Difference between normal memory loss with ageing and something that’s concerning has to do with frequency and persistence,
Memory lapses can be aggravating, frustrating and even embarrassing. But the truth is that occasional memory blips in your 30s — and even 40s and 50s — rarely signal a serious problem, says Susan Lehmann of the Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
“It’s typically more about distraction and how much information the human brain can handle at one time,” she says. “All the complexities of life make it easy, in any one day, to forget something.” In other words, if you’re distracted by a screaming child or bills or a nearby television while you’re reading a novel, you’re probably not making memories properly and thus may have difficulty recalling characters, plot twists and other details.
“The most reliable observation about memory in the course of getting older is the slowing of the identification of specific bits of information — like trying to recall a person’s name when you meet them in unexpected circumstances and there’s only three seconds where it’s socially appropriate to say, ‘Hello, Bill,’ and you just can’t get there in time,” he says.
“Older people can concentrate just as long as younger ones without distraction, but it usually takes a bit longer to process and absorb a task, and (they) also have a little bit more difficulty in switching tasks and multi-tasking,” adds Lehmann.
Those of us who do forget a phone number or an appointment here or there aren’t necessarily doomed to more serious cognitive impairment later on. “Though they make people anxious, the normal memory changes that happen as you age through midlife and beyond — which tend to be episodic, occasional and stable — are not a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia,” says Lehmann. “The difference between normal memory loss with ageing and something that’s concerning has to do with frequency and persistence, and how much it starts to interfere with everyday life and your ability to function and work.”
Indeed, Lehmann stresses that cognitive decline isn’t an inevitable part of ageing: “There is a lot of variability among people.” A study published last month in the journal Lancet Neurology summarised evidence from hundreds of studies and found that up to half of all Alzheimer’s cases are associated with seven modifiable risk factors, including midlife obesity, depression and cognitive inactivity or low educational attainment.
While it remains unclear whether Alzheimer’s can be prevented, experts believe that most of us have at least some control over our long-term brain health. “You can’t stop ageing, you can’t change your family history or genetics, but you can make some basic lifestyle choices that may help with age-related cognitive decline and also more serious problems,” says neurologist Scott Turner, director of the Memory Disorders Programme at Georgetown University Medical Centre. He recommends an integrated wellness approach that includes a Mediterranean diet that’s high in antioxidants, regular exercise and keeping your mind engaged and challenged, whether it’s with crossword puzzles or more formal study.
“The earlier you start doing these things, the better,” says Turner. As the Lancet research points out, it’s also important to prevent or treat vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. “The kinds of health conditions that predispose somebody to heart attack and stroke increase risk for dementia, too,” says Lehmann.
In the interest of having as many resources at your disposal as possible, clinical psychologist Cynthia Green, author of 30 Days to Total Brain Health, offers four tips for staving off memory loss
Memory lapses can be aggravating, frustrating and even embarrassing. But the truth is that occasional memory blips in your 30s — and even 40s and 50s — rarely signal a serious problem, says Susan Lehmann of the Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
“It’s typically more about distraction and how much information the human brain can handle at one time,” she says. “All the complexities of life make it easy, in any one day, to forget something.” In other words, if you’re distracted by a screaming child or bills or a nearby television while you’re reading a novel, you’re probably not making memories properly and thus may have difficulty recalling characters, plot twists and other details.
“The most reliable observation about memory in the course of getting older is the slowing of the identification of specific bits of information — like trying to recall a person’s name when you meet them in unexpected circumstances and there’s only three seconds where it’s socially appropriate to say, ‘Hello, Bill,’ and you just can’t get there in time,” he says.
“Older people can concentrate just as long as younger ones without distraction, but it usually takes a bit longer to process and absorb a task, and (they) also have a little bit more difficulty in switching tasks and multi-tasking,” adds Lehmann.
Those of us who do forget a phone number or an appointment here or there aren’t necessarily doomed to more serious cognitive impairment later on. “Though they make people anxious, the normal memory changes that happen as you age through midlife and beyond — which tend to be episodic, occasional and stable — are not a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia,” says Lehmann. “The difference between normal memory loss with ageing and something that’s concerning has to do with frequency and persistence, and how much it starts to interfere with everyday life and your ability to function and work.”
Indeed, Lehmann stresses that cognitive decline isn’t an inevitable part of ageing: “There is a lot of variability among people.” A study published last month in the journal Lancet Neurology summarised evidence from hundreds of studies and found that up to half of all Alzheimer’s cases are associated with seven modifiable risk factors, including midlife obesity, depression and cognitive inactivity or low educational attainment.
While it remains unclear whether Alzheimer’s can be prevented, experts believe that most of us have at least some control over our long-term brain health. “You can’t stop ageing, you can’t change your family history or genetics, but you can make some basic lifestyle choices that may help with age-related cognitive decline and also more serious problems,” says neurologist Scott Turner, director of the Memory Disorders Programme at Georgetown University Medical Centre. He recommends an integrated wellness approach that includes a Mediterranean diet that’s high in antioxidants, regular exercise and keeping your mind engaged and challenged, whether it’s with crossword puzzles or more formal study.
“The earlier you start doing these things, the better,” says Turner. As the Lancet research points out, it’s also important to prevent or treat vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. “The kinds of health conditions that predispose somebody to heart attack and stroke increase risk for dementia, too,” says Lehmann.
In the interest of having as many resources at your disposal as possible, clinical psychologist Cynthia Green, author of 30 Days to Total Brain Health, offers four tips for staving off memory loss
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