Brain Fitness: Facts and Fiction

Increasing life expectancy and a rapidly aging population have led to an increased effort in a variety of disciplines directed at improving quality of life of seniors through research. Accordingly, there has been a rapidly growing interest worldwide in brain fitness both in the academic world and in the general population. This widespread interest has translated into the development of numerous brain fitness products and services including video games, books, and various classes. The large emerging market for brain fitness applications has fuelled the aging population's interest in taking control of their health. However, the overflowing information and the lack of communication between the academic world and the general population have contributed to a feeling of confusion among the population regarding what they can do to keep their brain healthy. The Café event will consist of brief presentations by health researchers in their respective areas of expertise (i.e., cognitive training, sleep, physical fitness, mental health, and policies and services) followed by interactive discussions with the audience. This event will be a great opportunity for the general population to increase their knowledge about updated health research and ask questions in a relaxed and informal environment regarding a variety of factors that have been shown to contribute to brain fitness. With this event, we hope to increase awareness among the general population regarding the multidimensional nature of brain health by emphasizing not only the importance of mental fitness, but also of physical activity and restorative sleep in the context of strong community infrastructures. This goal will be accomplished by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and opinions between the audience and health researchers and encouraging discussions among the audience at the Café and in their community.