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Tag: Brain

  • 5 Simple Ways to Boost Your Brain Health as You Age

    5 Simple Ways to Boost Your Brain Health as You Age

    5 Simple Ways to Boost Your Brain Health as You Age

    As we age, our brains undergo natural changes that can affect our cognitive abilities, memory, and overall brain health. However, with simple lifestyle changes and habits, you can boost your brain health and maintain a sharp mind as you age. In this article, we’ll explore five simple ways to do just that.

    1. Exercise Your Way to Better Brain Health

    Exercise is one of the most effective ways to boost your brain health. Physical activity has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, which can improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline. Additionally, exercise has been linked to the growth of new brain cells, which can help to improve memory and learning.

    Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. You can also incorporate strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your routine to challenge your brain and body.

    2. Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet

    A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help to support brain health. Foods that are high in antioxidants, such as berries, leafy greens, and nuts, can help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain.

    Additionally, foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and walnuts, can help to support brain function and reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline. Aim to include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet, and limit your intake of processed and sugary foods.

    3. Get Enough Sleep

    Sleep is essential for brain health, and getting enough sleep can help to improve cognitive function and memory. During sleep, your brain is able to clear out toxins and waste products that can build up and contribute to cognitive decline.

    Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and establish a consistent sleep routine to help regulate your body’s internal clock. Avoid screens and electronic devices before bedtime, and create a relaxing bedtime routine to help you wind down.

    4. Challenge Your Brain

    Challenging your brain through mental stimulation can help to build cognitive reserve and reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline. Engage in activities that challenge your brain, such as:

    • Learning a new language or skill

    • Reading and solving puzzles

    • Playing strategy games or chess

    • Practicing mindfulness and meditation

    Aim to challenge your brain at least 30 minutes per day, and mix it up to keep things interesting and prevent boredom.

    5. Manage Stress

    Chronic stress can have a negative impact on brain health, and can contribute to cognitive decline and memory loss. Engage in stress-reducing activities, such as:

    • Yoga or tai chi

    • Meditation and deep breathing

    • Journaling or writing

    • Spending time in nature

    Aim to manage your stress levels by taking regular breaks and engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

    Conclusion

    Boosting your brain health as you age is easier than you think. By incorporating simple lifestyle changes and habits into your daily routine, you can improve cognitive function, memory, and overall brain health. Remember to exercise regularly, eat a brain-healthy diet, get enough sleep, challenge your brain, and manage stress. With these simple tips, you can maintain a sharp mind and live a healthy, happy life.

    FAQs

    Q: How can I get started with exercising for brain health?
    A: Start by incorporating short, 10-15 minute walks into your daily routine. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workouts as you become more comfortable.

    Q: What are some brain-healthy foods I can add to my diet?
    A: Try incorporating foods high in antioxidants, such as berries, leafy greens, and nuts, into your diet. Also, include foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and walnuts.

    Q: How much sleep do I need to get for brain health?
    A: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Establish a consistent sleep routine and create a relaxing bedtime routine to help regulate your body’s internal clock.

    Q: What are some stress-reducing activities I can try?
    A: Try yoga or tai chi, meditation and deep breathing, journaling or writing, or spending time in nature. Experiment with different activities to find what works best for you.

    Q: How often should I challenge my brain?
    A: Aim to challenge your brain at least 30 minutes per day. Mix it up and try new activities to keep things interesting and prevent boredom.

  • Obesity’s Impacts on Our Brain, Dementia, and Fertility 

    Obesity’s Impacts on Our Brain, Dementia, and Fertility 

    Weight loss can decrease dementia risk and improve mental performance and fertility.

    As I’ve discussed previously, in the ABCs of the health consequences of obesity, A is for Arthritis, B is for Back Pain and Blood Pressure, C is for Cancer, and D is for Diabetes. That brings us to E, which is for Encephalopathy.

    Encephalopathy means brain disease. There are consistent data linking obesity in middle age to a higher risk of dementia later in life. Researchers found that individuals who are overweight have about a one-third higher risk of dementia and those who are obese in mid-life have about 90 percent greater risk. The risk isn’t limited only to future dysfunction, though. People with excess body weight don’t appear to think as clearly at any age.

