…and lower dementia risk
Almost 10 percent of US adults 65 and older have dementia, and its pervasiveness is a growing public health crisis.
Beyond the challenge of finding enough caregivers, dementia’s costs include the loss of dignity and independence for people living with cognitive decline and the financial and emotional toll on their families.
But current research also offers hopeful news. Although our brains change as we get older, dementia isn’t an inevitable part of aging. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits, people can significantly reduce their risk of developing dementia, says Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe, Regents and H. L. Eastlick Distinguished Professor at Washington State University’s Department of Psychology.
Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe (Photo Shelly Hanks)
Healthy habits foster something researchers call “cognitive reserve,” Schmitter-Edgecombe says.
“If you’ve been doing good things for your brain such as exercising, staying connected socially, or increasing your level of education, your brain is able to work more efficiently and that strengthens its resistance to cognitive decline,” she says.
People with higher cognitive reserves can experience some decline before they start to notice reductions in cognitive functioning—such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning.
Several years ago, Schmitter-Edgecombe created the Healthy Aging Activity Engagement Questionnaire to measure people’s participation in healthy brain activities. She recently talked to Washington State Magazine about her work.
Why should everyone be concerned about brain health?
Evidence suggests that about 40 percent of all dementia cases worldwide are related to modifiable risk factors. These are things like not getting enough exercise; uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure; poor nutrition; smoking; and excessive alcohol consumption. [see sidebar below for full list]
If we can address these modifiable risk factors, we can significantly reduce the risk of people developing dementia. Drug therapies have not been particularly successful in treating Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Some may only slow it down for a limited amount and time, and drug therapies are all very expensive.
If we can get people to understand the importance of healthy living for a healthy brain and their future cognition, we will help people live independently for longer periods of time.
What’s the best age to start developing healthy brain habits?
I tell people it’s never too early to start engaging in activities for brain health, nor is it ever too late. The research now shows the importance of thinking of brain health as a lifelong process. Education is one of the modifiable risk factors, and that’s important beginning at a young age. And for issues like uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension, the pathology associated with cognitive decline occurs in middle age.
In our interventions, our goal is to meet people where they are. We want to help them learn about brain health and make small changes through realistic goals that can be integrated into their everyday routines. Perhaps someone says, “I’m consuming too much salt,” or “I’m not getting the recommended amount of exercise.” Can they start by eating one meal without salt each day, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator? When a healthy habit becomes part of their routine, we encourage them to identify their next goal.
Why is physical exercise so important?
What is good for the heart is good for the brain. Regular aerobic exercise is associated with better cognition and larger volumes in the brain’s hippocampus, which is important for memory consolidation. In people with Alzheimer’s disease, abnormal clusters of protein fragments called “plaques” build up between nerve cells in the brain, and dead and dying nerve cells in the brain develop tangles.
That makes it difficult to learn new information or consolidate new memories. People can remember things from their distant past but might repeat a question they asked five minutes ago. That new information didn’t get laid down in a memory.
Exercise also improves your mood and decreases cognitive decline. For healthy brain aging, the recommendation is 150 minutes per week of moderate to high-intensity exercise.
What is typical for normal brain aging compared to dementia?
Healthy older adults often say things like, “It’s taking me longer to do this. I can’t remember people’s names as well. I’m having trouble finding words.” But if the other person says their name or fills in the word, the older adult is going to recognize them or recognize the word. In someone with dementia, that recognition doesn’t really come back.
People with dementia say things like, “I’m getting lost when I’m driving in familiar places.” Or “I got lost or confused when I was walking in my neighborhood, and I know the area well.” They might start having difficulties cooking more complex meals or taking care of their finances.
But people are very resilient, and even with cognitive decline, they find ways to compensate. I know of one individual who walked to the bank every time a bill arrived and paid it right away. That was their strategy for avoiding late payment fees.
One of our current studies looks at compensatory strategies people use in their everyday lives. With technology, there are all sorts of ways to support people’s independence during cognitive decline and increase their quality of life.
How does aging affect our ability to learn new skills and absorb new information?
Normal aging isn’t really going to affect that ability. It might take you a bit longer to master a new skill; you might have to reread things or practice more. We’re fastest at processing new information in our 20s, and after that our speed starts to decline. But we are also seeing Super Agers—people 80 and older—who have memories similar to young adults and people in midlife. So, cognitive changes aren’t inevitable.
Should we all be doing daily brain teasers?
We recommend at least 20 minutes of cognitively engaging activities twice per day. That’s where you’re concentrating, learning new things, and problem-solving. Maybe you’re just starting to do crossword puzzles, and you have to look up words. That’s good for your brain. But if you become a crossword puzzle expert, solving them won’t be as cognitively engaging. If one activity becomes too easy, you need to look for the next challenge.
Get involved
Are you over 50? You may be eligible to participate in a WSU-led memory and aging study and receive a free baseline cognitive assessment.
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