| Copyright (c) 2008 SharpBrains | | | | differences among individuals of the same age, so age |
| The American Medical News, a weekly newspaper | | | | itself is not the main predictor. Can you explain what |
| for physicians published by the American Medical | | | | may be? |
| Association, just published an excellent article on the | | | | GK: Age also has the effect of amplifying differences |
| importance of Exercise - Physical and Mental: | | | | between individuals. This is the result of variability in |
| A few quotes from the article titled "Steps to a nimble | | | | aging itself, freedom from or accumulation of illnesses |
| mind: Physical and mental exercise help keep the brain | | | | and injury, and life style. The influence of genetics is |
| fit": | | | | largely exhausted by the 6 and 7th decades of life |
| "Until recently, conventional wisdom held that our brains | | | | which means that habitual activities and social |
| were intractable, hard-wired computers. What we | | | | relationships have a larger and larger impact resulting in |
| were born with was all we got. Age wore down | | | | greater and greater variability between individuals. |
| memory and the ability to understand, and few | | | | AF: Can you please explain the relationship between |
| interventions could reverse this process. But | | | | cognitive and emotional health (what we typically call |
| increasingly, evidence suggests that physical and | | | | "brain fitness") |
| mental exercise can alter specific brain regions, making | | | | GK: Cognitive health requires motivation to sustain it |
| radical improvements in cognitive function."and | | | | and motivation depends on emotion and social |
| "With nearly 72 million Americans turning 65 over the | | | | reinforcement. Emotional self-regulation is not simply |
| next two decades, physicians need the tools to handle | | | | self control. Rather it is the capacity to respond to an |
| growing patient concerns about how to best maintain | | | | emotional stress without prolonged loss of equilibrium. |
| brain health. Armed with this new brand of science, | | | | And it is the capacity to modify emotional reactions to |
| frontline physicians will be better equipped to address | | | | resonate with others in the environment. Thought and |
| the needs of aging baby boomers, already in the | | | | feeling when linked together can be a powerful |
| throes of the brain fitness revolution. | | | | stimulus for learning, both for better and for worse. A |
| One of the physicians quoted in the article is Gary J. | | | | positive outlook with an active response style is more |
| Kennedy, MD, Director of the Division of Geriatric | | | | protective than a tendency toward negativism and |
| Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in NYC and a | | | | withdrawal. |
| professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral | | | | AF: What advice would you give to people who want |
| Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. | | | | to maintain their brain in top shape? |
| To put the AMA article in better perspective, we | | | | GK: Simply finding a partner for regular physical activity |
| asked Dr. Kennedy a few follow-up questions. Below | | | | is one of the best prescriptions for improving brain |
| you have his questions. | | | | function. Staying emotionally, intellectually and socially |
| Alvaro Fernandez (AF): Can you summarize how | | | | engaged is also good advice. And the more the better. |
| cognitive functions tend to evolve as we age? | | | | The brain is a muscle - use it or lose it. |
| Gary Kennedy (GK): As we age cognitive functions | | | | AF: And what advice would you give to doctors and |
| that rely on processing speed or reaction time decline, | | | | health professionals on how to help their patients? |
| slow down. Problem solving speed declines. This is in | | | | GK: Doctors and all health professionals need to know |
| part the result of frayed neuronal insulation as the | | | | how to motivate their patients to make the changes in |
| myelin sheath surrounding the axons wears thin with | | | | life style that will promote healthy aging. Small, |
| advanced age or illness. However it is possible to | | | | meaningful changes are relatively easy to achieve if |
| specialize and optimize some cognitive processes | | | | the professional simply asks. Two straightforward |
| through experience, practice and planning. For example | | | | examples: "how often do you enjoy an alcoholic |
| vocabulary can increase to age 90 provided there is | | | | beverage?" and "how often do you get a half hour of |
| ongoing stimulation and motivation to learn. And the | | | | physical activity, walking or exercising?" can help the |
| growth and development of new brain cells can be | | | | older person to minimize alcohol and maximize |
| augmented with the stimulating effects of physical | | | | exercise. Brief interventions work surprisingly well. |
| exercise. | | | | AF: Thank you very mmuch for your time and advice. |
| AF: Now, there are very significant cognitive | | | | GK: You are welcome. |