    “It was found that obese participants showed broad impairments on executive functions” of the brain, including working memory, decision-making, planning, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency. “From resisting temptation to keeping long-term goals in mind, executive functions play a critical role in everyday life,” noted a meta-analysis and review of 72 studies on the issue.

    According to researchers, people may think about their obesity and the resulting stigma they experience as much as five times an hour, but the cognitive deficits do not appear to arise just from distraction; there are structural brain differences between individuals who are at an ideal weight versus overweight.

    A review entitled “Does the Brain Shrink as the Waist Expands?” noted gray matter atrophy across all ages among those carrying excess body fat. It’s this reduced brain volume that has been correlated with lower executive function. As you can see below and at 1:42 in my video The Effects of Obesity on Dementia, Brain Function, and Fertility, compromised integrity of the rest of the brain—the white matter—suggests accelerated brain aging, even in young adults and children with obesity. 

    Cognitive deficits in younger populations suggest there’s something about obesity itself that is affecting brain function, rather than a later clinical consequence, such as high blood pressure. Purported mechanisms for this executive dysfunction include obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress.

    So, does weight loss improve cognitive function? Based on a meta-analysis of 20 studies, researchers found that mental performance across a variety of domains can be significantly improved with even modest weight loss. However, no studies have yet to be done to determine if this then translates into a normalization of Alzheimer’s disease risk.

    Back to the ABCs of obesity’s health consequences, F is for Fertility—or rather failed fertility. “Overweight and obese persons seeking fertility should be educated on the detrimental effects of fatness and the benefits of weight reduction, including improvement in pregnancy rates,” one meta-analysis concluded. Men also may suffer impaired fertility. The heavier a man is, the greater his risk of having a low sperm count or being completely sterile, as you can see below and at 3:01 in my video. This may be due in part to the effects of excess body fat on testosterone levels. 

    Fat isn’t the primary site of estrogen production in only postmenopausal women, but in men, too. An enzyme in body fat converts testosterone into estrogen. Men losing weight and going from obese to overweight could potentially raise the testosterone levels in their blood by 13 percent.

    A more dramatic cause of infertility in obese men is called a “hidden penis.” The condition, which is also described in the medical literature as a “hidden, buried, concealed, trapped, and inconspicuous” penis, occurs when excess fat in the pubic area subsumes the penis (since its base is attached internally to the pubic bone). The moist enfolding skin surfaces can result in chronic inflammatory dermatitis leading to scarring and requiring a surgical intervention.

    If you missed the previous blog posts, I covered The Best Knee Replacement Alternative for Osteoarthritis Treatment and The Effects of Obesity on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, and Diabetes.

    I continue the topic of obesity and weight with videos in the related posts below.

    I cover all of this and more at length in my book How Not to Diet, and its culinary companion, The How Not to Diet Cookbook, has more than 100 delicious, weight-conscious recipes. Request them from your local library. 

    For more on the health conditions discussed in this video, see the Alzheimer’s disease, cognition, and fertility topic pages.  



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  • Here Are Activities Beneficial For Brain Health

    Prolonged sitting has long been linked to negative effects on both physical and mental health. However, new research reveals a surprising twist: not all sitting activities are harmful to your brain. In fact, some might even offer cognitive benefits.

    Researchers of the latest study explored the daily activity patterns of 397 adults, aged above the age of 60 to understand how different types of activities affect memory and thinking abilities. The findings published in the Journal of Gerontology Series A revealed that the effects of sedentary behavior on brain health depend largely on the type of activity.

    For instance, mentally engaging activities such as reading, listening to music, crafting, praying, or chatting with friends were linked to improved memory and cognitive function. However, activities that do not require active participation such as watching television for a long time or playing video games, were associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.

    “We found that the type of activity significantly alters its impact on brain health. Social and mentally engaging activities stimulate the brain, while passive activities, like excessive TV viewing, can have a detrimental effect,” Dr Maddison Mellow, a lead researcher of the study said.

    For best results for all aspects of health, Mellow suggests that people should aim at being physically active, prioritize movement that is enjoyable, and get the heart rate up.

