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Perhaps you’re one of the many people worldwide who, at the midpoint in your journey of life, have found yourself suddenly “within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost,” to quote the great Italian writer Dante Alighieri. If so, the question before you may be: Are you depressed, or are you just having a midlife crisis? It’s not uncommon for anyone between the ages of roughly 40 and 60 to experience uncomfortable feelings associated with one or both. Finding the answer may require navigating a bit of nuance, for while depression can serve as a handmaiden to a midlife crisis, that is not always the case. In fact, the two states are not one and the same. While a midlife crisis is a form of identity crisis that calls for a jolt of new thinking, depression is a brain-based condition that may require comprehensive treatment.WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression is a brain-based disorder, which can be characterized by some or all of the following symptoms:- a loss of interest in possessions or activities you once held dear
- a loss of or an increase in appetite, often featuring weight loss or gain
- difficulty sleeping
- lapses in concentration
- listlessness, with a drop in energy
- persistent negative thoughts or hopelessness
- suicidal ideation
WHAT IS A MIDLIFE CRISIS?
By contrast, a midlife crisis is a form of identity crisis in which a person judges their own life path and selfhood as inadequate. It may feature a creeping or sudden:- feeling of inadequacy when comparing one’s life to others
- sense of time slipping away
- conviction that you’ve failed to live up to your potential
- pronounced fear of mortality, followed by urges to make dramatic changes, such as divorcing, marrying, moving across the globe, or buying the proverbial sports car
RETHINKING YOUR LIFE IN A MIDLIFE CRISIS
“The death dragon,” as Dr. Amen puts it, “is always with us. As a psychiatrist for 40 years now, I’ve seen midlife crises over and over and over again.” To wrangle with this inner “mental” dragon, Dr. Amen urges patients not to shy away from the prospect of their own demise, but to face it head-on, as he did when he was in college. At that relatively young age, Dr. Amen wrote out the script to his own funeral and has used it to guide his life ever since. “I reverse-engineered my life,” Dr. Amen says, citing the pioneering work of psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross as an inspiration. “She said it is the denial of death that is responsible for people living empty, purposeless lives because when you think you are going to live forever you don’t take care of the things you must do today.” By contrast, people who live as though they could die imminently tend to live in the moment, he says. Those who address their midlife crises—and their mortality—head-on can launch themselves into a golden era of renewed passion and transformation. The period of reassessment during that fabled midpoint can produce change that is both surprising and welcome. Long is the list of artists and innovators whose most fertile periods began later in life. The famed chef Julia Child made her television debut at age 51 after publishing her first cookbook at age 49. Bram Stoker published his masterwork “Dracula” at age 50.HOW TO OVERCOME A MIDLIFE CRISIS
To reassess at the midpoint of life consider taking some of the following actions:- Write your own eulogy. Knowing how you want people to remember you can help guide you to a stronger sense of purpose in your life.
- Start therapy to help uncover and discard blocks to happiness
- Learn something new, such as a language, a skill like dancing, or a sport like pickleball.
- Spend more time outdoors. Science has long identified the beneficial impact of nature on mental health.
- Invest in your love life. Recommit to a long-term partner to reinvigorate your connection, consider exiting an unhealthy relationship, or start dating again after a long hiatus.
- Find new horizons, whether near or far to explore.
- Add a new brain-healthy habit to your repertoire. This could include improving your sleep hygiene, drinking more water, eating more vegetables, or meditating.
- Find new ways to spend time with friends and families. Plan ahead with loved ones to go to the movies, share more meals, take more walks or hikes together, as well as trips, both long and short.
