Holding back the tide

PRN

Just wanting to ask if there are any exercises for the brain, that can delay dementia. Anything positive you can do to hold back the tide?

I feel my memory fading and just little things make me believe I’m in the very early stages. I’d like to do something to help myself, if there is anything one can do.

harshedbuzz

https://www.health.harvard.edu/alzheimers-disease/what-can-you-do-to-avoid-alzheimers-disease

My advice would be to see you doctor and discuss.

There are medical conditions that can cause memory loss that are treatable/reversable-- hormone and vitamin deficiencies, tumors and even depression can cause memory issues. I have noticed a drop in cognition in my own mom when her breathing isn't as well managed as it needs to be. Last month she had a silent UTI (no symptoms beyond being forgetful and belligerent) that had me considering a MCF.

Beyond that "best practices" are generally recommended.

Iris L.

Thanks for posting that excellent summation of Best Practices, harshedbuzz! I agree totally. Also, check your medications for cognitive side effects. And get checked for sleep apnea, an often overlooked cause.

Iris

harshedbuzz

@PRN I think it's important to realize the brain isn't a muscle that can be worked out in the usual sense.

I Have heard that keeping a curious mind and learning new things-- a language, skill, sport-- can be protective but I have never seen hard data to support that. I even came across an article that made a case for favoring novels over non-fiction when reading as being better for brain health.

That said, my uncle encouraged my dear aunt to do the NYT crossword daily as a brain workout. I suspect he was aware she'd had a cognitive shift but never shared that information with family before he died. When we cleaned out her house after she went into a MCF, I found grocery bags full of NYT crosswords-- not only filling the space under her queen size bed, but also floor to ceiling in a 12' long closet. The earlier bags on the bottom were neatly filled in and mostly complete but as you got to the more recent bags, the puzzle was cut out with no answers and sometimes without the clues.

HB

dancsfo

There is a post linked below that references a book by Richard Restak that I liked and lists some techniques. I also saw an article on memory loss prevention in the New York Times on recommending fiction, just as @harshedbuzz mentioned. It's also linked in the post below.

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/178122#Comment_178122

and maybe even some games

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/185091#Comment_185091

Iris L.

Most brain exercises are for people with normal brains or age-related memory loss, not dementia. I did a series of exercises from a program from PositScience. This was recommended by my neurologist and was administered under the supervision of a licensed adult education teacher. It was that serious. I did notice improvement in my cognition after many weeks of engagement. PositScience is reviewed by neurologists.

The other tactic is to try to learn something new, not just work on recall, as is done with crossword puzzles. I have been studying Spanish. Slowly but surely, I am remembering more.

Aerobic exercise improves brain blood flow. Keep your blood pressure low.

Iris

dancsfo

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/185285#Comment_185285

Thank you for sharing that info. It's so easy to get those two situations mixed up. I think it's subtle but important to know the differences.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/do-memory-problems-always-mean-alzheimers-disease