E44 · How To Prevent Cognitive Decline After Middle Age: A Science-Based Approach
Description
Studies reveal that over 50% of people mistakenly believe cognitive decline is simply a function of getting older. This misconception can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, causing people to disengage from mentally stimulating activities, physical activity, and socialization.
The good news? Your brain is more adaptable than you might think. Listen for a research-based dive into practical strategies to help mitigate cognitive decline.
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While any new learning is good, these three areas have been shown to have the most significant impact.
Dancing: Dancing may be the most powerful activity for cognitive health. Research shows it can reduce the risk of dementia by 76% and a meta-analysis showed it to improve memory, cognitive flexibility, visuospatial function, balance, and attention, thanks to the triumvirate of physical movement, mental challenges, and social interaction.
Language: Research indicates that bilingual individuals are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, with studies showing up to a 4.5-year delay in symptom onset compared to monolinguals.
Instrument: Similarly, learning to play an instrument enhances memory and spatial-temporal skills, with evidence suggesting improved neural plasticity.
The study Preventive Strategies for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Benefits of Aerobic Physical Activity, Especially Open-Skill Exercise says it all: “Physical inactivity is highly associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.”
Signs of insulin resistance include:
Abdominal fat
The inability to fast
Hypoglycemic episodes
A BMI greater than 25 (calculate yours here)
Fasting glucose greater than 114
Fasting insulin greater than 5.5
HbA1c (hemoglobin A1C) greater than 5.7
If you have any of these symptoms, address insulin resistance immediately. Find specific strategies for how to do that in this article.
There's no test you can have your doctor do on you but there is something called the 21-point Brain Care Score (BCS). A study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found a notable association between scores on this test and later-life issues.
"Each five-point increase in the baseline BCS was associated with a 27% lower risk of incident stroke or incident dementia or late-life depression when adjusted for age and sex, and this difference was statistically significant "
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