When it comes to dealing with your aging brain, you may be sitting on a time bomb. Why? Because 100 years after its discovery, Alzheimer’s cases are set to soar.¹

I recently had the opportunity to discuss this emerging problem with Columbia University Professor, Yaakov Stern, Ph.D.

Dr. Stern’s group has discovered an anatomical brain network that helps prevent and slow Alzheimer’s.² In the remainder of this article, I’ll share with you information about why it’s so critical for you to know about his discovery, and, more importantly, what you can do to activate this network and thus do everything possible to save your brain.

But first I’d like to share some amazing statistics with you.

Since I first founded the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation in 1993, the number of people suffering from this mind-robbing disease has sky-rocketed from around 2.8 million people to 5.1 million today.³

The rest of the statistics are also down-right scary:⁴

1. A new case of dementia occurs every 7 seconds.
2. 14 million (18%) out of the 79 million baby boomers can expect to lose their mind and memory in their lifetime.
3. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after age 65.
4. If prevention strategies are not followed, the nation will be faced with a half-million new cases of Alzheimer’s in 2010 (1 1/2 years from right now!) and nearly a million a year by 2050.
5. Financially, the burden is huge. In the US, health care for Alzheimer’s patients will reach $160 billion by 2010 and $189 billion dollars by 2015. (Worldwide it’s $248 billion right now).⁵
6. Alzheimer’s has just surpassed diabetes to become America’s sixth leading cause of death.

But here is the most shocking statistic of all: people are getting diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at a much earlier age.  Last year, over 500,000 people younger than 65 were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s — some of them in their 20’s and 30’s.⁶

This is a national tragedy and exemplifies this emerging epidemic.

So beyond the basics of diet, supplements, and exercise how can you protect yourself from losing your mind and memory? That’s where Dr. Stern’s work comes to the fore.

First of all, the Columbia professor’s research reveals that individuals with a higher IQ, education, occupational attainment, or participation in novel leisure activities have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s.⁷

This concept is called building cognitive reserve (CR) and reveals that, by taking care of your brain, you can resist the deterioration process that science predicts may soon arrive.

For example, if there are two 55-year-old people who both develop abnormalities in their brain’s anatomy or function, the one with a higher level of CR will have fewer symptoms.⁸

What else does this notion of CR reveal?

That there is the very exciting possibility that directly enhancing CR may help prevent and reverse Alzheimer’s. Moreover, the studies on CR also show that CR is not fixed; at any point in your lifetime, it can be increased.⁸

That’s really good news.

Would you be interested in knowing how can you boost your cognitive reserve?

So would I, and to fully grasp the idea, it’s crucial to be aware of the fascinating scanning studies that prove the importance of boosting CR.^15-16

In the research, people were placed in two groups: one between 18-30 years of age and the other between 65-80 years of age. The participants were given one of two different memory tasks –one involving a series of letters and a second involving a series of nonsensical shapes. They had to complete the tasks while having an MRI administered.

As the tasks became progressively harder, the scientists observed the subjects’ brain activation. This activation is a measurement of CR.

What they discovered was that the people with the highest level of CR activated certain special areas of the front part of their brain, called the frontal lobe network — those with lower levels of CR were not able to tap into it. The frontal lobes’ job is to help you pay attention well, concentrate fully, and focus intently for long periods of time.

As would make sense, the frontal lobe network was found to be more active and stronger in younger people, signifying that it may degrade with the passage of time. But by slowing or halting this brain aging process, you may be able to prevent cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.

So how can you enhance your cognitive reserve?

My own research on Mind Body Medical treatments of memory loss, Dr. Stern’s work at Columbia, and that of other leading experts reveal that staying mentally active in novel ways may diminish your Alzheimer’s risk by up to a whopping 70%.^9-10

To be considered effective at building CR, an activity must:

1. Engage your attention.
2. Involve more than one of your senses.
3. Break a routine activity in an unexpected way.

Learning a new language, visiting a museum and then discussing it with a friend, and shopping without a list probably do increase your cognitive reserve. You may be surprised to learn, however, that other commonly accepted methods of brain aerobics, such as playing computer brain games, may not be all that effective.

In my opinion while playing a computer brain game may make you better at that particular game, there is no compelling evidence that these expensive games, some costing up to $500.00, improve your memory.¹¹

There are, however, three low cost activities that are proven to be effective:

1. Take a walk and sing a familiar song such as the national anthem. According to research from The University of Pennsylvania,¹² this “lights up your brain.”
2. Practice being mindful of your surroundings and say to your self, “The sky is blue. The tree’s leaves are green and brown, and that boy is wearing a red shirt and brown pants.”
3. Practice mind-body medical exercises such as stress-relaxation techniques, which my own research has shown to activate important brain areas including the frontal lobes.^12-14

In future issues ofTHB, I’ll share with you the details of my work in Mind Body Medicine and how it will absolutely help boost your cognitive reserve and ensure you don’t become a statistic in the battle against Alzheimer’s.

In the meantime, enjoy the outdoors and pay attention to your surroundings. You’ll soon benefit by being more mindful in other areas of your life as well.

Best of Blessings,

Dr. Dharma

References

1. Ferri CP, Prince M, Brayne C et al. Global prevealence of dementia: A Delphi consensus study. Lancet 2006. Dec 17;366(9503):2112-2117.
2. Stern Y, Cognitive Reserve and Alzheimer’s Disease: Alzheimers Dis Assoc Disord. 2006; 20:112-117.
3. Alzheimer Scientific Timeline. Alzheimer’s Association. Chicago, Illinois. 2007.
4. 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Alzheimer’s Association. Chicago Illinois. March 17, 2008.
5. Report from Stockholm Sweden’s Gerontology Research Center and The Aging Research Center. Karolinska Institute. Presented at the 10th Annual International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders July 18-20, 2007 Madrid Spain.
6. Fackelmann, K. USA Today article on research of Ronald Petersen of The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn. March 18, 2008.
7. Stern Y, Albert S, Tang MX, Rate of Memory Decline in AD is related to education and occupation. Neurology. 1999; 53:1942-1957.
8. Stern Y, Habeck C, et al. Brain Networks Associate with Cognitive Reserve in Healthy Young and Old Adults. Cerebral Cortex. 2005;15:394-402
9. Khalsa, D.S. Brain Aerobics and The Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation Publication. 2008.
10. Shenkle WR, Amen D, Preventing Alzheimer’s: Putnam’s 2004.145-149.
11. Khalsa DS, Unpublished Observations.
12. Wang J, Rao H et al. Perfusion functional MRI reveals cerebral blood flow pattern under psychological stress. PNAS Dec 6, 2005. (12): 17804-17809.
13. Khalsa, D. Newberg A, Mind Body Medical Techniques and Memory Loss Reversal. Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders. June 2007.
14. Newberg, A Wintering N, Khalsa, D. Enhanced Cognitive Function and Cerebral Blood Flow After Meditation Training. Presented at The Society of Nuclear Medicine Meeting April 2008.
15. Stern Y, et al. Cerebral Cotex; E-pub 2007 Aug 3.
16. Valeo, T. Neurology Today. Vol 7(18) 18 September 2007 22-23.

[Ed Note: The author of seven best-selling books, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. often referred to as Dr. Dharma, is America's # 1 Brain Longevity Specialist. To discover more about his work, receive his free newsletter, The Healing Minute, and a claim a free e-book called The 4 Secrets of a Better Memory go to www.drdharma.com. To ask him a question, e-mail info@drdharma.com.]

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