Forgetfulness can be frustrating, but when should we really worry? How can we be sure that this frustrating forgetfulness is a reflection of age-related cognitive decline, or early signs of dementia, or just a passing phase from which we will recover.
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As per the unwritten rule, if something bad is going to happen, it will happen at the worst possible moment. So at one point in our life when we have a lot of obligations, both private and business, it seems to us that we start to lose our mental abilities. We can’t remember the name of our favorite actor, old acquaintances, keys become elusive, for every obligation we have to set an alarm on our phone to remind us, and so on.
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But how can we be sure that this frustrating forgetfulness is a reflection of age-related cognitive decline, early signs of dementia, or just a passing phase from which we will recover. Can forgetfulness even be normal, because after all, we are not robots.
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Neurologist Richard Restak, who published a book at the age of 82 How to Prevent Dementia: An Expert Guide to Long-Term Brain Healthstates that there are much more trivial reasons for memory loss: “Throughout life, stress causes a reduction in normal brain function.”
Of course, it’s impossible to completely avoid stressful things, but what you can choose to avoid, he says, is worrying about getting Alzheimer’s due to mild forgetfulness: “A lot of people get out of the mall and they can’t remember where they are.” have parked the car. Well, that’s normal.”
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You should be more concerned about the version, says Restak, if you leave the shopping center and can’t remember if you came in your own car, if you came by bus or someone drove you.
Restak is apparently still mentally sharp, because in addition to writing books, he still teaches at George Washington University in Washington. But he calmly accepts the slight decline in his abilities that comes with age. He admits that many years ago, when he met a dozen people at the promotion of his book, he had no problem remembering their names, but that today he probably wouldn’t be able to.
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Problems with remembering names can be easily solved. “Memory is based on pictures, not words. “When you associate someone’s name with a picture, the next time you meet them, you will remember their name,” says the professor.
Memory is also often more about paying attention than a cognitive deficit. Returning to the parked car analogy, Restak notes that if something catches our attention in the moment, we will not remember the zone where we left the car. It is much more difficult to pay attention to things that are routine and uninteresting.
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Signs that memory has begun with dementia are much more pronounced, notes Linda Clare, professor of clinical psychology of aging and dementia at the University of Exeter. “It’s a real gap where there shouldn’t be,” she says. “My experience with this is when I told my mother I was moving and found a new house, and she didn’t remember anything the next morning. That’s when I knew for sure that it wasn’t just normal forgetfulness.”
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Prof. Claire recalls another example, a man who, when he got into his car, couldn’t remember what the controls were for. “Those are the times when you absolutely have to see a doctor.” But he admits it’s hard to give precise markers, because a number of conditions other than dementia can cause dramatic momentary lapses in memory — such as urinary tract infections, hormonal imbalances, mini-strokes, depression and anxiety.
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If you experience dramatic memory loss or cognitive changes that are not normal for you, the usual route is to see your GP who will refer you to a neurologist.
“We try to encourage people, if they notice a change in functioning, to go to the doctor,” the professor points out. This is partly because other health problems that cause cognitive symptoms, such as cardiovascular disease that affects blood flow to the brain, could be the cause, but also because medication can help slow the progression of dementia if taken in time.
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But if you’re panicking because you’re getting older and can’t name the actor in the movie you just watched, it’s worth channeling that mental energy into positive action. For example, you might want to start by learning new ways to manage stress. “Try to reduce stress and cognitive function will improve,” says Restak.
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Kler suggests breaking the vicious cycle of worrying about your health by paying more attention to yourself. “It’s not always easy,” he adds. “Obligations do not disappear. But is there a way to get some more sleep or have someone give you a break for an hour or two to do something you want? Small things that fulfill you are worth doing.”
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On the other hand, a mentally demanding job can be beneficial because it keeps the brain nimble and strong and makes a diagnosis of dementia less likely. “Whatever a person can do to stimulate their mental functioning is a good thing,” says Prof. Claire. “We think that complex mental activities are excellent protection.”
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Not that mentally demanding work is a prerequisite for brain health. Restak’s catchphrase for fighting dementia is “cognitive reserve,” which is something you can build up like a muscle. He says: “The brain remains highly malleable throughout the lifespan, and cognitive reserve can be built up from childhood and at any time during the next 70 years.”
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A well-trained brain won’t necessarily prevent dementia, but it can keep you functional longer if you do get the disease. Restak’s best advice is to find something that “viscerally interests you” and give it your all – read, watch movies – “that’s how the mind stays sharp”.
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Learning new things and skills also maintains the brain and is a way of “forming new networks within the brain”. This applies to learning new languages, to musical skills, and is also why you should keep up with new technology instead of letting others do it for you.
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Reading a novel is another move to build cognitive reserve. “They demand a lot more in terms of cognitive functioning than some technical book that you can read from the chapters that interest you,” notes Restak. “You can’t read a novel like that.” You have to remember the plot, the characters, follow the text and subtext and use your imagination.
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Novels and puzzles require working memory. “Working memory is related to intelligence quotient,” adds the professor. “If you have strong working memories, there’s no way you’ll have dementia.”
The medical definition of dementia is a loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other cognitive abilities that is severe enough to affect daily life.
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“So if you have enough working memory to learn and name, say, the names of the presidents from World War II to the present day, it can be categorically said that you are not demented,” Restak says. “If you don’t follow politics, listing the players of your favorite football team by position or alphabetically would be just as good.”
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Along with reducing stress and maintaining mental agility, sleep—especially naps—is your memory’s friend. “Laboratory studies confirm that naps reinforce already learned information,” Restak writes. “When we first learn something, that knowledge goes to the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for initial memory formation. When we nap, hippocampal activity matches the pattern of activity that occurred when we learned new information. This is called neural reproduction.”
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However, sleep problems often increase with age. Restak states that: “Daytime sleep can be helpful in regulating nighttime sleep.”
None of this advice comes with guarantees. “You can’t take a particular person and predict whether or not they will get Alzheimer’s based on their lifestyle. Genetics play a big part, but these steps will reduce the odds.”
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Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption is another matter, notes the professor. “Everyone knows that alcohol is harmful, but you have to live. If one drink a day makes you feel better, I’d say it’s good. Make up for it with other ways to prevent dementia, like getting plenty of exercise and eating a healthy diet.”
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There is also increasing evidence that preserving memory is as important as caring for cardiovascular health and hearing, as well as maintaining intense social contacts.
Just as it’s never too late to build our cognitive reserve, it’s never too late to improve our overall health. “Making changes to benefit your health, at any stage, has an impact,” points out Professor Claire. “Even if you start exercising when you retire, that will be beneficial too. Do whatever you can to make things right – we’re never a total lost cause.”
Source: www.sitoireseto.com
