| The Memory Issue | Autumn 2008 |
Recall Buttons An old Chinese proverb tells us that the palest ink is better than the strongest memory. Although memory glitches may plague us all, we can still take steps to boost our powers of recall. Here are a dozen steps I prescribe to my patients—and try to follow myself. Get Moving Research shows that people who engage in regular exercise tend to stay mentally sharp into their eighties and beyond. Led by Eric Larson ’73, a team of investigators at the University of Washington found, for example, that people aged 65 or older who exercised three or more times a week had a lower risk of dementia than their less active counterparts. Exercise aids memory in several ways: It strengthens the lungs and the cardiovascular system, a combination that helps ensure the steady delivery of oxygen to the brain. Physical activity helps minimize the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and stroke—all diseases that can impair cognition. Exercise may also increase connections between brain cells and enhance neurotransmitter function. For good brain health, engage in at least half an hour of moderately vigorous exercise most days of the week. Stay Mentally Engaged Your mind thrives on new challenges and learning experiences. In the MacArthur Foundation Study of Aging in America, researchers found that the characteristic most strongly linked with good mental functioning was level of education: Experts suspect that school-based education fosters a lifelong habit of learning. And education in the broader sense, outside classroom walls, builds cognitive reserve, or the resilience of the brain to withstand neuropathological assault. Exercising your brain with challenging activities is believed to stimulate communication between brain cells. Some of these activities are obvious, such as doing crossword puzzles, playing chess, reading, and taking classes. But mental stimulation can also come from any deviation from your daily routine that makes you think, such as taking an alternative route while driving. Try to develop new skills—or relearn old ones you may have set aside; that trumpet stowed in your closet may be a good place to start. Don’t Smoke In studies of memory and cognitive function, smokers perform worse than nonsmokers. It’s unclear whether smoking directly muddles memory or is associated with memory loss because it causes illnesses that compromise brain function. It is clear, however, that smoking increases the risk of stroke and hypertension, two conditions that impair memory. Regardless of the exact link, if you smoke, it’s never too late to quit: People who stop smoking show less cognitive decline than those who continue. Drink Only in Moderation While moderate consumption of alcohol may reduce the risk of dementia, excessive consumption is toxic to neurons. It is also a leading risk factor for Korsakoff’s syndrome, a disorder that causes irreversible memory loss. If you are a heavy drinker, cutting back can prevent further memory loss and will usually lead to the recovery of some memory function. Eat a Healthful Diet A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats from fish and nuts is vital to maintaining brain health. Many fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and other nutrients that may protect against age-related diseases and deterioration throughout the body. Avoiding saturated fats and trans fats helps keep your arteries clear and cholesterol levels healthy, which in turn can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, including the small “silent” strokes that can damage brain function. And maintaining a normal weight lowers your risk for illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, which can harm memory. Take Vitamins Taking a high-quality multivitamin and individual vitamin supplements can help ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs. Certain B vitamins—B6, B12, and folic acid—provide neuronal protection and facilitate the breakdown of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that, at high levels, can raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Sleep Tight Sleep is essential for memory consolidation as well as overall health. Although people vary in their individual sleep needs, research suggests that six to eight hours a night is ideal. Perhaps even more important than the amount of sleep is the quality of sleep. People with sleep disorders that affect breathing, such as obstructive sleep apnea, can sleep ten hours a night yet still feel unrested in the morning. For some people, a good night’s sleep can seem elusive. Developing certain habits can help: Establish and maintain a consistent sleep schedule and routine. Do your most vigorous exercise early in the day. Stay away from coffee and other caffeine sources after midmorning. Avoid excessive napping during the daytime. Shun sleeping pills unless nothing else works. And don’t try to sleep if you’re not tired—you’ll merely set yourself up for tossing and turning.
Manage Stress When you’re under stress, it’s difficult to concentrate, and insufficient concentration is one of the primary causes of poor learning and memory. Sustained stress can impair your memory by altering brain chemistry and damaging the hippocampus. Although you can’t control all the sources of stress in your life, you can temper your reactions to stress. Taking a brisk walk or exercising in other ways helps some people reduce stress levels. Listening to music, meditating, talking to a friend, or engaging in relaxing activities, such as gardening or knitting, can also help. If you can’t lower your stress level on your own, you may find relief through counseling. Stay Connected Social support—through relationships with family members, friends, colleagues, or caregivers—can improve cognitive performance in older people. And the elderly aren’t the only ones who benefit. In a 2008 study of more than 3,600 people between the ages of 24 and 96, researchers at the University of Michigan found that across all age groups the higher an individual’s level of social interaction, the better his or her mental function. A second study on the same cohort found that people engaged in social groups and those involved in solitary intellectual activities such as reading and doing crossword puzzles both scored higher in mental processing speed and working memory than the controls, who merely watched television. Social engagement may benefit your memory in several ways. Intellectually stimulating activities often go hand-in-hand with social interaction. Social relationships can also provide support during stressful times, reducing the damaging effects of stress on the brain. Protect Your Head Head trauma is a major cause of memory impairment and a risk factor for dementia. Wear a seatbelt when riding in motor vehicles, as car accidents are by far the most common cause of brain injury. You can also prevent head trauma by using appropriate gear during high-speed activities and contact sports. Put on a helmet when bicycling, riding a motorcycle, in-line skating, and skiing. And wear a mouth guard during contact sports. Using this type of protective device can lower the risk of concussion by deflecting the force of a blow to the chin. Avoid Exposure to Toxins Reduce your exposure to toxic substances by taking sensible precautions. Read labels for safe handling before using paints, solvents, and pesticides. Test your home water supply and use a water filter to eliminate lead, if necessary. Have your car and furnace serviced regularly to minimize carbon monoxide emissions. Avoid sanding, scraping, and otherwise disrupting lead paint in older homes. If you plan to remove lead paint, hire a government-approved contractor. Pursue Your Passion The pursuit of an abiding passion encourages you to seek new knowledge, connects you with people who share your interest, guards against depression, and serves as a buffer against stress, all of which benefit memory. Participating in something meaningful, particularly in the context of giving to others, also helps engender a sense of personal efficacy—and the ability to make a difference can make all the difference to the health of your brain. Aaron P. Nelson, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and chief of neuropsychology in the Division of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He is also the author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory (McGraw-Hill, 2005). Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/Skip O’Donnell |
before realizing we had neglected to pack our six-year-old daughter’s security blanket. Rather than face a week of her despair, we returned home. And there, in our driveway, we found our other car with the key left in the ignition—and the engine running.
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