MENTAL HEALTH ACCELERATES BIOLOGICAL AGING
The new research found that people with a history of psychiatric disorders have blood markers indicating their biological age is older than their chronological age. Lead researcher Dr. Julian Mutz said in a release, “It is now possible to predict people’s age from blood metabolites. We found that, on average, those who had a lifetime history of mental illness had a metabolite profile which implied they were older than their actual age. For example, people with bipolar disorder had blood markers indicating that they were around 2 years older than their chronological age.” These findings dovetail with earlier research showing that mental health problems also accelerate brain aging. According to a large-scale study at Amen Clinics involving brain SPECT scans of more than 30,000 people, the brains of people with bipolar disorder looked 1.6 years older than the brains of those without the psychiatric condition.MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, LIFESPAN, AND PHYSICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
Not only do mental health disorders increase biological age, but they also shorten lifespan and increase the risk of physical health problems with age. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, chronic stress, and substance use disorders can take years off your life and make you feel and look older than your age.- Depression: Individuals who are depressed often have headaches, body aches, inflammation, or chest pain.
- Anxiety: People with anxiety may experience irregular heart rhythms and palpitations.
- Chronic stress: Unrelenting stress is associated with increases in certain hormones that cause metabolic changes that make you more likely to be overweight or obese and that negatively impact regions of the brain involved in memory formation.
- ADD/ADHD: Having ADD/ADHD makes people more likely to have hypertension or obesity.
- Bipolar disorder: Increased heart rate, stomach pains, and insomnia are some of the effects of this condition.
- Substance abusers: People with drug or alcohol problems have a higher risk for liver disease and other ailments.
RESEARCH ON THE PHYSICAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
From a wellness standpoint, having depression, anxiety, chronic stress, ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, addictions, or other mental health issues should be viewed as a health emergency. A growing body of emerging research confirms this. Here are some recent findings:- A 2022 study in BMC Medicine that analyzed health data on people with anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder found higher levels of frailty, a condition that heightens mortality risk, in all 3 of these mental health disorders. The highest risk of frailty was associated with bipolar disorder.
- A 2019 study in The Lancet found that compared to the general population, people with mental health issues have a shorter life expectancy. Among those with mental health problems, men die an average of 10 years earlier and women lose about 7 years of life. At the highest end of the mortality, risk are men with substance use disorders, who die 14.8 years earlier than those without an addiction problem.
- A 2022 study in JAMA Psychiatry shows that when people have mental health issues in addition to a physical health condition, it increases the risk of death compared with those who only have a physical condition. This study found that having a mood disorder on top of a medical condition increases the risk of death by 55%. People with an eating disorder in addition to a physical health issue heightens the mortality risk by over 300%.
- A 2021 study in The Lancet analyzed 35 physical health conditions and found that having ADD/ADHD is associated with increased risk for 34 of them. Among these medical illnesses are fatty liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and obesity.
HEALING MENTAL HEALTH TO HEAL THE BODY AND BRAIN
Although these findings seem dire, they should not be viewed as a death sentence. Rather, you should look at them as a wake-up call to seek treatment for mental health issues. By effectively treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addictions, and other issues, you may improve your overall general health. Getting the right treatment is critical. The brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics, which includes over 225,000 brain scans on tens of thousands of patients from 155 countries, shows that mental health problems are not single or simple disorders. They all have multiple types. SPECT measures blood flow and activity in the brain and shows 3 things: areas of the brain with healthy activity, too little activity, or too much activity. The SPECT scan database at Amen Clinics shows that there are:- 7 types of anxiety and depression
- 7 types of ADD/ADHD
- 6 types of addicts
- 11 major risk factors for memory loss
DAILY HABITS TO REVERSE AGING FROM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Since your brain, mind, and body are interconnected, it’s critically important to address mental health issues to optimize your overall well-being and slow or reverse the aging process. Look for a mental health professional who understands the brain-body-mind connection. Take note that caring for your mental health is a daily practice. Simple strategies that help include:- Eat a brain-healthy diet that boosts mood, calms anxiousness, and calms stress.
- Take nutritional supplements to support mental wellness.
- Exercise every day to enhance mental sharpness and moods.
- Practice stress-reduction techniques.
WHAT ARE THE TOP 4 BRAIN AGERS?
