How Long Can We Remember This?

Keeping your brain active throughout life helps prevent Alzheimer's. A study published in JAMA Archives of Neurology included 65 healthy adults ages 60 and older, 10 adults with Alzheimer's and 11 adults ages 20-30. All the participants completed mental tests, answered questions about mentally challenging activities and had brain scans. Older adults with the highest cognitive activity over a lifetime – reading, writing, puzzles – had ofbeta-amyloid levels (a protein linked to Alzheimer's) comparable to the younger adults. Older adults with the least cognitive activity had ofbeta-amyloid levels comparable to those with Alzheimer's. Hmmm, let's think of crossword puzzles and "happyword" puzzles.

Overeating may increase the risk of memory loss in the elderly. A Mayo Clinic study included 1,200 seniors – ages 70-89 – of which 163 had mild cognitive impairment. MCI is the intermediate stage between normal cognitive decline and dementia and it increases the risk of dementia. In the study seniors were questioned about their daily caloric intake and then divided into 3 caloric groups: 600-1,526; 1,526-2,143; and 2,143-6,000 calories daily. The risk of MCI was more than double for those in the highest caloric group. It seems remembering not to overeat now will help us to remember that and more when we're seniors.

Mild memory problems are more common in men. Symptoms include difficulty remembering recent events and/or new information, as well as problems with language, thinking or judgment. The 1,450 study participants ages 70-89 were dementia free. They took mental tests every 15 months for 3 years and were interviewed about their memory. The rate of developing mild cognitive impairment was higher among men. It was also higher in the less educated and singles. Some of the strongest risk factors for MCI are high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity – which occur earlier in men – and may explain the "men" in dementia.

Smoking may cause earlier mental decline in men. According to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, the mental function of a 50-year-old, male smoker can decline as quickly as that of a 60-year-old non-smoker. This was true even when educational level and overall health were considered. Also, this finding didn't apply to just pack-a-day smokers. Intermittent smokers showed the same cognitive decline as persistent smokers. Surprisingly, the same cognitive decline wasn't seen in female smokers. However, this finding was attributed to gender differences in smoking and health patterns – not because female brains received different "smoke signals".