Theory-Driven Approaches to Cognitive Enhancement

Description

• Contributes to a fundamental understanding and allover view of the external means of increasing cognitive abilities Provides the most up-to-date research on the rapidly expanding field of cognitive enhancement
• Takes an interdisciplinary approach that will appeal to both students and practitioners of psychology, neuroscience, and sports and exercise science

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, Goethe University

“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 

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 the TIME 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.