The Time Is Now To Get Healthy
A recent study in the Journal Neurology indicated that most adults have evidence of brain disease whether or not they had symptoms of dementia. As part of the long-term Rush Memory and Aging Project, researchers evaluated the spectrum of abnormalities found in the brains of 141 older adults, with and without clinically evident dementia. At the time of death, only 20 persons (14.2 percent) were free of brain disease, Dr. Julie A. Schneider, from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, and colleagues found. Most older persons with dementia (i.e., memory and other cognitive impairments) had more than one type of pathology in their brain causing the impairment, Schneider told Reuters Health.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071228/hl_nm/older_adults_brain_dc
“This most commonly was Alzheimer’s disease pathology and cerebral infarcts (strokes), followed by Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body disease, a disease related to Parkinson’s disease,” she said. Older persons without dementia also frequently had brain disease, most commonly Alzheimer’s-like disease, but also multiple other abnormalities, Schneider noted. Having more than one disease in the brain significantly increased the likelihood that symptoms of dementia will be present. “Older persons can often handle one pathology in their brain, but the burden of more than one pathology may tip them over the threshold of clinical dementia,” Schneider said. Therefore, prevention of not only Alzheimer’s disease but these other pathologies, particularly stroke and those things that may increase the risk of stroke, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, obesity, “are likely to significantly decrease the prevalence of dementia,” Schneider added.
In our book Preventing Alzheimer’s, written with neurologist William Shankle, we argued that early prevention is the key to keeping the brain young and necessary for a true effort at Alzheimer’s prevention. In my experience looking at older brains, most looked terrible, consistent with this study. However, there are notable exceptions, my mother for one and Anna for another.
Several years ago, in one of the graduate courses I taught at Vanguard University, I asked for volunteers for our healthy brain study. By the year 2000, we had amassed tens of thousands of brain scans for things like ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism and Alzheimer’s disease. To further our research efforts we needed to build a large database of healthy brain scans. I tried to find them wherever I went. Surprisingly, healthy brains were not that easy to find, consistent with the above study.
Christy, one of my favorite students, came up after class very excited. She said, “You have to scan my 82 year old grandmother, Anna. She is one of the most normal people I know. You will love her.” On Christy’s advice and her grandmother’s consent, I screened Anna and indeed found her to be healthy. She met all of the criteria for the study: no psychiatric illness at any point in her life, no substance abuse, brain injuries, and she was not on any medications. Anna had been married for 58 years and was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She had a sharp, curious mind and was active in her church and her community. She had solid relationships that spanned many years. Anna never drank or smoked and tried to eat healthy. Anna has one of the prettiest brains I had ever seen, out of nearly 50,000! Her brain fit her life. A healthy brain makes a healthy successful life much easier.
Take care of your brain…protect it from head injuries, get enough sleep, don’t poison it with too much alcohol, nicotine or caffeine, eat right and exercise it. A healthy brain is associated with a healthy, successful life. Strive to keep your brain healthy. Until next time, please know that success starts with a healthy brain. Failure is often the result of a brain gone wrong. The good news is that no matter how bad you have been to your brain it is never too late to change your brain and change your life. To your brain health,
Daniel Amen, MD
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3 Comments
Dear Amen staff,
Is it possible to keep my brain healthy as I age even though I take several medications?
I’m 54 and take 10mg of Lexapro to help my ADHD. I also take Zyrtec for allergies, a diuretic for Meniere’s and Synthroid for hypothyroidism. I watch my diet very closely.
Not much red meat, very little salt (due to Meniere’s) and lots of vegetables. No alcohol, smoking or drug abuse history.
Thank you,
John Messerschmidt
Gainesville, Ga.
Very interesting and informative. I am starting to think of my overall health as dependent on my brain health. Thanks
Hi!
I had always been a multi-tasker and could rely on my brain under any circumstances.
In 1990, at age 48, my health began to crater, starting with thyroid problems. By 1997, I was diagnosed with CFS and among other problems, I was very aware that my brain’s ability to function was seriously compromised. After the third doctor told me my problems were psychological, I gave up on the medical profession, and began a study of supplements. Very hard to study what works for the brain when the brain isn’t working. Your spectograph of a CFS brain looking like swiss cheese in your book was a real eye-opener.
There were many mis-steps, but in the process was able to maintain a level of functioning to remain independent. It wasn’t cheap. I would save my empty bottles in case I wanted to use something again and couldn’t remember the name, and averaged a garbage bag full of empty containers a year.
It is now 2007, at age 65, I am also dealing with the onset of age related dementia, but having the good fortune of a cupboard full of supplements and a headful of knowledge, my brain health continues to improve.
Keep up the good work. There is much profit-orientated misinformation on the airways and it is only good solid detective work by a dedicated medical profession that will save a generation from medical prescribed oblivion.
Thanks from a survivor helped by your research.
Merle Peer