Just as muscles in the human body can atrophy as a result of the aging process, brain activity also decreases across its entire surface as we get older. In fact, on average, the adult brain loses about 85,000 neurons every day. But, though many of us expect impeded brain function as a normal side effect of aging, we can actually strengthen our brains, just as we would tone up our other muscles. Incorporating a few smart strategies every day will help stave off the brain aging process. Here are the top 4 areas in which we can change our behaviors to produce a more youthful effect.1. Toxin Exposure
Intake of harmful toxins is one of the biggest culprits that accelerates brain aging—but it’s also fairly straightforward to simply say no to many of these health destroyers. For example, everyone knows that smoking is a killer habit to be avoided at all costs, but keep in mind that other drugs, both legal and illegal, can cause similar harm. One large-scale study of brain SPECT scans, led by Amen Clinics founder Dr. Daniel Amen, evaluated more than 30,000 individuals from 9 months to 105 years old and found that cannabis abuse can add 2.8 years’ worth of accelerated aging, while alcohol abuse contributed 0.6 years of accelerated aging. Prescription drugs, such as benzodiazepines and painkillers, as well as too-high levels of caffeine (more than 300 milligrams per day, or more than 3 normal-size cups of coffee), can also age the brain. Any of these substances are also addictive, so their impact can easily snowball over time. Additionally, we are all vulnerable to being exposed to environmental toxins, such as pesticides, organic solvents, phthalates, and mold. Even those who have undergone chemotherapy should be extra careful to incorporate other brain-healthy habits to fight back against any potential damage. Cancer patients have demonstrated signs of “chemo brain,” since these treatments can impact healthy cells as they kill cancerous cells.2. Free Radicals, Inflammation, and DNA Damage
Chronic inflammation, which is promoted by the formation of free radicals, is thought to be a root cause of a wide variety of diseases that develop with age, including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In a nutshell, free radicals attack our cells like rust erodes a car, damaging our DNA and accelerating the aging process. Free radicals can be avoided by banishing toxic habits like cigarettes, vaping, and sun overexposure. Within your diet, avoid charred meats, which develop compounds in the cooking process that may damage DNA, as well as trans fats and pesticides. (To reduce the latter, choose organic varieties when buying any of the “dirty dozen” in the produce aisle: peaches, apples, blueberries, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, imported grapes, spinach, kale, and potatoes.) Inflammation can also be related to low levels of vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids, high levels of omega-6, diabetes, stress, and diets with too much meat and/or sugar. How do these influences impact DNA? One way is through telomeres, which act like caps at the end of each DNA strand to keep it from unraveling. Inflammation, exposure to free radicals, vitamin deficiencies, and a lack of omega-3s can erode these protective telomeres, which shortens cells’ life span—and, ultimately, can shorten a person’s life span. Researchers have found that, among those older than 60, shorter telomeres indicated a three times greater likelihood of death from heart disease and an eight times greater likelihood of death from infectious disease.3. Lifestyle Choices
Obviously, there are myriad ways in which our lifestyles and habits can prematurely age our brains, but let’s look more closely at two major cornerstones of health: diet and exercise. Those who have adopted the Standard American Diet (SAD)—high in processed foods that feature loads of fats (including trans fats) and added sugars—are also doing a load of damage to the body. When a large quantity of sugar mixes with proteins and fats, the process forms molecules called Advanced Glycation End products, or AGEs, which promote aging. Women should aim to consume no more than 100 calories per day of added sugars; for men, no more than 150 calories per day. Choose high-fiber, low-glycemic foods instead. A SAD diet also leads to being overweight or obese, which directly impacts the brain—because as your weight increases, brain size decreases. Help keep your weight at a healthy level through regular exercise that focuses on building both endurance and strength. Do make exercise a priority, aiming for 30 minutes of activity every day, but don’t overdo it—that could backfire by creating, not reducing, inflammation. Finally, choosing the right supplements can also help keep the physical body in tip-top shape and protect against vitamin deficiencies.4. Physical and Mental Health Conditions
