Use It or Lose It - aging in the brain

Vegetarian Times, August, 2000 by Katy Koontz

Work It Out

Regular aerobic exercise is another key to building up brain power. It increases substances within the brain called nerve growth factors (NGF), which facilitate the production of various neurotransmitters as well as the formation of dendrites (parts of the nerve cell critical for communication). NGFs are responsible for nerve cell growth, explains Maria Sulindro, M.D., president of the Academy of Anti-Aging Research in Pasadena, Calif. In addition, studies funded by the National Institute on Aging at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that after six months of exercising aerobically for 45 minutes three times a week, formerly sedentary people improved their mental performance by as much as 25 percent.

Another reason exercise may help, Sulindro speculates, is that it increases circulation, making the flow of oxygen and other nutrients through the blood more efficient. This is especially important, as brain cells need sustained high levels of oxygen to function optimally. In fact, your brain requires more oxygen than any other part of the body.

Clean Up Your Act

In addition to managing your stress, exercising regularly and eating right, there are a host of specific lifestyle factors within your control that can give your brain a boost.

AVOID CERTAIN DRUGS. According to Whitaker, many prescription drugs can cause memory problems. "Antidepressants, tranquilizers and barbiturates are designed to alter brain function, and they do so at the expense of memory and alertness," he says. "Many other commonly taken drugs--including beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, painkillers and antihistamines--also interfere with brain function." The more of these you take, he believes, the greater your chances of eventually developing memory problems.

QUIT SMOKING. Studies have shown that smokers have more trouble remembering names and faces. "Smoking increases stress hormone levels, including brain-damaging cortisol," Whitaker notes. And by increasing levels of carbon monoxide in the blood, smoking also restricts blood flow and therefore decreases oxygen levels in the brain. On top of that, it lowers levels of protective vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E and several B-complex vitamins.

LIMIT ALCOHOL. French studies have shown that moderate alcohol consumption actually enhances cognitive performance in older women (although, interestingly, not in men). But chronic heavy drinking causes permanent damage to the brain because it constricts blood vessels, thereby reducing blood flow and limiting available oxygen in the brain. And to make matters worse, our tolerance for alcohol decreases as we age.

GET ADEQUATE SLEEP, Losing just an hour or so of sleep for two or three nights in a row results in elevated levels of cortisol, according to researchers at the University of Chicago. Lack of sleep also affects your ability to pay attention, which, for obvious reasons, can cause memory problems.

SHUN ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS. Exposure to neurotoxins--environmental elements that harm the brain and nervous system--is a growing concern, according to Whitaker. "The list includes pesticides, herbicides, solvents or other industrial cleaning agents and certain heavy metals, such as lead, aluminum and mercury." He suggests avoiding extended use of these substances.