Arthur Kramer, PhD - Examining Cognitive and Neural Plasticity (NIH)

Geeky lecture, but very cool. This is from the NIH, so he is talking to fellow researchers, not the general public. But if you hang with it, there is good information.

The video does not work (seems to be an issue with the NIH site), so follow the title link below to watch it at the NIH site. In the meantime, here is the description.

Arthur Kramer, PhD - Examining Cognitive and Neural Plasticity (NIH)

Air date: Monday, February 06, 2012
Category: Neuroscience
Description: Neuroscience Seminar Series

Dr. Kramer is the Director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology and the Swanlund Chair and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in Cognitive/Experimental Psychology from the University of Illinois in 1984. He holds appointments in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience program, and the Beckman Institute. Professor Kramer’s research projects include topics in Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Aging, and Human Factors. A major focus of his labs recent research is the understanding and enhancement of cognitive and neural plasticity across the lifespan. He is a former Associate Editor of Perception and Psychophysics and is currently a member of six editorial boards. Dr. Kramer is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association, American Psychological Society, a former member of the executive committee of the International Society of Attention and Performance, and a recent recipient of a NIH Ten Year MERIT Award. Dr. Kramer’s research has been featured in a long list of print, radio and electronic media including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, CBS Evening News, Today Show, NPR and Saturday Night Live.

Dr. Kramer plans to discuss two distinct but overlapping programs of research that they have been pursuing, in an interdisciplinary fashion, at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois. The first part of the presentation will focus on research which follows from a Center grant from ONR, with their colleague Ann Graybiel (MIT). This research focuses on both understanding and predicting learning and transfer of new skills – from single unit recording in monkeys to human neuroimaging. He'll concentrate on the human research and present some intriguing data both in terms of learning prediction and using brain connectivity analyses to understand practice, training strategy and aptitude interactions. The second part of the talk will focus on a question that Dr. Kramer was asked at a recent cognitive training conference – that is, how they can best engender broad transfer of training – their response being "take a walk". He'll discuss how walking and other physical activities (a treadmill desk, perhaps?) can lead to enhancement of cognitive and brain health across the lifespan.

For more information, visit: http://neuroseries.info.nih.gov

Author: Arthur Kramer, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Runtime: 01:00:06
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