Use It or Lose It - aging in the brain

A mind is a terrible thing to waste--so don't. Here's what you can do to boost your brain power

It happens to the best of us. We walk into a room for something important and as soon as we get there, we forget what we came in for. We're about to recommend a movie to a friend, but suddenly we can't remember the name of it. Or we stand up a lunch date because we were sure the appointment was tomorrow.

For many of us, our minds and memories hit a few speed bumps as we enter our 30s and 40s. Usually we make little jokes about these slipups, annoying as they can be, and chalk them up to the normal aging process. Yet medical researchers are now redefining "normal" aging in the brain, and their findings suggest that "senior moments" may not be inevitable. In fact, they may be completely avoidable.

Memory is classified in three ways. The first type, called working memory, holds a small amount of knowledge and only for the time it's being used--like when you get a phone number from the operator, remember it long enough to make the call, then promptly forget it once the call goes through. It's sort of like the clipboard on your computer: It stores just a little bit of information until something new comes along and overwrites it.

If the information is important enough, or if we are exposed to it frequently, we store it in what's called short-term memory. This can last anywhere from a few hours to a day or so. Where you put your glasses or what you ate for breakfast this morning are both good examples. Short-term memory works like the RAM (random access memory) on your computer--it can be available all day long, but once you switch off the power at the end of the day, it gets erased.

When facts are sufficiently vital or significant (like names, birthdays or how to get to work), they get stored in long-term memory. This type of memory functions like a computer's hard drive--it can store data for years.

How this knowledge moves from short- to long-term storage isn't perfectly understood, explains memory specialist Bart Rypma, Ph.D., research fellow in the psychology department of the University of at Berkeley. What we do know, he says, is that the brain uses chemical messengers called neurotransmitters to send information between nerve cells in the brain (called neurons), thus laying down memory.

Your body uses hundreds of different neurotransmitters, some of the more notable being serotonin (produces the feeling of well-being), norepinephrine (keeps you alert) and endorphins (dulls pain, reduces anxiety and produces the sensation of pleasure). "Communicating or transmitting information is the special job of the neurons," explains Catherine Myers, Ph.D., codirector of the Memory Disorders Project at Rutgers University at Newark, N.J. How well these cells transmit data to one another determines how efficient memory is, so if the number or speed of those connections declines, memory problems often result.

In general, researchers believe the number of neurotransmitters decreases with age--and fewer messengers mean fewer connections. "The ability to encode information and store it remains the same," Rypma explains, "although the speed and accuracy with which we retrieve that information seems to decrease beginning in our 40s and 50s." And the first signs of that are short-term memory impairment. Determining exactly why the number of neurotransmitters decrease is difficult, Rypma adds. "Genetics may play a role, but the evidence is inconclusive. Memory problems don't always run in the family."

An Age-Old Question

Even when mental decline does occur, it need not be permanent. "We used to think that brain cells were lost continuously throughout life and that once they died they weren't replaced," says Rypma. "But the latest research challenges that view." New studies suggest that some brain cells do indeed regenerate at a slow but steady pace. "We don't know to what extent those cells are replaced or how it happens," Rypma says, "but it looks promising."

Julian Whitaker, M.D., medical director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute in Newport Beach, Calif., agrees that we don't have to accept memory problems as a normal consequence of getting older. In his book The Memory Solution (Avery, 1999), he points to several ongoing studies following large numbers of adults over decades (including the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging, begun in 1958, and the Seattle Longitudinal Study, begun in 1956). "These studies show that mental capacity can be surprisingly stable well into old age," says Whitaker, who's had a good deal of personal success helping his patients to maximize their brain potential. "As long as there is no disease, such as Alzheimer's, or brain injury from either a stroke or accident, our mental abilities remain pretty much intact throughout life."

Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., president and medical director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tucson, Ariz., and author of Brain Longevity (Warner, 1997), has also had good results with patients fighting memory decline--including those who were formerly deemed untreatable. "Just because it's the average experience does not mean it's normal," insists Khalsa. Both doctors relied on changes in diet, nutritional supplements, aerobic exercise, mental workouts (like brain teasers) and stress reduction to improve their patients' memory capabilities.

Chew on This

Given this potential for improving brain function and memory, the question becomes how exactly do we go about making the most of what we have? Various lifestyle factors--notably a healthy diet, adequate aerobic exercise and stress management are the cornerstones of Whitaker's and Khalsa's memory-improvement programs.

A healthy diet may be the most powerful tool for keeping your brain sharp, and fruits and vegetables get particularly high marks. Much-touted research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston shows that eating blueberries, strawberries and spinach improves short-term memory. Researchers point to the high levels of antioxidants (especially vitamins A, C and E) found in these foods. Antioxidants protect cells from damage by free radicals, which are the harmful by-products of such environmental factors as radiation and pollution and even normal metabolism. Usually kept in check by the body, free radicals can reach dangerously high levels in people who smoke, drink excessively, eat a diet high in saturated fat and are carrying around too much extra weight.

