Theory-Driven Approaches to Cognitive Enhancement

This book provides a comprehensive overview of cognitive enhancement, the use of different substances and actions (e.g., meditation, video game, smart drugs, food supplements, nutrition, brain stimulation, neurofeedback, physical exercise, music, or cognitive training) to enhance human perception, attention, memory, cognitive control, and action in healthy individuals. Chapters contain research on enhancing procedures and activities that will help to further develop enhancement based on individual needs and interests. Chapters also discuss the underlying mechanism of how these means influence and change behaviors and moods. In addition, the book also provides "real-life" examples in which the several means of cognitive enhancement have been successfully applied. It concludes with a call to develop more specific, mechanistic theories to guide cognitive enhancing programs as well as the editor's own tailored-approach proposal for enhancing cognition for individuals.
Featured topics include:

• The effect of caffeine on cognitive abilities.
  
• Aerobic exercise and its short-term and long-term effects on cognition.
  
• The effect, if any, of Ritalin and Modafinil on promoting cognitive enhancement.
  
• Temperature variations and its influences on behavior.
  
• The effect of food supplements across the lifespan.

"Theory-Driven Approaches to Cognitive Enhancement is a must-have resource for psychologists, physicians, sport and exercise scientists, medical scientists, and teachers".
"This book provides a state-of-the-art overview of different aspects of cognitive enhancement. The chapters are very focused, well-structured, in-depth, and rounded up by excellent illustrations. I highly recommend the book to readers interested in the matter".
Dr. Julia Karbach, GoetheUniversity
"It is overall a highly original book on a timely topic, with a fresh approach and rich in practical and societal implications. The book is written in a very clear way and it is a pleasure to read."
Dr. Anna M. Borghi, Sapienza University of Rome

List of contents

Part I: Basic Concepts .- Chapter 1. Introduction.- Part II: Nootropics: Neuroenhancers .- Chapter 2. Nutraceuticals: Food for Thought?.- Chapter 3. Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs: (Psycho)Stimulating the Brain.- Part III: Shockingly Electrical: Noninvasive Brain Stimulation .- Chapter 4. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.- Chapter 5. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.- Part IV: Neural Entrainment: Synchronous Electrical Activity .- Chapter 6. Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation.- Chapter 7. Neurofeedback.- Chapter 8. Binaural Beats.- Part V: Two is Better Than One: Multi-Domain Trainings .- Chapter 9. Video-Game.- Chapter 10. Musical Training.- Chapter 11. Physical Training.- Chapter 12. Meditation.- Part VI: Cognitive Enhancement in Applied Contexts .- Chapter 13. An "Hybrid" Approach to Education.- Chapter 14. Musical Rehabilitation.- Chapter 15. The Case of Air Traffic Control Training.- Chapter 16. The Case of the Dutch Proeftuin.- Part VII: Outlook .- Chapter 17. The Future of Cognitive Enhancement.

About the author

Lorenza Colzato, Ph.D., is Professor by Special Appointment of Cognitive Enhancement at Ruhr University Bochum (Germany). She is also Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Sports and Sport Science at University of Kassel (Germany) and  at  the Institute of Psychological Research at Leiden University (The Netherlands). Dr. Colzato is a recipient of two Innovational Research Incentives Scheme grants (VENI; VIDI)  from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research. These grants are awarded only to "outstanding individuals of exceptional talent and originality who have a great enthusiasm for the conduct of challenging, groundbreaking research." Dr. Colzato is the founding editor and current Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, which publishes articles on enhancement of human perception, attention, memory, cognitive control and action. She published over 150 articles in international peer-reviewed Journals.  Her research has been featured by theTIME and in the Huffington Post US.   
Dr. Colzato's current research activities focus on interventions (e.g., brain stimulation, meditation, physical exercise, life style, or food supplements) aimed at enhancing performance in healthy individuals.   

Summary

This book provides a comprehensive overview of cognitive enhancement, the use of different substances and actions (e.g., meditation, video game, smart drugs, food supplements, nutrition, brain stimulation, neurofeedback, physical exercise, music, or cognitive training) to enhance human perception, attention, memory, cognitive control, and action in healthy individuals. Chapters contain research on enhancing procedures and activities that will help to further develop enhancement based on individual needs and interests. Chapters also discuss the underlying mechanism of how these means influence and change behaviors and moods. In addition, the book also provides “real-life” examples in which the several means of cognitive enhancement have been successfully applied.  It concludes with a call to develop more specific, mechanistic theories to guide cognitive enhancing programs as well as the editor’s own tailored-approach proposal for enhancing cognition for individuals. 
Featured topics include: 

• The effect of caffeine on cognitive abilities. 
  
• Aerobic exercise and its short-term and long-term effects on cognition. 
  
• The effect, if any, of Ritalin and Modafinil on promoting cognitive enhancement. 
  
• Temperature variations and its influences on behavior. 
  
• The effect of food supplements across the lifespan. 

"Theory-Driven Approaches to Cognitive Enhancement  is a must-have resource for psychologists, physicians, sport and exercise scientists, medical scientists, and teachers".  
“This book provides a state-of-the-art overview of different aspects of cognitive enhancement. The chapters are very focused, well-structured, in-depth, and rounded up by excellent illustrations. I highly recommend the book to readers interested in the matter”.
Dr. Julia Karbach, GoetheUniversity 
“It is overall a highly original book on a timely topic, with a fresh approach and rich in practical and societal implications. The book is written in a very clear way and it is a pleasure to read.” 
Dr. Anna M. Borghi, Sapienza University of Rome

Product details

• Authors: Lorenza S Colzato, Lorenza S. Colzato
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2018
• EAN: 9783319861807
• ISBN: 978-3-31-986180-7
• No. of pages: 337
• Dimensions: 155 mm x 19 mm x 235 mm
• Weight: 551 g
• Illustrations: XIX, 337 p. 36 illus., 35 illus. in color.
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Psychology > Theoretical psychology; Meditation, B, Empowerment, Creativity, healthy living, Cognitive enhancement, Behavioral Science and Psychology, Embodied Cognition, cognitive psychology, Individual tailoring, Personal lifestyle