Standing in the checkout line after swiping your credit card, you raise your hand to enter your PIN into the keypad, and hesitate. You can’t remember it.
You smile at the clerk, grasping for that number, but you’ve got nothing. Blank – just blank. You finally remember your 4-digit code and, with a sigh of relief, enter it. But the episode gnaws at you.
You might wonder: “Do I have a problem, maybe early-onset Alzheimer’s? Why couldn’t I remember?”
We all have episodes in which our brains flake out on us. We’re tired, hungry, or distracted, and we can’t remember well-known names, places, or numbers. Or perhaps we’re noticing small episodes of memory loss or confusion in our aging parents.
There are some simple things we can do to ward off mental decline, but first it’s important to understand what mental decline really is.
“The word ‘dementia’ gets tossed around, and it’s somewhat frustrating,” says geriatrician Wayne Saltsman of Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. “Dementia is a syndrome, a collection of issues. Dementia is memory loss that occurs over time – at least nine months – and is progressive, irreversible, and insidious. It impairs some aspect of function, as well.”
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Alzheimer’s is the big fear for many people. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed, according to the website Alz.org.
“It’s a disease of progress,” says Saltsman. “It kills brain cells, and it has probably been going on for (many) years in people who begin to experience symptoms.”
That may soon change. Scientists are optimistic that treatments for Alzheimer’s aren’t all that far off. Professor John Hardy, a dementia expert from University College London, said this week that current drug trials are showing such promise he believes we are “in an era of great optimism.”
Hardy, quoted in The Telegraph, said it was likely drugs will be available by 2025 that will radically push back the age at which people develop dementia.
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Most of us, however, will simply deal with natural cognitive aging in the coming years. “Cognitive aging is normal, and you will notice this in older folks – maybe your mother runs through a list of names before she finally lands on yours,” says Saltsman. “‘Mild cognitive impairment’ is a term for people with more significant memory loss, but they can still function. Fifteen percent of people with mild cognitive impairment go on to get Alzheimer’s.”
Until there is that magic pill, what can any of us do to ward off mental decline?
Start protecting our brains early, says Dr. Saltsman, for better brain function and health later in life.
“If people when they are in their 40s get control of high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and also quit smoking, they are only benefitting their later years,” he says. “Studies have shown that people who suffered from all these conditions in their 40s have a 200 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s later.”
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There are other simple steps we can zero in on as we age, says Saltsman:
1. Mental stimulation. Keep your brain busy with crosswords, puzzles, reading, staying curious and learning new things. Don’t slip into a lazy brain-routine of television and computer time.
2. Physical activity. Keep the blood pumping to all organs, including the brain. Exercise elevates mood and keeps bones and muscles strong.
3. Social interaction. Stay connected to friends and family members, and seek out positive interactions. Socialize in person, rather than online.
“I have always enjoyed crossword puzzles, and I think they keep me sharp and interested in figuring things out,” says 81-year-old Joanne Tierney of Worcester, Massachusetts. Tierney also has a wide group of good friends whom she sees regularly. She enjoys staying active.
Laughing more often, watching our alcohol intake, participating in strength training, and doing meditation are all avenues to better cognitive ability as we age.
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The most important takeaway for any of us is this: A commitment to brain health now pays big dividends later, and it’s never too late to start.
“My father had a stroke in his 60s – he had smoked, had high blood pressure, was overweight, and was always under a lot of stress in his work world,” one New York resident told LifeZette.
“Thankfully, he recovered from the stroke, and resolved to make changes. When he first started walking, he could only go to the mailbox and back. Now, in his late 70s, he walks his dog for hours and is in great health.”
“It’s also very helpful to have a purpose in life,” says Saltsman. “Without that, the brain and body both fail. They need each other, and a reason to get up in the morning is good for both.”
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