I just finished reading a book called Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  I’ll admit that I originally balked at the idea of reading it (there’s a few too many ‘bestsellers’ on the market that involve the main character being stricken with some sort of medical affliction).  But, I’m glad that I stuck with it.  It was a really interesting read.  The book was written by a  Harvard-educated neuroscientist.  The protagonist is a professor of linguistics who is diagnosed at the age of 50 with early onset Alzheimers Disease.  It provided a real look at the cognitive decline associated with AD, and how it effects someone’s life, family & career.  One of the things that I found interesting was that the diagnosis was initially confused with menopause-related cognitive decline or the symptoms were chalked up to stress & fatigue.  I think that it’s so important that if people have noticed symptoms related to their memory, that it warrants both a full investigation and treatment of any underlying issues (whether that be hormone balance, or adequate sleep and stress management).  Here are some things that you can do on a regular basis to keep yourself sharp (it really is a matter of ‘use it or lose it’):

  • Switching up your routine keeps your brain active versus you relying on doing things in autopilot.  For example you can switch the order you do things in the shower – most people will do things in the exact same order & not even think about it.  Take a different way home.
  • Puzzles.  Do all of the crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku games that you can get your hands on.  Ditto for Scrabble, board games. 
  • Reading versus TV. 
  • Take a course in an area that you are fascinated by. 
  • EXERCISE.    Here is another article I read this weekend, emphasizing the importance of physical exercise in maintaining memory & cognitive function: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/paul-taylor/its-never-too-late-to-get-your-brain-off-the-couch-study-finds/article1893669/
  • Don’t become a GPS junkie.  Here is a piece that I included in my last newsletter:

Use it or Lose it: GPS and the shrinking brain

Sometimes I feel like one of the only people in the world who doesn’t have a GPS in their car.  Occasionally I’m struck with the thought that it might be handy to have one.  But, I’ve always really liked maps of all kinds and would much rather research where I’m going (and have a solid idea of such) before I head out.  Also, in the back of my mind I always wondered if I would become reliant on a GPS if I had one, or if the skills related to direction and navigation would become less sharp if you always used a GPS.  So, I was completely fascinated upon hearing that some researchers at McGill University have discovered that frequent use of the GPS can affect which type of navigational response our brain favours, and that which type of navigational response we use is linked to how well our brains function as we age – particularly that of the hippocampus, a part of the brain linked to memory.  Generally, to find our way, we rely on one of two navigational strategies – a spatial navigation strategy in which we build cognitive maps using visual cues like maps or landmarks that help us to determine where we are in space & also where we need to go.  Alternately, we can use a stimulus-response navigation strategy whereby we are effectively in auto-pilot either due to repetition or (like with GPS) we’re following a verbal cue.  Those who use the spatial navigation strategy appear to have increased activity in the hippocampus on MRI.  This area of the brain is involved in memory & navigation, and plays a role in finding shortcuts & new routes.  The aging process itself involves a shift in navigational strategies – from spatial to stimulus-response.  This shift may lead to atrophy of the hippocampus, a risk factor for the cognitive problems associated with normal aging, and for Alzheimer’s disease (the hippocampus being one of the first areas to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease).  The researchers also found a greater volume of gray matter in the hippocampus of older adults who used spatial strategies.  These individuals scored higher on standardized testing used to diagnose the cognitive changes in early stage Alzheimer’s disease.  The conclusion is that it’s possible that using spatial navigation may increase the function of the hippocampus (and our quality of life) as we age – a simple case of “use it or lose it”.  Me: I’m suddenly not feeling so bad about not having a GPS!