Brain Fitness Delays Alzheimers

BUILD YOUR COGNITIVE RESERVE-YAAKOV STERN

ref: SharpBrains Nov 2007

MYTH 1: It’s all in our genes
Reality: A big component of our lifelong brain health and development depends on what we do with our brains. Our own actions, not only our genes, influence our lives to a large extent.
“Individuals who lead mentally stimulating lives, through education, occupation and leisure
activities, have reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Studies suggest that they have 35-40% less risk of manifesting the disease”- Dr. Yaakov Stern, Division Leader of the Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Sergievsky Center at Columbia University

MYTH 2: The field of Brain Fitness is too new to be credible.
Reality: The field rests on solid foundations dating back more than a decade -- what is new is the number and range of tools that are now starting to be available for healthy individuals.
“Rigorous and targeted cognitive training has been used in clinical practice for many years.
Exercising our brains systematically is as important as exercising our bodies.”
- Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, neuropsychologist, clinical professor of neurology at New York University School
of Medicine, and disciple of Alexander Luria.

MYTH 4: We need to buy expensive computer-based programs to improve our brains.
Reality: Every time we learn a new skill, concept or fact, we change the physical composition of
our brains. Lifelong learning means lifelong neuroplasticity.
“Today, thanks to fMRI and other neuroimaging techniques, we are starting to understand
the impact our actions can have on specific parts of the brain.”
- Dr. Judith Beck, Director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research,
Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania,
“Learning is physical. Learning means the modification, growth, and pruning of our
neurons, connections–called synapses– and neuronal networks, through experience...
we are cultivating our own neuronal networks.”
- Dr. James Zull, Professor of Biology and Biochemistry at Case Western University

KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
• Lifetime experiences, like education, engaging occupation, and leisure activities, have been shown to have a major influence on how we age, specifically on whether we will develop Alzheimer’s symptoms or not.
• This is so because stimulating activities, ideally combining physical exercise, learning and social interaction, help us build a Cognitive Reserve to protect us.
• The earlier we start building our Reserve, the better; but it is never too late to start. And, the more activities, the better: the effect is cumulative.