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This Neurologist Shows You How You Can Avoid Cognitive Decline - Dr. Dale Bredesen on Health TheoryCognitive function support -
This exercise effectively gives clients immediate visual feedback on their strength use and can facilitate discussion around plans to increase or optimize strengths use.
This measure was created with the help of the Activity Builder at Quenza. Quenza is a platform created by the same team who established PositivePsychology. The Cognitive Fitness Survey can be used for self-reflection.
It is designed to assess and track physical and emotional factors that contribute to cognitive health. It also assesses and tracks specific cognitive health dimensions, including attention; short-term, remote, and prospective memory; and organizational capacity. Use them to help others flourish and thrive.
For much of their history, clinical psychology and related helping professions focused on assessing and treating emotional, social, and cognitive deficits. With the positive psychology movement in the late s came a different emphasis: finding and building upon strengths. Aspects of health and wellbeing began to be studied more assiduously and became the focus of interventions.
Initially, cognitive health was one aspect of overall health and wellbeing that was overlooked by many researchers and practitioners. Fortunately, more recently, cognitive health has begun to receive the attention it deserves, as both a research topic and focus of intervention Aidman, As with other components of health and wellness, cognitive health, including attentional capacity, memory abilities, and organizational and problem-solving skills, can be enhanced with the right support and exercises.
Staying physically healthy pays large dividends toward such cognitive fitness. Physical health includes maintaining a heart-healthy diet, sleeping well, and exercising regularly. In addition, basic, cost-effective mental activities and exercises can further boost cognitive fitness.
Many of these are enjoyable in their own right and can boost cognitive skills. To be most effective, cognitive activities and exercises should involve as much novelty as possible.
To find the right activities, a positive psychology, strengths-based approach might be useful. We hope you enjoyed reading this article. About the author Dr.
Jeffrey Gaines earned a Ph. in clinical psychology from Pennsylvania State University in He sees clinical psychology as a practical extension of philosophy and specializes in neuropsychology — having been board-certified in Jeffrey is currently Clinical Director at Metrowest Neuropsychology in Westborough, MA.
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Video 6 Effective ways to improve cognitive ability. References Aidman, E. Cognitive fitness framework: Towards assessing, training and augmenting individual-difference factors underpinning high-performance cognition. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience , Cognitive assessment. Clinic-friendly screening for cognitive and mental health problems in school-aged youth with epilepsy.
Bart, R. The assessment and measurement of wellness in the clinical medical setting: A systematic review. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience , 15 9—10 , 14— Bickart, K.
Amygdala volume and social network size in humans. Nature Neuroscience , 14 2 , — Brilliant T, D. Does video gaming have impacts on the brain: Evidence from a systematic review. Brain Sciences , 9 10 , Desai, A. Recognition and management of behavioral disturbances in dementia.
Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry , 3 3 , 93— Diener, E. Positive psychology: Past, present, and future. Snyder Eds. Oxford University Press. DeKosky, S. Ginkgo biloba for prevention of dementia: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association , 19 , — Devore, E.
Dietary antioxidants and long-term risk of dementia. Archives of Neurology , 67 7 , — Eichenbaum, H. The hippocampus, memory, and place cells: Is it spatial memory or a memory space? Neuron, 23 2 , — Fissler, P. Jigsaw puzzling taps multiple cognitive abilities and is a potential protective factor for cognitive aging.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience , 10 , Gestuvo, M. Common dietary supplements for cognitive health. Aging Health , 8 1 , 89— Godman, H. Simple, low-cost, low-tech brain training. Harvard Health Blog. Six steps to cognitive health. Bilingualism, mind, and brain. Annual Review of Linguistics , 1 , — Check with your health care provider if you haven't been active and want to start a vigorous exercise program.
Being intellectually engaged may benefit the brain. People who engage in personally meaningful activities , such as volunteering or hobbies, say they feel happier and healthier. Learning new skills may improve your thinking ability, too.
For example, one study found that older adults who learned quilting or digital photography had more memory improvement than those who only socialized or did less cognitively demanding activities. Some of the research on engagement in activities such as music, theater, dance, and creative writing has shown promise for improving quality of life and well-being in older adults, from better memory and self-esteem to reduced stress and increased social interaction.
However, a recent, comprehensive report reviewing the design and findings of these and other studies did not find strong evidence that these types of activities have a lasting, beneficial effect on cognition.
Additional research is needed, and in large numbers of diverse older adults, to be able to say definitively whether these activities may help reduce decline or maintain healthy cognition. Lots of activities can keep your mind active.
For example, read books and magazines. Play games. Take or teach a class. Learn a new skill or hobby. Work or volunteer. These types of mentally stimulating activities have not been proven to prevent serious cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease , but they can be fun!
