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Outline
Links
RESOURCE CENTRAL
Neurology Now
September/October 2009
Volume 5(5)
p 37-39
Cognitive Exercises
My Brain Games, from the MS Technology Collaborative-a partnership of the National MS Society, Bayer, and Microsoft-is a new series of brain fitness games specifically for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The free online games sharpen players' cognitive skills by testing their processing speed, attention, working memory, and task-switching ability. Players can adjust the difficulty level of each game, as well as customize the text size and colors on the screen to suit their capabilities.
Stephen S. Kirzinger, M.D., assistant professor in the department of neurology and medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the University of Louisville Medical School in Louisville, KY, was one of three healthcare professionals who served as an adviser during the game development process. He helped identify the areas of cognitive difficulty for the MS population-primarily problems with attention, organization, problem-solving, and learning and remembering information-and looked at ways that games might test those aspects.
The goal of the program is to offer MS clients a fun and interactive site where they can test the cognitive abilities and hopefully practice over time, says Dr. Kirzinger. We are hopeful that the MyBrainGames will allow individuals to show some rehabilitation over time by increasing their scores. Patients at all stages of the disease potentially could play the games.
Check out the MyBrainGames at mymsmyway.com/mybraingames .
Here are a handful of other resources for sharpening your cognition:
* Brain fitness Channel from Posit Science: bfc.positscience.com/
* Cogmed Working Memory Training For kids with ADHD: cogmed.com/cogmed/
* HappyNeuron, Inc.: happy-neuron.com/
* My Brain Trainer: mybraintrainer.com/
* Play With Your Mind: PlayWithYourMind.com
Assistance Directory
For a full listing of patient organizations, go to neurologynow.com
HELP FOR ALL NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
TheBrainMatters.org
American Academy of Neurology Foundation's patient Web site thebrainmatters.org
American Academy of Neurology Foundation aan.com/go/foundation
1-800-879-1960
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
ninds.nih.gov
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Alzheimer's Association alz.org
1-800-272-3900
Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center
alzheimers.org
1-800-438-4380
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
alzfdn.org
1-866-232-8484
AUTISM
Autism Society of America
autism-society.org
1-800-3AUTISM (1-800-328-8476)
Autism Speaks, Inc.
autismspeaks.org
212-252-8584
Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership
grasp.org
1-888-474-7277
BRAIN TUMOR
American Brain Tumor Association
abta.org
800-886-2282
National Brain Tumor Society
Braintumor.org
1-800-934-2873
CEREBRAL PALSY
United Cerebral Palsy
ucp.org
1-800-872-5827
DYSTONIA
Dystonia Foundation
dystonia-foundation.org
1-800-377-DYST (1-800-377-3978)
Spasmodic Torticollis
spasmodictorticollis.org
1-888-445-4588
EPILEPSY AND SEIZURES
Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE)
CUREepilepsy.org
312-255-1801
Epilepsy Foundation
epilepsyfoundation.org
1-800-332-1000
HEADACHE/MIGRAINE
National Headache Foundation
headaches.org
1-888-NHF-5552 (1-888-643-5552)
Migraine Research Foundation
migraineresearchfoundation.org
212-249-5402
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE
Hereditary Disease Foundation
hdfoundation.org , 212-928-2121
Huntington's Disease Society of America
hdsa.org
1-800-345-HDSA (1-800-345-4372)
HYDROCEPHALUS
Hydrocephalus Association
hydroassoc.org , 1-888-598-3789
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
MSWorld
msworld.org
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
msassociation.org , 1-800-532-7667
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
msfocus.org ; 1-800-225-6495
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
nationalmssociety.org
1-800-FIGHT-MS (1-800-344-4867)
MYASTHENIA GRAVIS
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America
myasthenia.org ; 1-800-541-5454
NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES
ALS Association
alsa.org; 1-800-782-4747
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association
charcot-marie-tooth.org
610-499-92641-800-606-CMTA (2682)
Kennedy's Disease Association
kennedysdisease.org ; 559-658-5950
Moebius Syndrome Foundation
moebiussyndrome.com
1-660-834-3406
Muscular Dystrophy Association
mda.org
1-800-FIGHT-MD (1-800-344-4863)
Neuropathy Association
neuropathy.org
212-692-0662
Spastic Paraplegia Foundation, Inc.
sp-foundation.org ; 1-877-773-4483
PAIN
American Pain Foundation
painfoundation.org
1-888-615-PAIN (1-888-615-7246)
PARKINSON'S DISEASE & MOVEMENT DISORDERS
American Parkinson Disease Association
apdaparkinson.org
1-800-223-2732
International Essential Tremor Foundation
essentialtremor.org
1-888-387-3667
Lewy Body Dementia Association
lbda.org
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
michaeljfox.org
1-800-708-7644
National Ataxia Foundation
ataxia.org
763-553-0020
National Parkinson Foundation
parkinson.org ; 1-800-327-4545
Parkinson's Disease Foundation
pdf.org
1-800-457-6676
Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
curepsp.org
1-800-457-4777
SLEEP
National Sleep Foundation
sleepfoundation.org
202-347-3471
STROKE
American Stroke Association
strokeassociation.org
1-888-4-STROKE (1-888-478-7653)
Give Me Five For Stroke
giveme5forstroke.org
TOURETTE SYNDROME
Tourette Syndrome Association
tsa-usa.org
718-224-2999
TRAUMA
Brain Injury Association of America
biausa.org
1-800-444-6443
Fibromyalgia Resources
If you would like to know more about fibromyalgia, check out these organizations:
American College of Rheumatology
rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/fibromyalgia.asp
404-633-3777
Arthritis Foundation
ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/DiseaseCenter/Fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia.asp
1-800-283-7800
Fibromyalgia Network
fmnetnews.com
1-800-853-2929
National Fibromyalgia Association
fmaware.org
714-921-0150
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/fibromyalgia/fibrofs.htm
877-22-NIAMS (226-4267)
The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc.
afsafund.org
Online Research Study in Migraine
Cure Together (curetogether.org/Migraine ) is a Web site for patients with chronic pain and migraine that helps them track and compare health data and make informed treatment decisions. Co-founded by scientist Alexandra Carmichael, whose mother has lived with migraine for 30 years, the site is currently recruiting participants for an online study on migraine.
Carmichael is looking for 1,500 patients to report data on their symptoms, treatments, and triggers for migraine by checking off and rating symptoms and treatments on the CureTogether site. It should take 15-20 minutes to complete, and statistics for the study are posted live so you will be able to see them after completing your entry.
To learn more about the study or to participate, please visit curetogether.org/migraine or e-mail Alexandra at alexandra@curetogether.com