There is a range of health concerns that contribute to brain aging. For example, in recent years, we’ve found that COVID-19 has been associated with damage to the brain, joining the list of more established culprits, from gum and heart disease to diabetes and hypertension. Of course, brain injuries, and/or a lack of brain rehabilitation when needed, can also create lasting impacts. But even seemingly lower-intensity health problems influence brain aging, such as digestive issues, high or low testosterone or thyroid hormone levels, allergies, elevated levels of iron in the body, and chronic insomnia or sleep apnea. Furthermore, we cannot overlook the impact of mental health issues. In the SPECT study of more than 30,000 individuals referenced above, findings noted a link between accelerated aging and various brain disorders and behaviors. The top offender was schizophrenia, which was associated with an average of 4 years of premature aging, followed by bipolar disorder (1.6 years) and ADD/ADHD (1.4 years). Surprisingly, major depressive disorder was not linked to accelerated aging, however, this may be due to the fact that SPECT shows there are 7 different types of depression, each associated with a unique brain pattern. In the “behaviors” category, brain-aging influences include negative thinking patterns, elevated anxiety levels, and impulsive or thrill-seeking behaviors.PREVENTING BRAIN AGING
The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics has shown that some older men and women have brains that look much younger than their chronological ages would predict. That’s because they have implemented brain-boosting strategies on a daily basis, enabling them to live vibrant lives well into their advanced years. We all want to slow down the aging process and feel more youthful over the long haul, and it comes down to embracing 3 simple tactics: loving your brain, avoiding the damaging elements outlined above, and picking up those healthy habits that will help maintain your brain’s health. The power is in your hands—and between your ears! Memory problems, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most dreaded ailments. It robs us of the memories of our life’s joys, accomplishments, hurts, and lessons learned—the very things that make up the essence of who we are. When our memory is damaged by Alzheimer’s, it diminishes our ability to make sense of the world, creates a disconnect with loved ones, hijacks our independence, and ultimately steals our life. It’s utterly heartbreaking. Many people believe Alzheimer’s disease is inevitable or that it strikes randomly without warning. It’s common for medical professionals to tell their patients who are complaining about forgetfulness that age-related memory loss is normal. And the vast majority of us believe there is nothing we can do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease or to stop it from deteriorating further. That’s wrong! The truth is, Alzheimer’s is a lifestyle disease—similar to heart disease or type 2 diabetes—and your everyday habits contribute greatly to your level of risk. New research confirms this. The truth is, Alzheimer’s is a lifestyle disease—similar to heart disease and type 2 diabetes—and your everyday habits contribute greatly to your level of risk.11 Lifestyle Factors that Increase the Risk for Alzheimer’s
Currently, over 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple by 2050. If you don’t want to be one of them, you need to know the 11 major risk factors of memory loss. The lifestyle factors that contribute to a heightened risk for Alzheimer’s disease can be summed up with the mnemonic BRIGHT MINDS. Here’s what each letter stands for.B is for blood flow problems.
Healthy blood flow is essential for a good memory. The brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that low blood flow is the #1 brain imaging predictor of Alzheimer’s.R is for retirement and aging.
Advancing age is the strongest risk factor for memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Brain SPECT imaging shows that the activity in the brain generally decreases with age.I is for Inflammation.
Smoking, eating a high-sugar diet, and carrying excess body fat are associated with chronic inflammation that can harm the brain and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.G is for genetics.
Having first-degree family members with Alzheimer’s can be a sign that you need to make serious lifestyle changes to protect your memory.H is for head trauma.
Several studies show a link between traumatic brain injuries or repeated mild head trauma (like repetitive helmet-to-helmet tackles in football) and the risk for dementia.T is for toxins.
Toxic substances, such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and drugs are associated with memory issues.M is for mental health problems.
A wealth of research has shown that untreated depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic stress, and ADD/ADHD significantly increase the risk of memory problems. (See below for new research on the ADHD connection to Alzheimer’s.)I is for immune system problems and infections.
In a 2016 editorial in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 33 scientists expressed concern that infectious diseases were being overlooked as a major cause of memory problems and dementia.N is for neurohormone problems.
