Transcript LIFE Presentation III

WHAT WORKS?
IMPROVING BRAIN PERFORMANCE AS
WE AGE
Janan Al-Awar Smither, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
UCF
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
How is the brain organized
What happens to an aging brain
Maintaining a healthy brain and improving brain
performance
Final thoughts
The brain is a physical organ that is made up of neurons
UNDERSTANDING THE BRAIN
UNDERSTANDING THE BRAIN
We study the brain using neuroimaging
techniques
Two basic techniques:
 Structural neuroimaging
 Functional neuroimaging
AGE RELATED CHANGES
BASIC CHANGES IN NEURONS
AGE RELATED CHANGES
Basic changes in neurotrasmitters
 Dopamine levels decline.
 Serotonin and acetylcholine levels also decline.
AGE RELATED CHANGES
Basic changes in brain structure
 Declining health of the brain’s white matter
 Substantial thinning and shrinkage in volume and
density also takes place
Overall Effects of Age Related Changes in Healthy
Older Adults
AGE RELATED CHANGES
Can older adults compensate for the
changes?
Unilateral vs. Bilateral activity
Neuroplasticity
Neural stem cells
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BRAIN
“Brain Fitness”
Pillars of a healthy lifestyle
 A Healthy Diet
 Mental Stimulation
 Aerobic Exercise
 Social engagement
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BRAIN
Healthy Diet
Is there a meal plan that would help stave off
cognitive decline?
MIND Diet
 The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for
Neurodegenerative Delay
BRAIN HEALTY FOODS
 The 10 “brain-healthy food groups” are:
 Green leafy vegetables
 Other vegetables
 Nuts
 Berries
 Beans
 Whole grains
 Fish
 Poultry
 Olive oil
 Wine
UNHEALTHY FOODS
 The five unhealthy groups are:
 Red meats
 Butter and stick margarine
 Cheese
 Pastries and sweets
 Fried or fast food
THE MIND DIET INCLUDES
 Every Day
 Whole grains (3 or more
servings)
 Leafy greens (1 serving)
 Other veggies (1 or more
servings)
 Glass of wine (red preferably)
 Most Days
 Nuts (like almonds and walnuts)
 Olive oil (as main cooking oil)
 Every Other Day
 Beans
 Twice a week or more
 Blueberries or Strawberries
 Poultry
 At least once a week
 Fish
LIMIT THESE FOODS
Butter (fewer than one tablespoon per day)
Fast food and fried food (less than one serving
per week)
Full-fat cheese (less than one serving per week)
Red meat (less than four times per week)
Pastries and sweets (less than five servings per
week)
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BRIAN
Mental Stimulation
 Cognitive Interventions
 Brain Games
SCIENTIFIC INTERVENTIONS
 Review of Randomized Control and Clinical Studies
 Meta Analysis of Vidoe Game Training
 UFOV Training
 The ACTIVE Clinical Trials
 memory training,
 reasoning training,
 speed-of-processing training, or
 a no-contact control group.
ON-LINE BRAIN GAMES
Commercialization of brian training
Assumptions of online brain games
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nUdptV0OTM
Do improvements in real-life activities occur?
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCIwbi2Torg
EXERCISE
Physical effects of exercise
• Increases heart rate
• Aids bodily release of hormones
• Blood washes away “metabolic wastes”
• Stimulates brain plasticity
• Increases growth factors in the brain
EXERCISE
The Golden Duo
How to choose the right exercise program
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Social engagement appears to be associated with
 resilience
 physical health
 Longevity, and
 happiness,
ƒBut what about cognitive benefits?
FINAL THOUGHTS
 Start out with a healthy diet
 Cross Train your Brain
 Remain Socially Engaged
 Try New Things Often
 Remember that it’s never too late to start
 Stick to whatever you stick to