- A new study finds that being active can help offset signs of cognitive decline.
- New research has found that being physically active, eating well, and avoiding smoking and alcohol can all help slow the decline in mental performance.
- Even people diagnosed with dementia experienced less decline by practicing these healthy habits.
It's well known that a healthy lifestyle can have a huge impact on our physical and mental health, and new research shows it can keep our brains sharper as we age. It shows that it is possible.
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Although more research is needed to understand why lifestyle factors have this effect, scientists believe that healthy behaviors promote brain cell growth and plasticity, fight inflammation in the brain, and I think it may improve blood vessel function.
“Even in people with cognitive decline or dementia, adhering to and improving multiple lifestyle factors can slow cognitive decline and improve behavioral outcomes such as mood and certain aspects of cognition. It could be improved,” said Ryan Glatt, NBC-HWC, CPT. Senior Brain Health Coach and FitBrain Program Director at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, told Healthline.
Researchers evaluated the health data of 586 people who participated in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a longitudinal study conducted from 1997 to 2022.
The participant was deceased and an autopsy was performed.
The study includes information on individual cognition, lifestyle factors, and results of neuropathological evaluations.
Each individual was assigned a lifestyle score ranging from 0 to 5, depending on the amount of regular physical activity, whether they smoked or drank alcohol, their diet, and whether they participated in cognitive activities.
Researchers found that a healthier lifestyle was associated with better cognitive function, regardless of whether participants had a brain disease such as Alzheimer's disease.
Higher lifestyle scores were also associated with lower levels of beta-amyloid plaques, a protein that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
This suggests that lifestyle factors may have a protective effect on brain function in older adults, even in those who are actively experiencing cognitive decline.
“Using a large autopsy study sample, the authors showed that the relationship between lifestyle and cognition is largely independent of the influence of dementia-related changes,” says the academically accredited, fellowship-trained author. said Dr. Irina Schuyler-Scott, a cognitive behavioral expert. She is a neurologist at Stanford Medical School.
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“This study provides further evidence that living a healthy lifestyle is important in nearly every aspect of our lives,” said Jonathan Rasouli, M.D., chief of complex adult spinal deformity surgery at Staten Island University Hospital. It is what we provide.”
Rasouli was not involved in the research.
More research is needed to better understand how and why lifestyle factors influence cognition, but scientists have several theories.
“When addressing healthy lifestyle components for brain health, lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity and cognitive stimulation increase blood flow to the brain, improve heart health, and increase brain activity.” and helps increase brain volume,” says Glatt.
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In addition, lifestyle factors can promote neurogenesis, or growth of brain cells, along with neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new connections between brain cells, Skyler-Scotts said.
Healthy lifestyle habits lead to prevention
Skyler Scott recommends 150 minutes of physical activity per week, spending time with friends and family, doing cognitively stimulating tasks, and eating a balanced diet.
The influence of lifestyle on cognitive function is strongest in older adults without dementia.
“It's like investing in your retirement,” says Skylar Scott.
But even people with pre-existing brain conditions may benefit from participating in social, cognitive, and physical activities.
“For older patients with dementia, being healthy is highly beneficial and can help improve outcomes, so it is essential to focus on a holistic approach, not just a medical one, for patients with dementia.” ,” says Rasouli.
New research shows that healthy lifestyle choices, including being physically active, eating well, avoiding smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption can help patients suffering from neuropathology like dementia. They found that it may slow the decline in cognitive function, even in humans. Healthy behaviors are thought to promote brain cell growth and plasticity, fight inflammation in the brain, and increase vascular function.