When hormones are out of balance, it creates an increased risk for illness, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and more.D is for diabesity.
The unhealthy combination of obesity and diabetes seriously impacts brain health and memory. Research in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has linked abnormal insulin levels, which are a hallmark of diabetes, to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. The correlation is so strong, some scientists have labeled Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes.”S is for sleep issues.
A growing body of research links sleep problems, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, to a higher risk of memory problems and dementia.The Link Between ADHD and Alzheimer’s Disease
As mentioned above, mental health issues increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. New research sheds light on the link between ADHD and the disease. A 2021 multi-generational study out of Sweden shows that the grandparents and parents of those with ADHD are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease compared with older people who have no ADHD relatives. And the increase in risk is substantial. Parents of a child with ADHD have a 55% greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and grandparents of ADHD kids have an 11% increased risk of the disease. The study doesn’t show that ADHD causes Alzheimer’s. However, it’s important to look at how ADHD makes people more vulnerable to lifestyle risk factors for memory loss. Many of the symptoms of ADHD—including short attention span, impulsivity, distractibility, disorganization, and procrastination—lead to poor decision-making and increase the vulnerability to lifestyle risk factors for memory issues. People with ADHD are at greater risk for traumatic brain injuries, obesity, substance abuse, and smoking. In turn, these lifestyle factors increase the chances of developing some form of dementia.Know the Side Effects of Not Treating Mental Illness
Some people are wary of treating psychiatric issues with medication due to possible side effects. This is a valid concern, and it’s generally a good idea to try the least toxic, most effective solutions for any mental health problem. However, it’s equally important to understand that not treating mental illness also comes with side effects. In some cases, those potential side effects include an increased risk for memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. That is too high a price to pay. Memory loss, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.Advanced age, obesity, smoking—these are some of the biggest risk factors that make you more likely to develop a severe illness or to die from COVID-19, according to emerging research. They are also many of the same risk factors that attack brain health and contribute to mental illness and memory problems. BRIGHT MINDS is a mnemonic for the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind, and as researchers are discovering, they may also raise the risk for more severe illness or death from the coronavirus.
Know how many of these risk factors you have and follow the tips to minimize your risk.
B is for Blood flow.
The World Health Organization reports that people with high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease are among those at highest risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19. Statistics compiled by the state of New York show that hypertension, coronary artery disease, and high cholesterol are among the top 10 co-morbidities among patients who died from COVID-19.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Even though you may be sheltering at home, it’s still critical to exercise to get your blood pumping.
R is for Retirement/Aging.
Research in Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that people of old age are at the greatest risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19. Having dementia, which is typically seen in older people, was listed as one of the top 10 co-existing conditions in people who died from COVID-19, according to statistics from the state of New York.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: New learning keeps your brain young. When quarantined or self-isolating, keep your mind active.
I is for Inflammation.
A study in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that people with high levels of C-reactive protein—a marker for inflammation—are more likely to have severe coronavirus illness.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Avoid pro-inflammatory foods, such as sugar and refined carbohydrates, that drive inflammation.
G is for Genetics.
Researchers suggest the reason why some younger people with no underlying health conditions become seriously ill from COVID-19 may have to do with their genes.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Know your genetic risks and be proactive about minimizing them.
H is for Head Trauma.
Although research has yet to show a direct connection between head trauma and coronavirus outcomes, having a head injury increases the likelihood of mental health issues, such as depression, which has been linked to inflammation and immune system dysfunction. In addition, people who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are also more likely to suffer from addictions to toxic substances that may impact pulmonary health. (See T is for Toxins below.)
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Protect your brain—wear a helmet while biking, avoid climbing ladders, hold the handrail when you walk down stairs.
T is for Toxins.
