Blessed with friends of all ages, it’s surprising how often comments on memory function surface across generations. But, maybe it’s not too surprising.
I remember years ago sitting with a colleague at a conference, both of us concerned about our minds. Why couldn’t we remember the zillion details we expected of ourselves managing enormous workloads; still a common work world worry today.
Younger folks worry a family history of dementia means they’re doomed to get it. Older folks worry forgetfulness means they have it. The good news both can easily be wrong. There are a lot of positive trends.
It’s important to remember that mild forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, dementia is not. The National Institute on Aging at www.nia.nih.gov has simple charts of common activities, charting what’s normal and what may be cause for concern. Chat with your doctor, they’ll be aware of the differences as well.
What’s more interesting are some of the studies going on and the increasing efforts to destigmatize the topic.
Have you heard of psychophysiology? I hadn’t. It’s the study of the relationship between the physiological and psychological; the way the mind and body interact. There’s a peer-reviewed Journal of Psychophysiology that has interesting things to say about how neuroscience, the study of our nervous system, has discovered how our brains change over time.
Like all our bodily systems, brain networks form rapidly in early life and continue to somewhere in our forties when “…our brains begin to undergo what neurologists call a radical rewiring.”
The summary of this work concludes that “maintaining lifelong intelligence, focus and mental agility comes down to the Rule of 3.” They say while genetics matter, research show the big three: diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle, reduce age-related cognitive decline.
Good diet reduces decline and can be preventive regarding disease. Exercise can slow or even reverse physical decay in the brain, and contrary to conventional wisdom, new brain cells can be created. Lifestyle issues are dominated by things like sufficient sleep, limited use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and social connectivity.
Success of Big 3 potential is born out well in studies at Northwestern University’s Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease in Chicago. They’ve coined the term “SuperAging” as a research term and define SuperAgers as persons over age 80 with the memory capacity of individuals 2-3 decades younger.
SuperAgers share similar traits. Cognitive neuroscientist Emily Rogalski comments, “These folks stay active physically. They tend to be positive. They challenge the brain every day, reading or learning something new – many continue to work into their 80s.”
They are also “social butterflies,” surrounded by family, friends and active in their communities.
Rogalski comments, “This social connectedness may be a feature of SuperAgers that distinguishes them from those who are still doing well but who are what we would call an average or normal ager.”
Getting dementia out of the closet and treating it with education and prevention techniques is important. There are many types of dementia; all forms of brain disease. Like any disease, even when eradication isn’t possible, prevalence and severity can be mitigated by action.
A study by RAND Corporation published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that dementia prevalence in the U.S. dropped from 12.2 percent to 8.5 percent, between 2000 to 2016, a statistically significant drop of 30.1 percent. Within that drop, women’s prevalence dropped slightly more than men.
While researchers unwrap the truth behind dementia, destigmatizing the topic and getting personally and socially active in public education is important. The ongoing work of the Campus for Creative Aging and its community partners is helping locally. Check out www.campusforcreativeaging.org to see their latest efforts kicking off Dec 12th.