The bad news is that paired associate learning tasks are still very, very average. It took me 3 trials to get the whole list of paired words today in my neuropsychology session, so I obviously need to work on this, but I’m not sure how, or whether it’s just a case of it naturally improving over time with n-back training alone (it has, after all, only been 19 days……) Apparently my performance on it today was in the normal range, but that’s frustrating when the rest of me is performing in the top 1st-2nd percentile.

I still haven’t done any of the matrix type stuff on the WAIS yet, so I’m not sure how my progress on the n-back will be reflected yet in those areas. I can say that the problems associated with having an anxiety disorder may also factor into things, so I’m not sure whether the anxiety issue will end up overriding some of the gains I’ve made with my brain training. My verbal fluency is usually through the roof in online brain training exercises that gauge it, but anxiety completely blocked me during testing this aspect today, affecting my cognitive fluency on the exercise – which I attempted twice, but was still overwhelmed with anxiety.

To me this is not a deterrant so much as a question of how overall training needs to be tweaked in order to attain the desired goal when there are additional monsters to contend with (such as a fully-blown anxiety disorder). The n-back work has had some great results even so far, especially when coupled with the work done at MyBrainTrainer. The two seem to work really well together for me. It has shown me some personal evidence in my own life that neuroplasticity is something real, useful, and powerful. Looking at the significant change in what my brain can cope with as a result of n-back work, I suppose I’m asking the same question (albeit on a more personal plane) that people working in that area are asking – how far can this concept stretch, what are the upper limits of it, and how else can I get my brain to develop the supporting structure that I need to utilise my intellect to its full potential? ie If n-back exercises can bring about positive changes, what else is manipulatable?

It could be exciting to see what else eventuates in labs to test the boundaries of the concept of neuroplasticity, and how that might eventually be incorporated into the current brain training phenomenon.

I did another 19 sessions this morning and I shot back up to 6.15, so, as it’s nice to see I am not permanently brain damaged from partying. And as Martin pointed out, the long term gains are cumulative; so, from what I can see, you’re making excellent progress. The dips are similar to what you’d experience at an actual gym (with dual n back as well as with MBT or any other ‘fluid’ type of intellectual exercise).

Well done on reaching the end of your first training period. You’ve achieved a very rapid score increase and you should not worry about this temporary dip. I think everyone who trains regularly goes through this. I know I do. Sometimes my ability to focus is great and other times not. My scores often vary by a whole point or more depending on how my brain is doing.

It’s only Wednesday and Friday is a long way off for your brain!

You’ve hit on a particularly interesting and beneficial aspect of the training. It gives us remarkable insight into our ability to focus. This is something that we would overlook most of the time. But the dual n-back provides a great way of highlighting just how much our mental condition varies from day to day and even from minute to minute.

So, try not to worry and instead try to relish the work you’ve done and the achievements you’ve made.

Here’s to the next 19 sessions!

Martin