By Jacqueline Simoneau
Sure the brain ages as we do, but just as you can work on your physical fitness, you can exercise your brain to keep it in top form
The brain is a complex organ. It is made up of around 100 billion neurons that receive and transmit information as electric signals. These neurons communicate with one another via connections called synapses, which are constantly evolving as a result of new learning, new experiences, and interaction with the external environment.
Sadly, like the body, the brain ages over time, and the aging process begins early. From the age of 25, the number of neurons begins to slowly decrease, says Dr. David Fortin, a neurosurgeon and full professor in the Department of Surgery, Radiobiology, and Pharmacology at the Université de Sherbrooke.
After age 50, aging accelerates: among other changes, the volume of the brain and the hippocampus (the headquarters of working memory) gradually decreases, cerebral blood flow is reduced, and the communication between neurons slows.
These processes happen even more quickly after age 70, increasing considerably the risk for neurodegenerative diseases. The most common of these is Alzheimer’s disease but it’s not the only one. Other diseases that can affect cognitive function include Parkinson’s, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia.
It goes without saying that the aging of the brain has effects. “There’s a decline in certain cognitive functions, such as the ability to record and process information quickly, make decisions, focus attention, multi-task, and learn and retain new things,” says Dr. Louis Bherer, a neuropsychologist who specializes in the aging of the brain and a full professor in the Department of Medicine at the Université de Montréal. However, the effects and their intensity vary widely from person to person.
Forgetting where you put your keys, the PIN for your bank card, or the first name of a former neighbour is annoying, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that a cognitive disorder awaits you, especially if these minor irritations don’t affect your daily life.
“Not paying attention explains a lot of memory lapses,” Bherer says. “At times, too, people have so much on their minds that they forget specific details of some information. Another factor related to memory issues is that our senses, such as vision and hearing, diminish with age, which leads to difficulties in absorbing information well.”
Training for Neurons
Damaged or lost neurons don’t regenerate, but the brain maintains its neuroplasticity—its ability to make new connections between neurons and restructure cognitive networks— throughout a person’s life.
“The more you stimulate the brain, the more you preserve this neuroplasticity,” Fortin says. “This allows you to maintain cognitive functions for as long as possible and to reduce the impact of neurodegenerative diseases. Neuroplasticity is very active from age 30 to 60 but begins to diminish at age 60. That’s why it’s important to stimulate your brain as you age—to keep it active.”
Like muscles, neurons need to be exercised daily. If you don’t use them, they become lazy and deteriorate quickly. And the opposite is also true: the more you use them, the more you create connections between the neurons and the more you support your protection against cognitive decline.
Doing crosswords is great, but if that’s all you do, you’ll only strengthen connections linked to doing crosswords, Fortin says. You therefore need to vary your activities to work all the circuits.
There are many ways to stimulate the brain, such as reading; writing by hand; doing calculations; taking dance, language, or music classes; playing Scrabble, card games, memory games, and board games; and doing crosswords, Sudoku, and jigsaw puzzles. Debating a topic with friends or getting out of your routine by taking a different route to do errands also engages the brain. Using new technologies shouldn’t be overlooked: Fortin says studies have shown that older people who use digital media to do research or read online maintain their cognitive functions longer.
Brain activity is at its peak when the brain is facing new challenges that require extra effort. So if you’re used to doing 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, do one with 1,500 pieces. In the same way, people who have no trouble doing easy Sudoku should move up to the next level of difficulty.
According to Bherer, games involving speed that force you to make quick decisions are also good for the brain.
The Value of Physical Activity
Regular physical activity has a protective effect against cognitive decline. In particular, it improves the connectivity between neurons and promotes neuroplasticity.
“Several studies have found that physically active people lose less brain volume than sedentary people of the same age and that they maintain their cognitive function longer,” Bherer says. “They have a lower risk of developing dementia as they age.”
That’s not all, Fortin says—brain health depends on the health of the blood vessels that provide oxygen and energy to the brain cells. “Damage to the blood vessels feeding the brain is a major factor in vascular dementia,” he explains. “Physical activity, along with management of chronic illnesses that affect the circulatory system, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, is one of the best ways to significantly lower the risk for dementia and cognitive disorders.”
To activate the neurons and improve blood circulation, all you need is at least 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day, such as cycling, swimming, brisk walking, or dancing. That’s a fairly simple and doable approach.
Habits That Pay Off
According to Bherer, people who embrace a healthy and preventive lifestyle have a 30 to 40 per cent lower chance of developing dementia. Three good habits are getting enough sleep, eating well, and socializing.
“During sleep, the brain processes information, consolidates learning, deletes information that is deemed unnecessary to make room for useful memories that accumulated during the day, and restores brain functions,” Fortin says. “Poor-quality sleep or too little sleep affects these processes and, by extension, memory and learning.”
A healthy diet’s positive effects on the body are obvious, but eating well also benefits the brain. Choose foods high in polyphenols, antioxidants, lycopene, and omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, recent studies recommend the MIND diet (Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay). “This approach to eating combines foods from the Mediterranean diet and the DASH [Dietar Approaches to Stop Hypertension] diet, with an emphasis on foods particularly linked to brain health, such as green leafy vegetables, berries, and nuts,” Bherer explains. And, of course, you should limit your intake of sugars, fats, and red meat.
Finally, frequent and significant social interactions stimulate the brain. In other words, having lots of people around delays cognitive problems. Why not start organizing your next party now?
