You're building up your memory. You're thinking shaper. You're creating a healthier brain This is your brain on puzzles. It's no secret that puzzles-crossword puzzles, logic puzzles, word puzzles-challenge and entertain us. But exciting new research suggests that they've become more than just a fun pastime. Solving different kinds of puzzles can actually help your brain improve itself and-perhaps just as important-ward off mental deterioration. In The Playful Brain , science happily combines with recreation as leading neuroscientist and bestselling author Richard Restak, M.D.

, and noted puzzle master Scott Kim team up to create a fascinating exploration of how puzzles can change, reshape, and strengthen our brains. Packed with illuminating insights and dozens of puzzles, The Painful Brain investigates the science behind three key areas of brain development: memory, perception, and cognition. And it gives readers the chance to work the puzzles while learning how they're improving their brain. The result is both a lively book of popular science and an engaging set of exercises for developing a wide array of thinking and memory skills. PRAISE FOR RICHARD RESTAK AND SCOTT KIM ' Restak is one of the world's most important scientific thinkers.' - Scientific American 'Dr. Restak is an accomplished science writer with a gift for making complex scientific subjects accessible.' - The New York Times 'Scott Kim is the Escher of the alphabet.

' - Isaac Asimov.