    However, if your day involves a lot of sitting, there’s no need to worry. Small adjustments can still benefit your brain health. Swapping just five minutes of TV time for a mentally stimulating activity like solving a puzzle, reading, or having a phone conversation with a friend can make a meaningful difference to your brain health, suggests Dr. Mellow.

    “And, while the ‘move more, sit less’ message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviors and cognitive function,” Dr. Mellow said.

    Previous studies have shown that engaging in mentally stimulating leisure activities, such as reading and playing board games, can help older adults maintain cognitive sharpness. A paper published in the PMC journal indicates that individuals aged 75 and older who participate in such activities had a reduced risk of developing dementia compared to those who did not.

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  • Woman’s Migraines, Motion Sickness Thought To Be From Phone Use Revealed Rare Brain Disorder

    Woman’s Migraines, Motion Sickness Thought To Be From Phone Use Revealed Rare Brain Disorder

    For years, 44-year-old Charlie Rolstone from the U.K. brushed off her migraines, motion sickness, and occasional blackouts as the side effects of spending too much time on her phone. But a medical emergency three years ago revealed a chilling truth that her symptoms stemmed from a rare brain disorder from her skull pushing against the brain.

    An MRI taken during the emergency visit revealed that Rolstone had epilepsy and a Chiari malformation, a condition caused by an abnormal skull structure that forces the brain to extend downward into the spinal canal.

    “I’ve had it my whole life, but my symptoms have only been getting worse as I’ve got older,” said Rolstone, SWNS reported.

    “I’ve suffered with migraines since I was a teen. Whenever I cough, I also get a very piercing pain in my head, covering the back of my skull. It only lasts for, maybe, 30 seconds — but it’s enough to make me grab my head. I can’t even shout or raise my voice without getting a headache. These were symptoms I knew to be there, but I thought they were normal,” she added.

    Rolstone thought she would grow out of the symptoms until she received the diagnosis while she was taken to the hospital after collapsing from a seizure. The doctors also found out that she had brain lesions and an aneurysm.

    “I don’t know the full extent of the damage the condition has done, but I’m glad we’ve caught it now. That seizure saved my life — it revealed my Chiari malformation,” she said.

    Rolstone now manages her migraines with painkillers and limits her phone use to reduce motion sickness. With medications for epilepsy, she has been seizure-free for 21 months.

    Chiari malformation can be present with or without symptoms, and the signs depend on the type of condition. In Chiari malformation type 1, symptoms such as headaches, particularly while coughing or sneezing, neck pain, poor hand coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, and difficulty swallowing, typically begin in late childhood or adulthood, though the condition is often congenital.

    In rare cases, individuals with Chiari malformation type 1 may experience additional symptoms, including ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus), muscle weakness, a slow heart rhythm, curvature of the spine (scoliosis) linked to spinal cord impairment, and breathing difficulties.

    Type 2 Chiari malformation is typically associated with a myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida where the spinal canal and backbone fail to close properly before birth. The symptoms include difficulty swallowing, changes in breathing pattern, sudden downward eye movements and weakness in arms.

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  • Poor Sleep In 40s May Add Years To Your Brain Age: Study Finds

    Poor Sleep In 40s May Add Years To Your Brain Age: Study Finds

    Missing out on sleep not only makes you feel groggy the next day, but the effects can be long-lasting. Adding to the growing body of evidence, researchers have now found that poor sleep in the middle ages is linked to accelerated brain aging in the next ten years.

    The latest study that evaluated participants’ brain health using brain scans revealed that having poor sleep quality in the 40s might add more years to the brain age.

    “Sleep problems have been linked in previous research to poor thinking and memory skills later in life, putting people at higher risk for dementia. Our study which used brain scans to determine participants’ brain age, suggests that poor sleep is linked to nearly three years of additional brain aging as early as middle age,” said study author, Clémence Cavaillès from the University of California San Francisco in a news release.

    The researchers evaluated the sleep patterns of 589 participants with an average age of 40 using questionnaires at the start of the study and five years later. After 15 years, the researchers evaluated the brain shrinkage of the participants using brain scans.

