Train Your Brain

Dr. Rob Winningham, Psychology Professor and Chair of the Psychology Division at Western Oregon University

Maximize Memory Ability By Staying Cognitively and Physically Active

Memory: Use It or Lose It

I have good news: There are many lifestyle and behavior choices we can make that could dramatically improve our memory ability and decrease our chances of developing dementia. Numerous studies have reported that older adults who engage in a greater number of cognitively stimulating activities are less likely to develop memory problems. For example, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Dr. Verghese and his colleagues found that older adults who reported doing the greatest number of cognitively stimulating leisure activities were 63% less likely to develop dementia as compared to their more sedentary counterparts. Another study published by Dr. Wilson and colleagues found that people who participated in the greatest number of activities were 47% less likely to develop dementia in the next 4.5 years.

We can create opportunities for ourselves, loved ones, and others that take advantage of the use it or lose it principle, which can lead to measurable gains in memory abilities. For example, I directed a controlled study in seven different assisted living facilities in order to assess the effectiveness of a group-based cognitive enhancement program. The results were astounding. The group that participated in the cognitive enhancement program improved their ability to make new memories and increased their confidence that they were able to make new memories. The control group’s memory ability stayed the same. One of the most encouraging aspects of the study was that the average age of the participants was 82 years and they were able to improve their memory. The results of this study were published in 2003 in the Journal of Mental Health and Aging. Nowadays, there are memory enhancement programs available in many communities and I recommend most such programs, but there are other things people can do. Here is a list of 20 cognitively stimulating activities.

Cognitively Stimulating Activities for Preventing Memory Problems

1. Read a book

2. Order a subscription to a newspaper

3. Take a class at a senior center

4. Join a club or other organization

5. Visit with friends

6. Take a class at a community college

7. Try to develop a new hobby

8. Begin using email

9. Volunteer

10. Write a letter

11. Join a book club

12. Go on Elderhostel or Exploritas “fieldtrips” www.exploritas.org

13. Join a local lifelong learning group, sponsored by many colleges and universities

14. Begin journaling

15. Join a Toastmasters group to give and listen to public presentations

16. Attend medical lectures at hospitals

17. Play Sudoku http://www.krazydad.com/sudoku/

18. Do Word Finds (a.k.a. word searches)

19. Join a discussion group or an online book club at www.seniornet.org

20. Begin using Nintendo’s Brain Age games

A Holistic Lifestyle Approach

Many researchers interested in helping older adults maintain their cognitive abilities and quality of life have looked for and found risk factors associated with memory decline and dementia. Many of these risk factors are under our control. Here is a partial list of risk factors associated with an increased chance of developing memory problems or dementia:

• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity
• Poor diet
• High blood pressure
• Chronic alcoholism
• Anemia or low iron levels
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries)
• Pre-diabetes or insulin resistance
• Diabetes
• Visual and auditory impairments
• Depression
• Poor social support networks

Maximizing memory ability and decreasing the chance of developing dementia requires eliminating or reducing the above risk factors whenever possible. The sum effect of making the type of lifestyle changes discussed in this article is far greater than the effect of any drug that has been or probably will ever be developed for memory. It takes hard work, dedication, and motivation to truly maximize memory ability in older adulthood, but ever-increasing numbers of people are doing it. This is good news and hopefully validates many of the lifestyle choices you have already made. If you are interested in learning more about improving memory and decreasing the chance of developing dementia, please read my book Train Your Brain: How to Maximize Memory Ability in Older Adulthood, which was published by Baywood Publishing earlier this year. In my next article, I will share recent information about diet, physical exercise, and memory ability in older adulthood.

 Dr. Rob Winningham, Psychology Professor and Chair of the Psychology Division at Western Oregon University