I was reading a government report on aging related statistics, and was intrigued to note that about 15% of men aged 65+ report memory loss compared with only 11% of women of the same age group and the gap widens significantly after the age of 85. So I ponder….why is it that women have a higher propensity to take preventative measures to engage in brain training at higher rate then men, with a view to staying sharp and deferring decline? So here’s a brain teaser - which is the cause and which is the effect? Interested in your thoughts…

A few days ago I got quite a chuckle at an article on aging and memory by David Brooks of the New York Times and thought to share it with you. David claims this will be the Century of the Bad Memory and in the era of an aging population, memory is the new sex. To read the article you need to register (free) for online access to the New York times, but you are sure to relate to the article and  have a few chuckles in the process. Worth it if you consider that laughter is also a positive contributor to brain health. Read on here….

Stress is the condition or feeling experienced when the demands pressing upon an individual exceed the personal coping skills and social resources he or she can mobilize. As we all know, stress plays a prominent role in our daily lives, generally evoking negative associations. Aside from being associated with heart disease, a weak immune system, headaches and sleepless nights, stress is also associated with mental health problems.

There is considerable evidence that cognitive performance changes when we are under stress. In the short term, acute stress can serve to enhance some types of mental functioning, an aspect of the “Flight or Fight” scenario posed by William James over 100 years ago. However, unrelieved chronic stress can produce deleterious cognitive changes including problems with thinking, memory, concentration and behavior. These changes can influence many parts of our lives, such as our ability to work or even to complete everyday tasks (i.e. driving, cooking, taking care of others).

Symptoms of stress also include depression of intellectual functioning, cognitive distortions and misinterpretations of situations, events and interpersonal exchanges (Beck, A. T., & Clark, D. A., 1997). In addition, people that are overstressed may have ruminative and unproductive patterns of thinking and indecisiveness. They worry and anticipate that “something bad” will happen and fear that they are losing control. They become distractible, impatient, and easily irritated. Further, memory can be impaired (Newcomer J.W. et al., 1999) and there is a tendency to engage in negative, unrealistic and pessimistic thinking patterns. Take stress seriously!

Have you ever wondered why you remember so vividly that argument you had with your boss 3 months ago or the first time you kissed your husband or wife?

If yes, you may have thought that your memory for these events was vivid because they occurred when you were experiencing a strong emotion: anger or happiness.
And you were right! Emotionally charged events are usually much better remembered than less emotionally charged events.
But why would that be the case?

A study published this month seems to have the answer: a state of high emotion triggers the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that increases the activity of nerve cells. This results in unusually strong memory circuits in the brain.

Read more here…

Canadian researcher published earlier this year a study showing that people who regularly used two languages showed signs of dementia 4 years later than people who used only one language!

It looks like bilingual brains are more resistant to the effects of cognitive decline. Previous studies by the same researchers had established that bilingual people were better at paying attention and ignoring distractions. Ellen Bialystok, the lead researcher on these studies, believes that this is because bilingual people always have to decide which language to use and suppress the other. This would provide practice in focusing attention, sorting through conflicting information and ignoring distraction.

Bilingualism may delay dementia in the same way that mental activity is thought to, that is by contributing to building cognitive brain reserve. However, we don’t know yet whether the same effects would appear if you start learning a language at 50.

Read the original journal article: Neuropsychologia, Volume 45, Feb 2007, pp.459-464

Are you unable to remember more than two phone numbers? Then you may be a “victim” of new technologies. Chances are, it is easier for you to store information on your hard disk, electronic organizer or mobile phone, rather than use your memory.

This finding is the result of a study on 3000 subjects by Dr. Ian Robertson, a Professor of Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

The study shows that the under-30 generation was less likely to memorize such pieces of information than over-50s who are less keen on new technologies and use their memory more. We have learned to “outsource” our memory by storing this kind of information on mobiles or computers rather than our own brain but “The less you use of your memory, the poorer it becomes.”, said Dr. Robertson.

So do your memory a favor and challenge yourself to remember important details rather than rely on electronic devices. Your brain will thank you in the long run!

Click here to read the full article:

Consumer report has 5 tips on keeping your memory sharp, which includes computer based brain games. All great tips which we strongly recommend.

Read here

Here is a recent study that came out last week.

“Dr Mark Baxter, Wellcome Trust senior research fellow at Oxford University, said: “This study is exciting because it reveals a group of brain cells in the adult human brain that are continuously regenerating”

Read more on this study here

We found this post that mentions Dr. Paul Nussbaum’s approach to brain health. Dr. Nussbaum does a great job of communicating the importance of a fit brain to the public

Dr. Nussbaum says that a healthy lifestyle characterized by socialization, physical activity, mental activity, spirituality, and nutrition leads to improved brain health. Individuals should reduce their caloric intake to 80% of what they intend to consume at each meal because overeating and obesity do not contribute to brain health.

You can read more here