November Is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Business Wire, Nov 2, 2006

Keep Your Mind Fit with Tips from Dr. Small and Radica ' s Brain Games ( TM )

DALLAS -- According to the National Alzheimer's Association, an estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. With ten to 20 million more Americans at risk of developing the disease, National Alzheimer's Awareness Month is the perfect time to learn some tips to improve cognitive function with the help of leading expert Dr. Gary Small and Radica Games Limited, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT).

"It's important to cross-train your brain (TM) by doing regular 'mental aerobics' to improve memory skills and stimulate the brain," says Gary Small, M.D., Chief of the UCLA Memory and Aging Research Center. "By keeping our minds sharp, we are more inclined to stay physically fit and lead the type of healthy lifestyle that will slow down the aging process."

Dr. Small recently partnered with Radica to manufacture and sell an electronic game called Brain Games (TM). The innovative, handheld game features five "brain aerobics" based on Dr. Small's research and bestselling book, The Longevity Bible: 8 Essential Strategies for Keeping Your Mind Sharp and Your Body Young. The game, which will hit store shelves in January 2007, features a free play mode and training mode, and includes games such as Sequence, Flash Card, Thinkfast, Word Hunt and Recall. A scoring system allows players to track their brain-training progress.

"Doing simple mental aerobics like those found in Brain Games can significantly improve memory skills and stimulate the brain," says Dr. Small. "Our studies have found that people with mild memory complaints can practice simple techniques, such as the 'Look, Snap, Connect' method, to improve memory function in just a matter of weeks."

The 'Look, Snap, Connect' method to exercise the brain's memory can be practiced the following way:

* Look - Look is a reminder to focus your attention on what needs to be remembered.

* Snap - Create a visual image or mental snap shot of what needs to be remembered.

* Connect - Connect the mental snap shots with a story to commit to memory.

In addition to brain training, Dr. Small's research shows that simple steps such as those listed below can help enhance memory power and lower one's risk for Alzheimer's.

* Learn an instrument or foreign language

* Play board games, do crossword puzzles or take up a new hobby

* Maintain a positive attitude and cultivate healthy relationships

* Reduce stress and emotional clutter

* Follow a healthy diet and exercise plan

For more information on Dr. Small and his work, please visit www.drgarysmall.com. For more information on Alzheimer's disease please visit the Alzheimer's Association website at www.alz.org.

About Gary Small, M.D.

Gary W. Small is Director of the UCLA Center on Aging and the Parlow-Solomon Professor on Aging. His other UCLA positions include Director of the Aging and Memory Research Center and Memory Clinic at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior; Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; and Director of the Imaging Core of the Alzheimer's Disease Center. Dr. Small invented the first brain scan to show the physical evidence of Alzheimer's disease and brain aging in living patients. Scientific American magazine named him one of the world's top innovators in science and technology.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products, including Barbie[R], the most popular fashion doll ever introduced. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Hot Wheels[R], Matchbox[R], American Girl[R], Radica[R] and Tyco[R] R/C, as well as Fisher-Price[R] brands (www.fisher-price.com), including Little People[R], Rescue Heroes[R], Power Wheels[R] and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than the 30,000 people in 42 countries and sells products in more than 150 nations throughout the world. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.

Editor's note: To schedule an interview with Dr. Small or request photography, please contact Freeman Public Relations at 973/470-0400.