Reduce Memory Loss with a Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy Brain and Body
With aging comes some memory loss. It happens to everyone at some point in their lives. Research published in the January 3, 2012 issue of journal Neurology suggests that some memory loss may be caused by brain infarcts (dead areas) caused by silent strokes.
Researchers studied 658 older adults without dementia from a prospective, community-based study on aging and dementia who received high resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)and found that the presence of brain infarcts was associated with a smaller hippocampus, an area of the brain that plays an important role in memory.
"These findings are consistent with previous studies demonstrating a link between small strokes in the brain and the size of the hippocampal memory center," says Gary Small, MD director of the UCLA Longevity Center and co-author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. "We know the compromise in blood flow to the brain from small strokes will impair memory, and the size of the hippocampus also correlates with brain degeneration associated with advancing Alzheimer’s disease."
According to Dr. Small, using MRI and positron emmission tomography (PET) scanning, researchers have found similaar correlations between memory loss, hippocampal size, and the accumulation of plaques and tangles ( the major pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease). Some risk factors for stroke include advanced age (over 55 years old), being female, and having a family history of stroke. These are considered "uncontrollable." Fortunately there are some things that you cand do to reduce your stroke risk, which include lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, quitting smoking, limiting your alcohol consumption and losing weight. In addition such as atrial fibrillation (Afib), diabetes, and atherosclerosis with appropriate medications can help protect your brain.
Prevention is the Key
My new book describes all we can do to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease through lifestyle behaviors including the foods we eat, the exercise we include in our daily activities and the therapies such as hydrotherapy, massage therapy and reflexology.
With aging comes some memory loss. It happens to everyone at some point in their lives. Research published in the January 3, 2012 issue of journal Neurology suggests that some memory loss may be caused by brain infarcts (dead areas) caused by silent strokes.
Researchers studied 658 older adults without dementia from a prospective, community-based study on aging and dementia who received high resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)and found that the presence of brain infarcts was associated with a smaller hippocampus, an area of the brain that plays an important role in memory.
"These findings are consistent with previous studies demonstrating a link between small strokes in the brain and the size of the hippocampal memory center," says Gary Small, MD director of the UCLA Longevity Center and co-author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. "We know the compromise in blood flow to the brain from small strokes will impair memory, and the size of the hippocampus also correlates with brain degeneration associated with advancing Alzheimer’s disease."
According to Dr. Small, using MRI and positron emmission tomography (PET) scanning, researchers have found similaar correlations between memory loss, hippocampal size, and the accumulation of plaques and tangles ( the major pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease). Some risk factors for stroke include advanced age (over 55 years old), being female, and having a family history of stroke. These are considered "uncontrollable." Fortunately there are some things that you cand do to reduce your stroke risk, which include lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, quitting smoking, limiting your alcohol consumption and losing weight. In addition such as atrial fibrillation (Afib), diabetes, and atherosclerosis with appropriate medications can help protect your brain.
Prevention is the Key
My new book describes all we can do to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease through lifestyle behaviors including the foods we eat, the exercise we include in our daily activities and the therapies such as hydrotherapy, massage therapy and reflexology.
posted by Stan Kent at
12:34 PM
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