Smoking anything—cigarettes, marijuana, or methamphetamine—poses a greater risk for severe COVID-19 illness. According to a release from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Because it attacks the lungs, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could be an especially serious threat to those who smoke tobacco or marijuana or who vape.” NIDA also suggests that people with addictions who abuse opioids or methamphetamine may also be at increased risk because these substances negatively affect respiratory and pulmonary health. In addition, kidney disease ranked among the top 10 co-occurring conditions in people who died from COVID-19 in New York state. The kidneys are one of the body’s 4 organs of detoxification—the other 3 are the skin, gut, and liver. Environmental toxins can harm these organs. This damage reduces your detoxification system’s ability to do its job, creating an even greater buildup of toxins.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: During highly stressful times like during a pandemic, eliminate alcohol and drugs and support your 4 organs of detoxification—liver, kidneys, gut, and skin—by minimizing your exposure to environmental toxins.
M is for Mental Health.
Having depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions can interfere with immune system function and make you more susceptible to viral infections.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Seek treatment for mental health issues but be sure to see a healthcare provider who looks at the brain and treats the root causes of mental illness, rather than just treating symptoms.
I is for Immunity and Infections.
Having a chronic infection, such as Lyme disease, may increase vulnerability to COVID-19 and may worsen outcomes, according to Mark Filidei, D.O., the director of integrative and functional medicine at Amen Clinics in Costa Mesa, California.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Shore up immunity with vitamin D, zinc, therapeutic mushrooms, and garlic.
N is for Neurohormones.
A recent report in The New York Times shows that men are dying from COVID-19 at nearly twice the rate as women. Science suggests it may be due, in part, to hormones. Research shows the female sex hormone estrogen stimulates the immune system, giving women more robust immunity, while the male sex hormone testosterone inhibits the immune system.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: As a general rule, it’s a good idea to check your hormone levels regularly and optimize them if necessary.
D is for Diabesity.
The word “diabesity” combine diabetes and obesity, both of which are associated with poorer outcomes from COVID-19. Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for hospitalization and critical illness, according to a pre-print study (which means it is not yet peer-reviewed) of over 4,000 people in New York who had tested positive for COVID-19. Having diabetes doesn’t increase the risk of becoming ill from COVID-19, but an analysis in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation reports that people with diabetes could be up to twice as likely to die from coronavirus.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Eat healthy foods—lean protein, colorful vegetables and fruits, and smart carbs (ones that don’t spike your blood sugar)—not just what’s left on the store shelves during the pandemic.
S is for Sleep.
Even though sleep has not been directly associated with worse outcomes from coronavirus, it is tightly linked to immunity. Research on identical twins in the journal Sleep shows that chronic sleep deprivation lowers immune system function.
BRIGHT MINDS Tip: Sleep is often the most affected during a crisis, but you need to make sleep a priority. Aim for 7 hours a night.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.
Did you know that the adult brain loses an average of about 85,000 neurons a day? In early childhood, the brain is very active, sprouting new neurons and developing new connections between synapses. Older adults have significantly less activity in the brain. As we get older, our muscles tend to wither, and a similar process takes place in the brain.
Brain imaging studies show that your day-to-day lifestyle and activities are either accelerating or slowing the brain aging process. Just as you can train your muscles to retain a more youthful tone, you can use strategies to keep your brain functioning more optimally. Ultimately, brain aging is optional… if you consistently use the right strategies.
The Effect of Brain Reserve on Aging
One of the best ways to understand brain aging is to look at it through the lens of a concept called “brain reserve.” That’s the extra cushion of brain function you have to help you deal with the stress life throws at you. In general, the more brain reserve you have, the more resilient you are and the better your brain can handle the aging process to keep memory loss, anxiety, depression, and other issues at bay.
To grasp this point, look at the following “brain reserve” drawing. It shows the intersection of 3 important factors:
- Brain activity
- Age
- Habits
As you can see, at a certain point along the line in the graph, you cross a threshold, indicating that your reserve is gone. This is when symptoms like anxiety, depression, memory problems, or temper flare-ups can appear.
Why Do Some People Have More Brain Reserve Than Others?
Let’s rewind to unpack why people have varying levels of brain reserve. A growing body of science is showing that even before you were conceived, your parents’ lifestyle habits were laying the foundation for your overall physical and mental health and wellbeing.