Free radical-fighting antioxidants are especially beneficial to the brain, says the study's lead researcher James Joseph, Ph.D., because the brain is relatively deficient in antioxidants to begin with, making it more vulnerable to free radical damage than other parts of the body. In fact, studies at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that Alzheimer's patients have twice the normal levels of free radicals in areas of the brain critical for memory.

Breathe Deep

There's no doubt that managing stress plays a vital role in memory function; we all know what it's like when we have a million things to do but can't remember where we put the list. Yet according to Myers, "A little stress is a good thing because it increases attention. Some people--like stockbrokers--thrive on stress." But too much can, and will, damage the brain. Research conducted by Stanford University neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky, Ph.D., has shown that high levels of the stress hormone cortisol impair memory because they damage the hippocampus--a region of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Exactly how that happens, he says, is still unclear, although he has found that the greater the stress, the greater the memory problems.

Some scientists even speculate that elevated levels of cortisol may be a major cause of Alzheimer's disease, the progressive, degenerative brain disorder affecting 4 million elderly Americans that begins with forgetting recent events or familiar tasks.

While stress may seem inevitable in our fast-paced society, Khalsa believes we can learn to relax with a few simple tools, starting with meditation. "I call meditation a suit of armor against stress," he says, "because it releases trapped energy or garbage from the subconscious mind that causes anxiety and excess cortisol production." He explains that meditation requires only a positive attitude, a comfortable position, a quiet environment and a repetitive mental device (such as observing the breath, repeating a mantra or even counting your steps) to disengage the logic-driven part of the brain we use when we think. "Give yourself 10 to 20 minutes to meditate, once or twice a day, preferably before breakfast and dinner. Check the clock occasionally, but don't use an alarm because it may startle you and ruin your relaxation," he says:

Work It Out

Regular aerobic exercise is another key to building up brain power. It increases substances within the brain called nerve growth factors (NGF), which facilitate the production of various neurotransmitters as well as the formation of dendrites (parts of the nerve cell critical for communication). NGFs are responsible for nerve cell growth, explains Maria Sulindro, M.D., president of the Academy of Anti-Aging Research in Pasadena, Calif. In addition, studies funded by the National Institute on Aging at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that after six months of exercising aerobically for 45 minutes three times a week, formerly sedentary people improved their mental performance by as much as 25 percent.

Another reason exercise may help, Sulindro speculates, is that it increases circulation, making the flow of oxygen and other nutrients through the blood more efficient. This is especially important, as brain cells need sustained high levels of oxygen to function optimally. In fact, your brain requires more oxygen than any other part of the body.

Clean Up Your Act

In addition to managing your stress, exercising regularly and eating right, there are a host of specific lifestyle factors within your control that can give your brain a boost.

AVOID CERTAIN DRUGS. According to Whitaker, many prescription drugs can cause memory problems. "Antidepressants, tranquilizers and barbiturates are designed to alter brain function, and they do so at the expense of memory and alertness," he says. "Many other commonly taken drugs--including beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, painkillers and antihistamines--also interfere with brain function." The more of these you take, he believes, the greater your chances of eventually developing memory problems.

QUIT SMOKING. Studies have shown that smokers have more trouble remembering names and faces. "Smoking increases stress hormone levels, including brain-damaging cortisol," Whitaker notes. And by increasing levels of carbon monoxide in the blood, smoking also restricts blood flow and therefore decreases oxygen levels in the brain. On top of that, it lowers levels of protective vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E and several B-complex vitamins.

LIMIT ALCOHOL. French studies have shown that moderate alcohol consumption actually enhances cognitive performance in older women (although, interestingly, not in men). But chronic heavy drinking causes permanent damage to the brain because it constricts blood vessels, thereby reducing blood flow and limiting available oxygen in the brain. And to make matters worse, our tolerance for alcohol decreases as we age.

GET ADEQUATE SLEEP, Losing just an hour or so of sleep for two or three nights in a row results in elevated levels of cortisol, according to researchers at the University of Chicago. Lack of sleep also affects your ability to pay attention, which, for obvious reasons, can cause memory problems.

SHUN ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS. Exposure to neurotoxins--environmental elements that harm the brain and nervous system--is a growing concern, according to Whitaker. "The list includes pesticides, herbicides, solvents or other industrial cleaning agents and certain heavy metals, such as lead, aluminum and mercury." He suggests avoiding extended use of these substances.

Stay Mentally Fit

Khalsa firmly believes we have a good deal of control over our memory. "The more we choose to use our brains," he says, "the better our brains will function throughout our lives." To this end, anything that stimulates the brain is helpful: reading, listening to audio books, attending courses or lectures, playing chess, playing card games (including solitaire), doing crossword puzzles or brain teasers, doing jigsaw puzzles, studying new vocabulary words, learning a foreign language, watching detective movies, playing video or computer games, perfecting your pool game, keeping a journal, writing letters or even having an intelligent debate with your spouse.

