memories. How does this affect our everyday life? We will soon find out — but might regret the knowledge.

Safeguarding Finances While Caring for Dementia Patients

Is your loved one showing signs of cognitive decline? Here are six tips for preserving financial well-being while managing dementia.

Is your loved one showing signs of cognitive decline? Here are six tips for preserving financial well-being while managing dementia.

In Times of Loss, It's Normal to Rethink the Past

While at any point in time we believe we have a clear picture of our pasts, our pasts are in fact ever-changing. During times of change we come to see our pasts through new lenses.

While at any point in time we believe we have a clear picture of our pasts, our pasts are in fact ever-changing. During times of change we come to see our pasts through new lenses.

Are You Using Your Muscle Memory?

It turns out, according to a compelling new study, that cells in your kidneys and tendons can remember, meaning organs and muscles throughout the body have the capacity to learn.

It turns out, according to a compelling new study, that cells in your kidneys and tendons can remember, meaning organs and muscles throughout the body have the capacity to learn.

Jimmy Carter: An Early Recollection From a Well-Lived Life

Here’s how former President Jimmy Carter’s first memory as a child relates to his life of service to others and worldwide acclaim.

Here’s how former President Jimmy Carter’s first memory as a child relates to his life of service to others and worldwide acclaim.

A Fantastic Year or Just 365 Disappointments?

In between nostalgia and New Year’s resolutions, reflecting on the past to identify a "Groundhog Year" of our life can provide valuable insights for present and future challenges.

In between nostalgia and New Year’s resolutions, reflecting on the past to identify a "Groundhog Year" of our life can provide valuable insights for present and future challenges.

Recognizing Signs of Learning Disabilities in Music Students

Awareness of the signs of a learning disability can be helpful when teaching private music students how to read music.

Awareness of the signs of a learning disability can be helpful when teaching private music students how to read music.

Tips to Manage Memory in Dementia

Should you remind your loved one that they have memory problems? Want to learn how to make people more familiar or stop your loved one from shadowing?

Should you remind your loved one that they have memory problems? Want to learn how to make people more familiar or stop your loved one from shadowing?

I Know I Know It

When someone is in combat with themselves, it often helps if they talk out loud about the war in which they’re engaged.

When someone is in combat with themselves, it often helps if they talk out loud about the war in which they’re engaged.

The Emotional Pull of Places Can Keep Us Stuck

The pull of memories and places can entrap us. Learn how a New Yorker found herself "trapped" in Dakar, Senegal, ever since 1998—and why it can happen to anyone.

The pull of memories and places can entrap us. Learn how a New Yorker found herself "trapped" in Dakar, Senegal, ever since 1998—and why it can happen to anyone.

Don't Let Your Brain Scratch That Overthinking Itch

Rumination is rife with heightened background stress like that over holidays and large social events. Do things to prevent your brain from scratching its itch.

Rumination is rife with heightened background stress like that over holidays and large social events. Do things to prevent your brain from scratching its itch.

Memory and Amnesia

Memories form the foundation of our sense of self. Amnesia—the loss of those memories—can be profoundly disturbing, yet it may have much to teach about memory itself.

Memories form the foundation of our sense of self. Amnesia—the loss of those memories—can be profoundly disturbing, yet it may have much to teach about memory itself.

Research Reveals How Perfectionism Steals Holiday Joy

Research shows perfectionists often find the holidays more distressing than joyful. Fortunately, you can learn to let go of the need to make the holidays perfect and find joy.

Research shows perfectionists often find the holidays more distressing than joyful. Fortunately, you can learn to let go of the need to make the holidays perfect and find joy.

Want to Improve Your Memory? Spend More Time on the Internet

Rather than giving us “brain rot,” as people commonly assume, spending time on the internet may actually strengthen our memory.

Rather than giving us “brain rot,” as people commonly assume, spending time on the internet may actually strengthen our memory.

I Blamed My Ex, but an Old Letter Told Another Story

Personal Perspective: How re-reading a decades-old letter from my ex made me realize my responsibility in our break-up.

Personal Perspective: How re-reading a decades-old letter from my ex made me realize my responsibility in our break-up.

How to Make Your Memories Stick

An emotional response, surprise, and good sleep can all help.

An emotional response, surprise, and good sleep can all help.

The Search for Magic and Goodness at the End of the Year

Personal Perspective: It can be hard to find the spirit of Christmas, but our longing for it tells us it's real.

Personal Perspective: It can be hard to find the spirit of Christmas, but our longing for it tells us it's real.

Dementia's Tragic Promise

Personal Perspective: Watching another descend into dementia is torturous. Such experiences, however, can give rise to vital reflections.

Personal Perspective: Watching another descend into dementia is torturous. Such experiences, however, can give rise to vital reflections.

Can’t Think of a Word or Name? Help May Be a Tap Away

Word-finding can be facilitated by gesturing, or even something as simple as drumming one's fingers on a tabletop.

Word-finding can be facilitated by gesturing, or even something as simple as drumming one's fingers on a tabletop.

Might Mischief Mark the Misremembered Road Less Traveled?

"The Road Not Taken," one of the most famous and most misunderstood poems, may be a metaphor for reconciling life's choices but may also carry a message of cognitive dissonance.

"The Road Not Taken," one of the most famous and most misunderstood poems, may be a metaphor for reconciling life's choices but may also carry a message of cognitive dissonance.

Language Helps You Understand Events You See

You may not realize that you're using language when you watch an event unfold, but new research suggests that you are.

You may not realize that you're using language when you watch an event unfold, but new research suggests that you are.