One of the biggest challenges of aging is loss of memory. Sometimes, it scares me. It’s one thing to forget coffee at the store, but quite another to stumble over our best friends’ names. That’s why it’s important to build up our cognitive reserves and protect our brains.
Each time I forget something, the thought occurs that I may be on my way to Alzheimer’s or dementia. And then I wonder if this is what they mean by “early onset.”
This is one of the big fears of aging, especially for people who may have bad genes. Many seniors have had to take care of grandparents, parents or others with Alzheimer’s. It’s reaching epidemic numbers. Here’s what the research reports, according to the National Institute on Aging:
- Some 5.2 million people in the U.S. had Alzheimer’s in 2014, a number that is expected to triple by 2050.
- While scientists are still struggling to find causes and cures. The only medications so far do not cure, only relieve some symptoms.
- Surprisingly, there are several reports of high functioning seniors who were discovered to have had Alzheimer’s only by a post-mortem autopsy. They had no symptoms at all and died from other causes.
- In these cases, these seniors had active lifestyles and high cognitive functioning beyond what was expected for their age, and despite what should have been debilitating plaque in their brains.
- Scientists conclude that some people with abundant cognitive reserves can slow or delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s and brain dysfunction.
Cognitive Reserves in Seniors
What are cognitive reserves? Here’s what the National Institute of Health reports in a study by Yaakof Stern published in Lancet Neurology in 2012:
Cognitive reserves accounts for individual differences in susceptibility to age-related brain changes or Alzheimer’s pathology. There is evidence that some people can tolerate more plaques in the brain than others and still maintain functioning. Lifetime experiences, including educational and occupational attainment, as well as leisure activities in late life, can increase this reserve.
There is a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease for people with educational or occupational achievement. It is convenient to think of two types of reserves: brain reserve, which refers to actual differences in the brain itself that may increase tolerance of pathology, and cognitive reserves.
Cognitive reserves refers to individual differences in how tasks are performed that allow some people to be more resilient than others. The concept of cognitive reserves holds out the promise of interventions that could slow cognitive aging or reduce the risk of dementia.
- There is clear evidence that mental and physical fitness can delay the onset of symptoms of brain dysfunction.
- The neurobiological effects of physical exercise involve a wide range of interrelated effects on brain structure, brain function, and cognition. A large body of research in humans has demonstrated that consistent aerobic exercise (30 minutes every day) induces persistent beneficial behavioral and neural plasticity as well as healthy alterations in gene expression in the brain.
- Some of these long-term effects include increased neuron growth, increased neurological activity (signaling), improved coping with stress, enhanced cognitive control of behavior, improved memory, and structural and functional improvements in the brain.
- The effects of exercise on cognition have important implications for improving productivity, preserving cognitive function in old age, preventing or treating certain neurological disorders, and improving overall quality of life.
Fear of Aging: What Can You Do?
Rob and I decided a couple of decades ago to go all out for health: we’re going to do everything we can to build up our cognitive reserves. It’s part of our War on Aging.
Not only are we exercising daily, but we change up our routines. Besides regular tennis (for me it’s Pickleball these days), we lift weights in the gym, go for long walks, and try new activities like ping pong and dancing.
Workouts for your Brain
Also a key to staying fit is our brain workouts. Rob’s an avid computer gamer, and he writes cyber-fiction fantasy novels. I write non-fiction articles like this blog and read extensively.
These are just some of our ways to experience our old-age adventure. If you make life fun and adventuresome, some of the pain gets ignored. You also build cognitive reserves and stave off diseases. AND, here’s one big secret: exercise reduces a lot of the causes of pain in joints and muscles.
What about you? We’d love to hear from you: you can leave a comment below.
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