Brain Care 101

Do you belong to the Automobile Association? We are often given tips on how to take care of your car and so save money at the pump, improve performance, and extend the life of the vehicle. If we can all agree on the importance of maintaining our car, what about maintaining the brain sitting behind the wheel?

This is important, no matter what our age.  Recent advances in brain science has emphasised the importance of building cognitive reserve and memory skills whether we are teenagers, adults or seniors. Recently Dr. Yaakov Stern of Columbia University related how surprised he was when a reporter from Seventeen magazine, targeted at teenagers, wanted his help to write an article to motivate adolescents to stay in school in order to start building their cognitive and memory skills early so they would age more gracefully.

So, what is Cognitive Reserve?

Over the past decade or so it has become abundantly clear that people who lead mentally stimulating lives through education, their jobs, their hobbies and through interacting with other people build a ‘cognitive reserve’ in their brains. Stimulating the brain can literally generate new brain neurons and strengthen the connections between neurons. This results in better brain performance and in having a lower risk of developing the symptoms of dementia. Studies suggest that people who exercise their mental ‘muscles’ throughout their lives have a 35 – 40% less risk of developing Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Wonderful brain imaging techniques are allowing scientists to investigate healthy living brains for the first time in history. One of the most important findings is that our brains are plastic – they can change their structure. This is really important for the part of our brain right behind the forehead, the frontal lobes, which determines our ability to pay attention, plan for the future, problem solve, and direct our behaviour towards achieving goals.  We exercise this part of our brain best by learning and mastering new skills.

In my opinion, not enough young and middle-aged people are benefiting from this knowledge and it has been seen as something only for seniors! And, yes, of course it is really important for us as older people.  But we can both create a rich cognitive life for ourselves and help the younger generations understand that the younger they start building cognitive and memory skills, the better the brain will age.  It is never too late to start!

What can we do to maintain our brain?

Stay relaxed, too. Stress management is important since stress damages those all-important neurons and slows the creation of new neurons.

As astounding as the simplicity of maintaining a brain healthy lifestyle is, most people seem to devote more time to changing the oil, taking the car to the mechanic or washing it, rather than thinking about how to maintain and improve their brain performance!

Ask yourself “What have I done lately to maintain my brain?”

Start right now!!!  Enjoy the Memory Foundation games you will find right here on GrownUps.  The games have been developed to help with your essential memory skills.  You will find them right here:  Memory Foundation Games at GROWNUPS

By Dr Allison Lamont. Read more here.

Dr Allison Lamont is founder and clinician at the Auckland Memory Clinic.

If you would like to know more about improving your memory, you can find the sought-after Memory Foundation book 7-Day Brain Boost Plan  at the Memory Foundation website:  7-Day Brain Boost Plan