    The questionnaires evaluated participants based on six sleep issues: difficulty falling asleep, waking up in between sleep, waking up too early, short sleep duration, bad sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness.

    Based on the results, participants were divided into three groups according to their sleep quality. Those in the low group had just one poor sleep characteristic and 70% belonged to this group. However, the middle group, comprising 22% of participants, had two to three poor sleep features, while the high group, with more than three poor sleep characteristics, made up 8% of the population.

    After analyzing brain scans alongside sleep patterns, researchers found that participants in the middle group had an average brain age of 1.6 years older than those in the low group. Meanwhile, those in the high group showed an average brain age of 2.6 years older than the low group.

    Out of the six poor sleep characteristics studied, bad sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep and early morning awakening were linked to greater brain age. This was particularly strong when the participants consistently had it for over five years.

    “Our findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep problems earlier in life to preserve brain health, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, exercising, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before going to bed and using relaxation techniques,” said author Dr. Kristine Yaffe, from the University of California San Francisco.

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  • AAP Recommends Shared Reading To Strengthen Bonds, Boost Brain Development

    AAP Recommends Shared Reading To Strengthen Bonds, Boost Brain Development

    Do you read aloud to your kids? This simple yet meaningful bonding experience between parents and caregivers can have lasting benefits. A recent recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes that reading together not only strengthens familial connections but also boosts brain development in young minds.

    The latest updated policy statement from the AAP suggests “literacy promotion as a universal primary prevention strategy to strengthen families and support healthy development.”

    The policy statement published in Pediatrics recommends that parents and caregivers read with their children from birth, continuing at least through kindergarten, including in the NICU. This practice supports language, cognitive, and social-emotional development in early childhood. The evidence shows it improves school readiness and helps with early brain development. Reading with kids also helps with positive childhood experiences that enhance early relational health.

    “Reading together with young children weaves joyful language and rich interactive moments into the fabric of daily life. As a pediatrician and parent, I suggest making books your bedtime routine, using them to connect and wind down after a busy day, and generally building them into life with a young child. It will strengthen the bonds that hold you together, and build your child’s developing brain,” said Dr. Perri Klass, the lead author of the policy statement.

    “Research tells us that reading proficiency by third grade is a significant predictor of high school graduation and career success. Children who first encounter books in the arms of their parents, when they are very young, arrive at school associating books and reading with lap-time, a sense of security, interactions, stories, rhymes, and entertainment, and above all with the beloved voices of the adults with whom they have those all-important early relationships.”

    Experts particularly stress the importance of reading books, especially as children are increasingly exposed to screen time and electronic devices become more popular in their daily lives. According to pediatric experts, digital books do not encourage the same level of parent-child interaction as traditional books. If screen-based reading or audiobooks are used, parents should engage in reciprocal interactions with their children during these activities to strengthen relational bonds and enhance learning.

    “Turning the pages of a high-quality, print book filled with colorful pictures and rich, expressive language is best. While touchscreens and other electronic devices may be popular, they are typically passive or solitary experiences for children and do not offer the same benefits of interactivity and relationship-building,” said Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, a co-author of the technical report and chair of the Council on Early Childhood.

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  • Exposure To Air Pollution During Pregnancy And Childhood Have Lasting Effects On Brain: Study

    Exposure To Air Pollution During Pregnancy And Childhood Have Lasting Effects On Brain: Study

    Long-term exposure to air pollutants is known to affect physical well-being, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. A recent study revealed that early-life exposure to air pollution has lasting effects on the brain.

    According to the research led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) during pregnancy and childhood can lead to significant changes in the microstructure of the brain’s white matter. Alarmingly, these alterations can persist into adolescence, raising concerns about the long-term impact of air pollution on brain development.

    Earlier studies have explored the impact of air pollutants on the brain’s white matter, but most were limited to a single time point and did not track participants throughout childhood.

    The latest study published in Environmental Research involved 4,000 participants in Rotterdam, the Netherlands who were part of the Generation R Study and were followed up since birth. Based on the participants’ location, the team estimated the amount of exposure to 14 different air pollutants during pregnancy and childhood.