At conception, your brain had a certain potential for reserve. However, if your mom smoked (or got second-hand smoke from your dad), drank too much alcohol, ate junk food, was chronically stressed, or had infections during the pregnancy, it depleted your reserve—even before you were born! If, on the other hand, your mom (and dad) didn’t smoke, and she was healthy, ate nutritious meals, took prenatal vitamins, and was not overly stressed, it was contributing to a boost in your reserve.
Once you’re born, this increase or depletion in your brain reserve continues for the rest of your life. For example, if you were exposed to chronic stress or witnessed domestic abuse at home, it decreased your reserve. If you fell off your bike and hit your head when you were in grade school, it lowered your reserve, even if didn’t have any symptoms. If you started smoking marijuana as a teenager, it further depleted your reserve. Then if you played tackle football or hit a lot of soccer balls with your head, it took an additional toll on your reserve. Despite all of these knocks on your reserve, you may not have developed any symptoms…yet.
2 Soldiers, 1 Blast, Very Different Results
Think of it this way: There are 2 soldiers in a war-torn region. They’re both in the same tank and are both exposed to the same blast injury at the same angles. They both survive the blast without physical injuries. However, one of them is subsequently wracked by PTSD and depression, while the other one experiences no residual mental health problems. Why? Luck? Probably not.
It is far more likely that the 2 soldiers had different levels of brain reserve going into the accident. One soldier had more reserve because he took good care of his brain, he had lots of educational opportunities, his parents fed him well, and they didn’t let him play football. The other soldier had less reserve due to an unstable home environment, 3 previous concussions from playing football, a junk-food diet, and drug use as a teenager. They were both effective at their jobs, but they started at different places in terms of reserve.
So even though the blast diminished both of their reserves, the one with more reserve avoided any mental health consequences while the one with less reserve fell below that threshold where the reserve is gone, making him vulnerable to problems like PTSD and depression.
It’s the same with aging.
3 Steps to Put the Brakes on Brain Aging
Getting well is not just about becoming symptom-free, but it’s also about increasing brain reserve to getting back above the line. To boost your brain reserve and slow down the aging process, you need to follow three simple strategies:
- Love your brain (you have to really care about your brain).
- Avoid the things that hurt your brain.
- Do the things that help your brain.
Your everyday habits and decisions are either boosting or stealing your brain’s reserve and are either accelerating the aging process or rejuvenating your brain. When you grasp this concept, you realize that you have a lot more influence on how fast your brain ages.
At Amen Clinics, most of the people we see are already symptomatic, which means they have crossed the brain reserve threshold. With our brain SPECT imaging, we often see that their brains look older than they should. By taking a comprehensive approach to treatment using the least toxic, most effective therapies, we can help you reduce your symptoms and rejuvenate your brain. And you can boost brain reserve so you can better handle whatever life throws your way.
For more information on how we can help you, call us at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.
When Tana Amen’s dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t have a relationship with her father. He had left her family when she was just a baby, started doing drugs, and very rarely dropped in to see his daughter as she grew up.
When Tana reached the age of 18, she made it very clear to him she never wanted to talk to him again. She was done.
An Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
More than a decade had passed when Tana got the call from her sisters that their father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. They were really worried, and they wanted Tana’s help.
Tana’s first reaction was, “Why is this my problem? He’s never been a part of my life. Why are you calling me?”
But by then Tana had started dating Dr. Daniel Amen, the neuroscientist and psychiatrist who is a pioneer in the use of brain imaging in psychiatry. When Tana told him about her dad’s situation, Dr. Amen asked if anybody had bothered to look at his brain.
None of her dad’s doctors had done a brain scan, so they were basically medicating him in the dark.
Dr. Amen asked if he could scan Tana’s dad’s brain using a neuroimaging technology called SPECT. There are over 2,000 brain SPECT studies on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s considered one of the best tools for studying these conditions. Tana’s dad agreed to get scanned.
