18. Brain Health

Lecture Summary
Keeping your brain healthy pays dividends. It can also help prevent dementia down the road. Join me on an interesting discussion regarding how to keep your brain working optimally for years and years.

Key Points
- exercise your brain, think and challenge yourself mentally constantly.
- exercise your body, this has been well studied and will help prevent dementia
- eat good food
- get adequate sleep
- avoid illicit and pharmaceutical medications that impair thinking. If used long term these will predispose you to dementia.
- have a purpose and give back
- engage with other people and society.
- protect your eyes, ears, and other senses

References
-       Cabral et al. Exercise for Brain Health: An Investigation into the Underlying Mechanisms Guided by Dose. Neurotherapeutics. 2019.

-       Erickson et al. Physical Activity, Brain Plasticity, and Alzheimer Disease. Archives of Medical Research. 2012.

-       Blackwell, L., Dweck, C., & Trzesniewski, K. (2002). Achievement across the adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Manuscript in preparation.

-       Dweck, C., & Leggett, E. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95,256-273.

-       Wikipedia. dementia, donepezil, memantine, blue zone.

-       Uptodate. Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment in Adults and Treatment of Dementia.

-       Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Available at (https://www.parkinsons.va.gov/resources/MOCA-Test-English.pdf)

-       Sirishinha Stitaya. The potential impact of gut microbiota on your health: Current status and future challenges. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2016.

-       Veerman et al. Television viewing time and reduced life expectancy: a life table analysis. BMJ. 2012.

-       Ray et al. Dementia and hearing loss: A narrative review. Maturitas. 2019.