Some scientists have argued that such activities may protect the brain by establishing "cognitive reserve. Some types of cognitive training conducted in a research setting also seem to have benefits. For the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly ACTIVE trial , healthy adults 65 and older participated in 10 sessions of memory training, reasoning training, or processing-speed training.
The sessions improved participants' mental skills in the area in which they were trained with evidence suggesting these benefits persisted for two years.
Be wary of claims that playing certain computer and online games can improve your memory and other types of thinking as evidence to back up such claims is evolving. There is currently not enough evidence available to suggest that computer-based brain training applications offered commercially have the same impact on cognitive abilities as the ACTIVE study training.
NIA and other organizations are supporting research to determine whether different types of cognitive training have lasting effects. For more information, see Participating in Activities You Enjoy. Connecting with other people through social activities and community programs can keep your brain active and help you feel less isolated and more engaged with the world around you.
Participating in social activities may lower the risk for some health problems and improve well-being. People who engage in personally meaningful and productive activities with others tend to live longer, boost their mood, and have a sense of purpose.
Studies show that these activities seem to help maintain their well-being and may improve their cognitive function. So, visit with family and friends. Consider volunteering for a local organization or join a group focused on a hobby you enjoy.
Join a walking group with other older adults. Check out programs available through your Area Agency on Aging , senior center, or other community organizations. Increasingly, there are groups that meet online too, providing a way to connect from home with others who share your interests or to get support.
We don't know for sure yet if any of these actions can prevent or delay Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive decline. Still, some of these have been associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Stress is a natural part of life.
Short-term stress can even focus our thoughts and motivate us to take action. To help manage stress and build the ability to bounce back from stressful situations, there are many things you can do:. Genetic , environmental , and lifestyle factors are all thought to influence cognitive health.
Some of these factors may contribute to a decline in thinking skills and the ability to perform everyday tasks such as driving, paying bills, taking medicine, and cooking. Genetic factors are passed down inherited from a parent to child and cannot be controlled.
But many environmental and lifestyle factors can be changed or managed to reduce your risk. These factors include:. Many health conditions affect the brain and pose risks to cognitive function.
These conditions include:. It's important to prevent or seek treatment for these health problems. They affect your brain as well as your body and receiving treatment for other conditions may help prevent or delay cognitive decline or thinking problems. Older adults are at higher risk of falls, car accidents, and other accidents that can cause brain injury.
Alcohol and certain medicines can affect a person's ability to drive safely and also increase the risk for accidents and brain injury.
Learn about risks for falls and participate in fall prevention programs. Wear helmets and seat belts to help prevent head injuries as well. Overcoming this fear can help you stay active, maintain your physical health, and prevent future falls. Some drugs and combinations of medicines can affect a person's thinking and the way the brain works.
For example, certain ones can cause confusion, memory loss, hallucinations, and delusions in older adults. Medicines can also interact with food, dietary supplements, alcohol, and other substances. Some of these interactions can affect how your brain functions. Drugs that can harm older adults' cognition include:.
Lack of exercise and other physical activity may increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, depression, and stroke — all of which can harm the brain. In some studies, physical activity has been linked to improved cognitive performance and reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease.
In general, staying active is known to lower the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and symptoms of depression, all of which in turn can improve cognitive health.
A number of studies link eating certain foods with keeping the brain healthy and suggest that other foods can increase health risk. For example, high-fat and high-sodium foods can lead to health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes, that can harm the brain.
We Portion control strategies products Cognitive function support sup;ort are useful for our readers. If you buy Cognitivr links suppory this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only functioh you brands and products that we stand behind. Brain-boosting vitamins and supplements, including fish oil and rhodiola rosea, may help support healthy brain function. The specific benefits, such as focus and memory, may vary. Nootropics are natural supplements or drugs that have a beneficial effect on brain function in healthy people. Many of these can boost memory, motivation, creativity, alertness and general cognitive function.Cognitive function support -
Eating more nuts and seeds may be good for the brain, as these foods contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. A study found that a higher overall nut intake was linked to better brain function in older age.
Nuts and seeds are also rich sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which protects cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
As a person ages, their brain may be exposed to this form of oxidative stress, and vitamin E may therefore support brain health in older age.
Eating whole grains is another way to benefit from the effects of vitamin E, with these grains being a good source of the vitamin. Coffee is a well-known concentration aid — many drink it to stay awake and encourage focus.
The caffeine in coffee blocks a substance in the brain called adenosine, which makes a person feel sleepy. The researchers found that caffeine causes an increase in brain entropy, which refers to complex and variable brain activity.
