Additional brain tips
For at least 2 years before my husband, Dave, was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia, I was reading books on improving memory, nutritional books on healthy eating for the brain, watching documentaries on the brain and making pages of notes. Some of the notes from a PBS program with Dr. Daniel Amen, a neuroscientist, and author of several books such as ‘Change Your Brain, Change Your Life’ and ‘Making a Good Brain Great’ were:
- Nobody knows when and how much we grow new neurons (brain cells and pathways) after age 2
- “1 hour aerobic exercise will dial up a new rate of neurons”-more effective than crosswords; increases blood flow to the brain and releases endorphins–happier and clearer mind
- increased difficulty in physical challenges will increase brain growth
- turn on PLASTICITY switch (activates more areas of the brain) when we change our routines; as simple of brushing your teeth with your opposite hand; step out of comfort zone
- learning changes ‘physiology’ of brain; every time we think, learn and feel we are activating synapses
- as we age: 1. lose mass in our brain; the sulcus are wider and there is more fluid in the brain ( as my husband’s brain deteriorates, it is replaced with fluid) 2. loss in synapses (nerve cells to communicate with each other) due to decreased level of neurotransmitters (in FTD they are low in serotonin–the happy chemical); 3. lose myelin, which insulates the nerve wires in the brain; 4. decreased speed of recall 5. increased fear of falling; as we age people look at their feet because of their fear; their usual balance receptors trained since a baby with head in an upright position are not used. People who look down use their eyes or vision for balance and their reference point is the ground…therefore a higher risk of falling because their eyes are training them to the ground
- Distractors for not remembering things–eg.loud noises, crowded places, people clapping and alcohol
- NEGATIVE plasticity—less agile, more rigid in habits and routines; increase in worry centers; obsessive compulsive; Note: as adults we rely on what we have learned and therefore turn off our plasticity switch
- learn something new EVERY day; challenge yourself (learn new dance steps, stay active, learn more about the computer or photography)
- minimize reading the newspaper or listening to the news—bad news increases stresses and decreases mood, which decreases memory
CONCLUSION: Scientists know less than 20% of our brain’s potential. From the latest research and through my personal experience,we can continue to improve our memory as we age. It won’t happen without working on it, but at least the findings are more hopeful than a decade ago.
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© 2010 Holly Eburne