"But don't just do analytical exercises," Khalsa points out, noting that only half the brain is used in rational, logical thinking. "Creative activities, such as art and music, are just as important because they stimulate other areas of the brain." You might learn to play a new musical instrument, to write poetry or short stories, or sign up for a dance class, martial arts or yoga classes. You could take up needlework or various crafts and even daydream more.

If you've already noticed some problems with your memory, you can play "games" or practice little tricks to increase your cognitive power. Try writing more notes to yourself, making sure you always have a pad and paper either in your purse or within easy reach. And keep a date book or calendar to help you bridge memory gaps. If you take vitamins or other medication in the morning, put your pills by the coffeemaker or on the breakfast table. Strive to keep things in the same place, especially items you use every day, like your keys and wallet. Another good idea is to repeat instructions or directions out loud. Likewise, saying the names of people you are introduced to several times throughout the conversation will help you remember them.

Pierce J. Howard, Ph.D., author of The Owner's Manual for the Brain (Bard Press, 1994, 1999), suggests the following three-step "compensatory process" for increasing memory. First comes the intention to remember something; then organizing the information in a meaningful way (e.g., using flash cards, or visual imagery); and, finally, practicing it by repeating what you want to remember. "Most of us assume that our mind is like flypaper and when a fact comes along, it will stick," he says. "We don't believe we really have to focus on remembering. But that's wrong." The key is to take advantage of any trick or device that helps you to remember information.

A Delicate Balance

It's important to discuss any concerns you have about memory with your doctor. "What we think of as `normal' aging is sometimes a symptom of something else going on in the body," says Myers. "The natural chemicals in our body are exquisitely balanced, so anything that throws one off is likely to alter others, including those chemicals responsible for memory. I've even seen a urinary infection cause memory problems."

Menopause often causes temporary memory problems because the drop in estrogen throws off that delicate chemical balance. By the same token, anything that compromises the cardiovascular system--high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease or lung disease--can cause memory problems because the decreased circulation means less oxygen gets to the brain. Depression can also wreak havoc on memory because it's often caused by an imbalance of chemicals and so effects attention. "Depressed people withdraw and disengage from the world," Myers notes.

In the meantime, Rypma advises, don't worry about occasional mental lapses. "When we were 20 and we forgot something, we probably just blew it off," he says. "But if we focus more attention on our memory lapses as we age, we can end up interpreting them as a problem just because we notice them more." Instead, concentrate on making positive changes--with an emphasis on healthful eating, exercising and reducing stress--that will enhance your brain power and help you make the most of what you have.

eat to remember

A healthy diet plays an enormous role in maintaining memory, says Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., president and medical director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tucson, Ariz., and author of Brain Longevity (Warner, 1997). He suggests the following regimen.

* 50 percent protein (needed to repair cells and produce neurotransmitters), found in soy, legumes, grains and protein powders

* 30 percent complex carbohydrates, mainly from antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables (as opposed to the simple carbohydrates in refined flour and sugar) like leafy greens, carrots, peppers, and broccoli

* 20 percent fat (necessary to keep brain cell membranes from drying out), mostly the monounsaturated type, found in olive and flaxseed oils

* antioxidants: vitamins A (10,000 to 25,000 international units [IU] daily), C (1,000 milligrams [mg.] three times a day) and E (400 IU daily)

* B-complex vitamins: [B.sub.12] (100 to 500 micrograms [mcg.] daily), [B.sub.6] (100 mg. daily), [B.sub.1] (50 to 100 mg. daily), folic acid (400 mcg. daily), niacin (100 to 200 mg. daily) and 135 (100 to 200 mg. daily)

* minerals: selenium (50 to 100 mcg. daily), zinc (30 to 50 mg. daily) and magnesium (200 to 300 mg. daily)

As an option, Khalsa also suggests a host of what he terms natural medical tonics, including:

* ginseng (750 to 1,500 mg. daily), believed to curtail the release of stress hormone cortisol

* green tea (one to two servings daily), an antioxidant

* coenzyme [Q.sub.10] (100 mg. daily), an antioxidant

* lecithin (1,500 to 10,000 mg. daily), believed to repair and maintain neurons

* ginkgo biloba (30 to 80 mg. three times a day), believed to improve the circulation of blood in the brain

KATY KOONTZ is a freelance health and lifestyles writer in Knoxville, Tenn.

Katy Koontz, a freelance health writer in Knoxville, Tenn., has written for Reader's Digest, Woman's Day, Parenting and Shape. She is the author of our feature on boosting brain power, "Use It or Lose It." No stranger to short-term memory loss, she relies on two calendars, a datebook and scores of sticky notes--not to mention Samantha, her 6-year-old daughter.

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