Soft-Wired, by Michael Merzenich

Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change your Life confirmed my view that the brain is like any other organ in your body--it needs to be exercised otherwise it atrophies. Merzenich is a brain scientist at UCSF and has been studying the brain for over thirty years. He gives a very convincing case that the brain can be modified at any age to improve it efficiency and power.

Although it is still just a theory, he suggests that by exercising your brain you can forestall the onset of Alzheimer's disease and has created a company, BrainHQ, to provide exercises. I plan to get a subscription and try it out.

I read his book because his company is also tackling diseases such as schizophrenia and autism which will be the future focus of my research at work. Perhaps the biggest breakthroughs in these disease will be through computer-based training rather than pharmaceuticals.