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Although there are lots of things about my memory and ability to think that I would like to change, they all involve a desire to improve brain function. The reality is, at my age, my thinking is more likely to get worse rather than better. Therefore, I want to make every effort to keep what I have and add a few things here and there to help make up for inevitable losses.
I am especially concerned about the possibility of developing frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This problem causes an inability to spot sarcasm or to read negative emotions in others and being more gullible than other people according to a study published in the journal Brain. I am concerned that if I cannot identify sarcasm, my ability to understand what my wife is saying to me will be greatly decreased.
The number of people suffering from dementia is expected to double over the next 30 years. Therefore, I keep an eye out for things I can do to avoid being part of that statistic.
Some people have suggested that more education might help to prevent dementia because you start with more knowledge. Therefore, it will take more time for that knowledge and thinking ability to melt away. Unfortunately, in a study of 6,533 people with an average age of 72 at the beginning of testing, researchers found that education does not protect against decline in thinking. However, it does delay the presentation of dementia. Then, when dementia occurs, it takes the typical progressive course. In fact, greater education was associated with slightly less rapid decline early in follow-up, but with faster decline later.
Since we are what we eat, it would make some sense that diet and medicines might affect our thinking abilities. The problem is that even “the experts” do not know what the best choices are.
Many sources have been touting Gingko biloba for years. Yet, multiple studies have shown that Gingko biloba clearly does not prevent dementia.
In a small study of 50 people about 60 years old, decreasing calorie intake by 30 percent gave a 20 percent improvement in verbal memory. They also decreased their weight, fasting insulin levels, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. This may be related to findings of other researchers who have linked diabetes to dementia.
The method of restricting calories may be as important as the restriction itself since researchers at Tufts University showed that Atkins-style low-carbohydrate diets made popular by celebrity devotees can cause memory loss after just a week on these diets. When carbohydrates were reintroduced their mental functions appeared to return to normal. This, however, does not explain all of the dumb things that celebrities seem to do constantly.
We are not only what we eat, but what we drink as well. Researchers have found that elderly patients with low levels of vitamin B12 suffer twice as much shrinkage of the brain as those with higher levels of the substance in their bodies. Therefore, drinking two glasses of milk a day could help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
After a 21-year study of 1,500 Scandinavians, the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reported that drinking three to five cups of coffees daily in middle age cuts the risk of developing dementia in old age by two-thirds.
There may even be some drugs to help us avoid dementia. One group of medicines for blood pressure control, known as angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), had a 35-40 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and similar neurodegenerative disorders, according to medical records of more than five million patients.
There are lots of other studies relating to dementia. Do not be surprised if the findings in some seem to conflict with others. There is still a lot to learn about this complex problem.
To summarize the studies mentioned here, you should restrict calories (but not just carbohydrates), drink a couple of glasses of milk daily as well as about four cups of coffee, and take an ARB if your blood pressure is high. Education may delay (but not prevent) dementia and do not worry if you forget about taking your Gingko biloba.
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