    To examine changes in white matter microstructure, researchers conducted brain scans on 1,314 children, once around the age of 10 and again around 14.

    “Following participants throughout childhood and including two neuroimaging assessments for each child would shed new light on whether the effects of air pollution on white matter persist, attenuate, or worsen,” said ISGlobal researcher Mònica Guxens in a news release.

    The results revealed that higher exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy, as well as elevated levels of PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10, and NOx during childhood, led to a reduction in fractional anisotropy, a measure of how water molecules diffuse within the brain. In more mature brains, water tends to flow more in one direction, resulting in higher values for this marker. This association persisted into adolescence, indicating a long-term impact of air pollution on brain development.

    “Every increase in exposure level to air pollution corresponded to more than a 5-month delay in the development of fractional anisotropy,” the researchers wrote.

    “We think that the lower fractional anisotropy is likely the result of changes in myelin, the protective sheath that forms around the nerves, rather than in the structure or packaging of the nerve fibers,” said first author of the study, Michelle Kusters.

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  • New drug shows promise in clearing HIV from brain

    New drug shows promise in clearing HIV from brain

    An experimental drug originally developed to treat cancer may help clear HIV from infected cells in the brain, according to a new Tulane University study.

    For the first time, researchers at Tulane National Primate Research Center found that a cancer drug significantly reduced levels of SIV, the nonhuman primate equivalent of HIV, in the brain by targeting and depleting certain immune cells that harbor the virus.

    Published in the journal Brain, this discovery marks a significant step toward eliminating HIV from hard-to-reach reservoirs where the virus evades otherwise effective treatment.

    “This research is an important step in tackling brain-related issues caused by HIV, which still affect people even when they are on effective HIV medication,” said lead study author Woong-Ki Kim, PhD, associate director for research at Tulane National Primate Research Center. “By specifically targeting the infected cells in the brain, we may be able to clear the virus from these hidden areas, which has been a major challenge in HIV treatment.”

    Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is an essential component of successful HIV treatment, maintaining the virus at undetectable levels in the blood and transforming HIV from a terminal illness into a manageable condition. However, ART does not completely eradicate HIV, necessitating lifelong treatment. The virus persists in “viral reservoirs” in the brain, liver, and lymph nodes, where it remains out of reach of ART.

    The brain has been a particularly challenging area for treatment due to the blood-brain barrier — a protective membrane that shields it from harmful substances but also blocks treatments, allowing the virus to persist. In addition, cells in the brain known as macrophages are extremely long-lived, making them difficult to eradicate once they become infected.

    Infection of macrophages is thought to contribute to neurocognitive dysfunction, experienced by nearly half of those living with HIV. Eradicating the virus from the brain is critical for comprehensive HIV treatment and could significantly improve the quality of life for those with HIV-related neurocognitive problems.

    Researchers focused on macrophages, a type of white blood cell that harbors HIV in the brain. By using a small molecule inhibitor to block a receptor that increases in HIV-infected macrophages, the team successfully reduced the viral load in the brain. This approach essentially cleared the virus from brain tissue, providing a potential new treatment avenue for HIV.

    The small molecule inhibitor used, BLZ945, has previously been studied for therapeutic use in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and brain cancer, but never before in the context of clearing HIV from the brain.

    The study, which took place at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, utilized three groups to model human HIV infection and treatment: an untreated control group, and two groups treated with either a low or high dose of the small molecule inhibitor for 30 days. The high-dose treatment lead to a notable reduction in cells expressing HIV receptor sites, as well as a 95-99% decrease in viral DNA loads in the brain .

    In addition to reducing viral loads, the treatment did not significantly impact microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells, which are essential for maintaining a healthy neuroimmune environment. It also did not show signs of liver toxicity at the doses tested.

    The next step for the research team is to test this therapy in conjunction with ART to assess its efficacy in a combined treatment approach. This could pave the way for more comprehensive strategies to eradicate HIV from the body entirely.

    This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, including grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and was supported with resources from the Tulane National Primate Research Center base grant of the National Institutes of Health, P51 OD011104.

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