Why five minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday
Why five minutes of daily memory training beats an hour on Sunday: the consolidation neurochemistry that rewards frequency over volume.
The spacing effect: why short, repeated sessions beat cramming
The spacing effect is one of the oldest and most replicated findings in cognitive psychology. Spaced practice yields about double the retention of massed practice.
The 7 types of memory, explained without jargon
Memory is not one system but seven, organized into short-term, long-term, and the working memory that ties them together. A field guide to the categories.
N-back training: does it really improve fluid intelligence?
N-back training is one of the most-studied and most-contested cognitive interventions. Here is what the evidence shows about transfer to working memory and IQ.
How to build a memory palace: a 5-step method that works
The memory palace, also called the method of loci, is the oldest mnemonic technique. Here is the 5-step method backed by the brain-imaging evidence.
Mild cognitive impairment vs. normal aging: how to tell
Most memory changes after 60 are normal aging. A specific subset are mild cognitive impairment. Here is how to tell, and when to see a doctor.
Hearing loss and dementia: what the evidence actually shows
Hearing loss is the largest single modifiable dementia risk factor in the Lancet Commission's 2024 report. Here is what the trials show, and what to do about it.
Exercise and the brain: what aerobic activity actually does
Aerobic exercise grows the hippocampus, raises BDNF, and is the single most-replicated lifestyle factor for cognitive aging. Here is what the trials show.
BrightYears vs. Lumosity: an honest comparison
Lumosity is the most-downloaded brain-training app and was fined by the FTC in 2016. BrightYears is newer and more focused. Here is the honest comparison.
BrightYears vs. BrainHQ: an honest comparison
BrainHQ has 300+ studies and the strongest research base in the category. BrightYears is shorter, simpler, and built for daily use. Which is right for you?
Blood pressure and dementia: what the SPRINT-MIND trial showed
Treating midlife high blood pressure to a target of 120 mmHg reduced mild cognitive impairment by 19 percent in the SPRINT-MIND trial. Here is what that means.
The ACTIVE trial: what cognitive training actually showed
The ACTIVE trial is the strongest evidence in cognitive training. Speed-of-processing training cut dementia risk by 29 percent at ten years. Here is what to know.
What is cognitive reserve, and how do you build it?
Cognitive reserve is the brain's capacity to keep working despite age or pathology. What the evidence shows about building it, and the honest limits.
Why do I walk into a room and forget why?
Why crossing a doorway makes you forget what you came in for: the cognitive science of the doorway effect, and what actually helps you remember.
Why do I forget words mid-sentence? The tip-of-the-tongue state, explained
Forgetting a word mid-sentence is the tip-of-the-tongue state. Here is what cognitive science knows about why it happens, what makes it worse, and what helps.
Sleep is when memory actually moves in
Sleep and memory consolidation: how the hippocampus moves new memories into long-term storage during deep sleep, and what protects the process.
The MIND diet, honestly: what the evidence does and doesn't support
The MIND diet is a Mediterranean-DASH hybrid for cognitive aging. The 2015 observational data was strong; the 2023 RCT was null. Here is the honest picture.
Is brain training a scam? An honest look at what the evidence shows
Brain training is not a scam, but the marketing has been one. Here is what the science actually supports, what it doesn't, and how to tell the difference.
How to remember names: a 4-step method
How to remember names: a four-step encoding method grounded in fifty years of memory research. Hear it, use it, anchor it, retrieve it.
How to improve working memory: what the research actually supports
Working memory is trainable on the trained task. Far transfer is contested. Here is what the evidence supports doing, and what to skip.
How to improve memory after 50: an evidence-based plan
Memory shifts after 50 are normal and partly modifiable. Here is the evidence-based stack: sleep, exercise, sensory health, training, and cognitive engagement.
The best memory training apps in 2026, honestly evaluated
An evidence-based ranking of the best memory training apps in 2026 (BrainHQ, Lumosity, Peak, Elevate, CogniFit, BrightYears) by research and use case.
The 14 modifiable dementia risk factors, explained
The Lancet Commission's 2024 list of 14 modifiable risk factors linked to ~45% of dementia cases, with what the evidence says to do about each.