Dear Voornaam,

It’s the holiday season! As a special gift this year, we are giving you a $30 credit toward BrainHQ. Please use it to buy a gift for a friend or loved one, or toward your own subscription.* Who wouldn’t want a sharper brain? 

Happy holidays from all of us here at Posit Science!

Jeff Zimman, Co-founder
Posit Science

Study: Speed of Processing Training Reduces Dementia Risk
Earlier this month, a study was published showing that a particular brain-training exercise reduced dementia risk by 29% over 10 years. The exercise, now available exclusively as Double Decision on BrainHQ, improves visual attention and increases visual processing speed. Learn more.

Space Travel Changes the Brain
Astronauts often report visual problems and pressure in their heads while in space. A new study suggests that might be because space travel actually changes the shape of the brain—and it’s more common the longer you’re in space. Learn more.

Selfish People Might Be Happier
Research by Dr. Masahiko Haruno shows that people who are “pro-social” (meaning they want an equal distribution of resources) tend to be more stressed and even suffer from depression more often than “individualists” (those who mostly care about getting the most resources for themselves). Find out why.

Can’s Stop Unwanted Thoughts? It Might Be Your GABA
A new study shows that some people are better at controlling unwanted thoughts than others—and that this ability is related to the concentration of a certain neurotransmitter in the brain’s hippocampus. Those with more of the neurotransmitter GABA were better able to inhibit unwanted thoughts. The finding may have implications for the treatment of anxiety and depression. Learn more.

In the Brains of Bees
Despite the small size of their brains, bees can innovate and solve complex problems, says a new study. In the study, bees received a sugar reward if they moved a ball to a specific target. Not only did the bees learn to do so, they figured out which was the best ball to move and an efficient way to move it. Learn more.

Book of the Month
The Toaster Oven Mocks Me (2015)
by Steve Margolis

In this memoir, author Steve Margolis shares his experience of synesthesia—a rare condition in which one type of sensory input produces a response of another type of sense, such as when someone “hears” colors. Margolis concealed his synesthesia for many years, but eventually came to accept and understand it. It’s a funny and fascinating book about being different. Buy on Amazon. (Note that the author recommends purchasing the book in color or on a device that can display color.)