Richard Restak's book: How to Prevent Dementia: An Expert’s Guide to Long-Term Brain Health

dancsfo

Dr. Richard Restak has a book published late 2023. "How to Prevent Dementia: An Expert’s Guide to Long-Term Brain Health"

The title is a bit of wishful thinking, but according to the description, it recommends good diet, exercise and other behavior to try to stave it off. I'll read it, but if you have already read it and want to share your opinion, please let us know.

I enjoyed his other book on strengthening memory.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/461632/how-to-prevent-dementia-by-restak-richard/9780241688861

mpang123

My psychiatrist told me that lithium can help prevent dementia

M1

Healthy practices are always a good idea, but he's making a false claim to sell books. There are no practices or exercises-mental or otherwise-proven to prevent dementia.

dancsfo

You're right, @M1 He's taking advantage of those who are either desperate or fearful of their future since there's nothing proven so far.

dancsfo

I finished reading the book, and I enjoyed it. I do still believe that the title is misleading, but the book uses a broad definition of dementia, not just those related to Alzheimer's disease. It includes Lewy body, those stemming from head trauma (CTE), etc.

Thus some things can help prevent decline, such as avoiding head damage when young by avoiding boxing, soccer (football), or American football; improving your mood, good diet, avoiding inflammations, keeping social interactions, etc.

It also emphasizes that dementia is a spectrum, not a binary "you're sick or not", but a gradual set of stages, probably along many dimensions (cognition, visual, bodily functions, etc.). I think we simplify things often by saying that your PWD is "stage 4", and that's just a convenient label. You may be very forgetful, but can still express yourself well.

So while the book is not a caregiver's guide, nor does it offer any silver bullet on how to prevent dementia, it is a a medically grounded book that describes brain functions and a few ways in which recent research has shown that it may be possible to forestall decline. It does not try to describe any cures, as the author (a doctor) knows that's nothing proven to cure it.

There is an extensive set of references. This example is highlighted in the book: That excessive negative thinking may be an unhealthy psychological trait that leads to cognitive decline and amyloid accumulation. I didn't know this!

https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/generalneurology/103974

So if you're curious about some recent thinking on dementia, this is a good read. If you're busy and consumed with caregiving, other books may be relevant to you.