When entropy is high, the brain can process more information. Coffee is also a source of antioxidants, which may support brain health as a person gets older. One study has linked lifelong coffee consumption with reduced risk of:. Eating monounsaturated fats may reduce blood pressure , and high blood pressure is linked with cognitive decline.
Thus, by reducing high blood pressure , the unsaturated fats in avocados may lower the risk of cognitive decline. Peanuts are a legume with an excellent nutritional profile. Peanuts also provide key vitamins and minerals to keep the brain healthy, including high levels of vitamin E and resveratrol.
Resveratrol is a natural non-flavonoid antioxidant found in peanuts, mulberries, and rhubarb. They are a good source of the following B vitamins:. Recent research suggests that these vitamins may prevent brain shrinkage and delay cognitive decline.
Broccoli is rich in compounds called glucosinolates. When the body breaks these down, they produce isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates may reduce oxidative stress and lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Other cruciferous vegetables that contain glucosinolates include :.
Like broccoli, kale contains glucosinolates, and leafy greens also contain other key antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This is why many consider kale to be a superfood. Research has linked polyphenols with a reduced risk of dementia and improved cognitive abilities in regular aging processes.
Soy products contain polyphenols called isoflavones, including daidzein and genistein. These chemicals act as antioxidants, providing a range of health benefits throughout the body. In addition to making dietary changes, some people consider taking supplements to improve their brain function.
But do these supplements actually work? Taking vitamins B, C, or E, beta-carotene , or magnesium may improve brain function if a person has a deficiency in any of them.
If a person does not have a deficiency, these supplements are unlikely to improve mental performance. Research suggests that taking ginseng may improve this performance.
However, further studies are needed before doctors can recommend ginseng to enhance brain function. Some of the foods contain compounds such as healthful fatty acids, which can help improve the structure of brain cells called neurons. Other compounds, such as sugars and saturated fats, may damage brain cell structures.
Our brains tend to shrink with age, which can affect our cognitive functioning. But following the right kind of diet may help to preserve brain volume. New research suggests that consuming a cup of cranberries a day may improve memory, brain function, and cholesterol levels in older adults.
Evidence suggests that sauerkraut may provide various health benefits, including supporting gut health. Learn more here.
While guarana does contain more caffeine than coffee, both have potential benefits when consumed in moderation. Learn more. Guarana has a variety of benefits, such as increasing energy levels and reducing inflammation. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?
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Oily fish Dark chocolate Berries Nuts and seeds Whole grains Coffee Avocados Peanuts Eggs Broccoli Kale Soy Supplements Summary Oily fish, berries, nuts, and other brain-boosting foods contain essential nutrients that may support short and long term brain function.
Oily fish. Share on Pinterest Oily fish contains omega-3 that can help boost brain health. Healthy aging resources To discover more evidence-based information and resources for healthy aging, visit our dedicated hub. Was this helpful? But what is not clear is whether it's the combination of nutrients in these diets that's beneficial, or whether it's specific ones or even certain amounts, or some other factors.
Researchers have tried to answer these questions by testing how these individual nutrients affect cognitive health. So far the limited studies have found no evidence they help, with a few rare exceptions.
Still, this doesn't mean that the brain supplements may not work. It's just that there is not much, if any, evidence from randomized clinical trials — the gold standard for research — on isolated vitamins or minerals and brain health.
There are three types of omega-3s: eicosapentaenoic acid EPA and docosahexaenoic acid DHA — which are found mostly in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel — and alpha-linolenic acid ALA , which is found in leafy green vegetables Brussels sprouts, spinach , vegetable oils canola, soybean , and nuts and seeds walnuts, flaxseeds.
The body coverts ALA into EPA or DHA, but only in small amounts, so the best way to get high amounts of EPA and DHA is by eating more fish. Omega-3s help build cell membranes in the brain and also may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that could protect brain cells.
Fish is a staple in the Mediterranean and MIND diets, among others, and studies have found an association between higher intake of fish and a lower risk of cognitive decline. However, omega-3 supplements haven't shown the same effect. Any benefit seems to come from a greater intake of fish and not from taking fish oil supplements.
The fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat all kinds of ailments. In the United States, the extract from the leaves is sold as a supplement commonly called ginkgo biloba.
One of its main selling points is as a memory enhancer. However, as with other brain health supplements, the science doesn't support the claims.
One of the largest clinical trials that explored the possible link was the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory GEM study. Everyone was given either milligrams of ginkgo or a placebo twice a day for almost six years. This amount was chosen based on previous research. The results found that ginkgo biloba did not lower the overall rate of developing dementia.
So, the question remains: with no evidence, why do people still buy in to brain health supplements? A major reason, it's easier to take a pill than to make lasting lifestyle changes.
Instead, invest in doing more exercise and following a plant-based diet. These can help with memory and brain health in the long term more than any supplement.
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