What Did His Brain Scan Reveal?
The SPECT brain scan showed he didn’t actually have Alzheimer’s disease. There is a certain Alzheimer’s pattern seen on SPECT scans, and he didn’t have it. He had been misdiagnosed. And he was being treated with the wrong medications.
The brain scans showed that he had a condition called pseudodementia. This occurs when people appear to have the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, but their brain doesn’t show it. The brain scans show that they’re actually depressed. Pseudodementia is depression that’s masquerading as severe cognitive and memory problems.
When Tana’s dad stopped taking his medications and started following a comprehensive treatment plan for depression, things took a really interesting turn.
Find out more about what happened to Tana’s dad on the Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast:
With the world’s largest database of functional brain scans—over 150,000 and growing—Amen Clinics has treated many people with pseudodementia who had been misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Accurately diagnosing and treating pseudodementia helps patients reverse symptoms of dementia.
If you have a loved one is suffering from memory loss or cognitive decline, speak to a specialist today by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit for a comprehensive evaluation.
Schizophrenia, cannabis use, and alcohol abuse are just several disorders that are related to accelerated brain aging.
COSTA MESA, CA, August 21, 2018 – In the largest known brain imaging study, scientists from Amen Clinics (Costa Mesa, CA), Google, John’s Hopkins University, University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Francisco evaluated 62,454 brain SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans of more than 30,000 individuals from 9 months old to 105 years of age to investigate factors that accelerate brain aging. SPECT tomography) evaluates regional cerebral blood flow in the brain that is reduced in various disorders. Lead author, psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen, MD, founder of Amen Clinics, commented, “Based on one of the largest brain imaging studies ever done, we can now track common disorders and behaviors that prematurely age the brain. Better treatment of these disorders can slow or even halt the process of brain aging. The cannabis abuse finding was especially important, as our culture is starting to see marijuana as an innocuous substance. This study should give us pause about it.” The current study used brain SPECT imaging to determine aging trajectories in the brain and which common brain disorders predict abnormally accelerated aging. It examined these functional neuroimaging scans from a large multi-site psychiatric clinic from patients who had many different psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Researchers studied 128 brain regions to predict the chronological age of the patient. Older age predicted from the scan compared to the actual chronological age was interpreted as accelerated aging. The study found that a number of brain disorders and behaviors predicted accelerated aging, especially schizophrenia, which showed an average of 4 years of premature aging, cannabis abuse (2.8 years of accelerated aging), bipolar disorder (1.6 years accelerated aging), ADHD (1.4 years accelerated aging) and alcohol abuse (0.6 years accelerated aging). Interestingly, the researchers did not observe accelerated aging in depression and aging, which they hypothesize may be due to different types of brain patterns for these disorders. Commenting on the study, George Perry, PhD, Chief Scientist at the Brain Health Consortium from the University of Texas at San Antonio, said, “This is one of the first population-based imaging studies, and these large studies are essential to answer how to maintain brain structure and function during aging. The effect of modifiable and non-modifiable factors of brain aging will further guide advice to maintain cognitive function.” Co-investigator Sachit Egan, Google Inc. (Mountain View, CA), said, “This paper represents an important step forward in our understanding of how the brain operates throughout the lifespan. The results indicate that we can predict an individual’s age based on patterns of cerebral blood flow. Additionally, groundwork has been laid to further explore how common psychiatric disorders can influence healthy patterns of cerebral blood flow.”Drivers of Brain Aging
If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or depression, Amen Clinics can help. We will help you learn more about your brain and assist with early diagnosis and intervention. Call us today at (888) 288-9834 or visit our website to schedule a visit.
Do you think how you age and when you die is left to the fate of good or bad genes? Think again. “Only about 5 to 20 percent of the aging process has to do with our genes,” says Johnny Bowden, author of The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer. “The rest has to do with how we treat our bodies, which determines whether, like a light switch, we turn the good genes on and the bad genes off.”
Conquer them and you slow down the aging process and help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. And you’ll look and feel younger than your peers.