Aging and Preserving Brain Health

For healthy individuals, cognitive abilities tend to decline with age; however, this does not always portend a mental disorder. There is increasing evidence that engaging in lifelong mental activities may slow this decline, possibly helping prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s.

As we get older, our brains change in size and structure – for instance, our memory-making hippocampus may become smaller and less dense – yet its shape depends on many variables that impact how we thrive such as starting Hippocampus volume, connectivity within our brains working efficiently, risk for Alzheimer’s etc.

Furthermore, our brains depend on healthy blood vessels for proper functioning. Progressive small vessel disease in middle age may increase risk for cognitive impairment later in life; this correlates with declines in grey matter density (Fletcher et al. 2019).

So it is vitally important to address risk factors throughout one’s lifespan. Regular exercise, particularly in middle age, can protect blood vessels and prevent cognitive decline; and eating blueberries and dark greens packed with antioxidants such as blueberries can boost your immunity while supporting normal brain function. Engaging in social activities as well as brainy pursuits is also beneficial as is managing general health concerns such as hypertension, smoking, stress, or obesity.