Building an ageless mind : preventing and fighting brain aging and disease

263 Pages·2013·1.54 MB·English

by  Tippett

Building an Ageless Mind
Building an Ageless Mind
Preventing and Fighting Brain Aging and
Disease
William J. Tippett
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC.
Lanham • Boulder • New York • Toronto • Plymouth, UK
Published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
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Copyright © 2013 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems,
without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote
passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tippett, William J., 1974– .
Building an ageless mind : preventing and fighting brain aging and disease / William
J. Tippett.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4422-2048-5 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-4422-2049-2 (electronic)
1. Brain—Diseases—Prevention—Popular works. 2. Brain—Aging—Prevention—
Popular works. 3. Memory disorders—Prevention—Popular works. I. Title.
RC386.2.T57 2013
616.805—dc23
2013000227
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for
Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
To Jennifer, Abigail, Myles, and Declan. Thank you for
unconditional love and support.
One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must
develop an instinct for what one can just barely achieve through
one’s greatest efforts. —Albert Einstein
Disclaimer
This book represents reference material only. It is not
intended as a medical manual, and the data presented here is
meant to assist the reader in making informed choices
regarding wellness. This book is not a replacement for
treatment(s) that may have been suggested by the reader’s
personal physician. If the reader believes he or she is
experiencing a medical issue, professional medical help is
recommended. Mention of particular products, companies, or
authorities in this book does not entail endorsement by the
publisher or author.
Introduction
Aging is an inevitable part of life, and as we age, our brains
change. The way they change, however, can be influenced by
numerous factors. While we are small children, the goal of our
parents and teachers is to provide us with enriched, stimulating
environments to facilitate the greatest possible chance of
developing normally, or in some cases even exceptionally.
“Exceptional” here is not in regard to above average
performance, but rather refers to individuals who begin life with
a disability. For example, children who experience a
developmental disadvantage or disability may have the
opportunity to participate in programs that give these children
the potential to achieve “for them” above average cognitive
ability. But, you might ask, what happens if I am fifty-five, sixty-
five, seventy-five, eighty-five, or ninety years old or older? Is
there any advantage to putting into place a program to enrich
my cognitive ability? This is the issue we will address and
examine in this book.
Society’s concern with brain development and, more
specifically, with brain maintenance has significantly increased
in recent years; the evidence shows that individuals are living
substantially longer lives than previous generations. Historically,
however, the focus has been on early brain development, and
there is a clear lack of information for individuals who want to
age successfully and aspire to maintain a high quality of life.
This book presents evidentiary information on the best ways to
ensure good cognitive ability as you age. Topics such as
cognitive training, exercise, and diet, and how these all affect
one’s aging brain, will also be reviewed. It is important to
understand that ensuring brain health as you age will require
you to be proactive and to understand when things become
abnormal. This book will give you insight into how the brain
changes as we age and will explain what this means, and what
you can do to help maintain effective cognitive ability. There are
many products and strategies offering ways to maintain a
youthful brain, but keep in mind that a youthful brain can be at
youthful brain, but keep in mind that a youthful brain can be at
a disadvantage compared to an experienced brain. Thus, the
goal should not be achieving a youthful brain—we have worked
hard to get to this point and do not want to regress; we want to
progress. Therefore, the key should be to maintain our effective
cognitive abilities as we reach our latter years. The information
provided is intended to help you understand ways this can be
achieved and to provide solid evidence of why things work the
way they work and what you can do to minimize the effects of
advancing age and combat certain diseases affecting the brain.
The brain has historically been divided into four major
anatomical lobes; each of these lobes is believed to operate
specific behavioral and sensory functions. The first few chapters
will outline the major function of each lobe and provide insight
into ways to stimulate these regions. The overall goal is to
stimulate as much of the brain as possible to maintain brain
health.
These four regions, or lobes, are called the frontal, parietal,
temporal, and occipital.
Each of these areas “contains” specific features involved in
our everyday functioning.
How we interact with the external world is driven by internal
processes; specifically, the flow of information from our brain
provides meaning and structure, and generates appropriate
actions. It is important to note that at this point, even though
we can discuss the regional components of the brain as if they
are distinct, I do not believe that the brain works in a
compartmental way. In fact, the different areas of the brain are
connected in ways we are only beginning to understand. I will
touch more on brain connectivity and neuroplasticity in the final
chapter, but to begin this book I will discuss the processes
involved in each of the identified brain regions, including a brief
review of each area. These reviews will include a description of
how functioning is evaluated, the effects of aging, and
strategies to enhance cognitive ability using very simple tasks.
As we age, we are more susceptible to certain diseases
affecting the brain; some can significantly impact one’s quality
of life. Although there are many diseases that can affect the
of life. Although there are many diseases that can affect the
brain, I have focused on one of the most debilitating
neurodegenerative diseases linked to aging: Alzheimer’s
disease (AD). In addition, I will focus on one of the most
common precursor illnesses linked to AD that is also of great
concern, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). AD is a destroyer of
cognitive ability, and it profoundly affects cognitive
performance and a sense of oneself in everyone it touches. It is
one of the most concerning issues of our global aging
population. The section on AD
includes pertinent information on ways you can fight the
onset and progression of AD, as well as insight into factors
related to living with AD.
This book strives to provide detailed and concise
information on current research as well as information on how
to stave off the onset of AD as much as possible. I provide the
reader with succinct information about current medications
commonly associated with treating AD and the role of
medications in effectively managing the disease.
I also provide general information on ways individuals can,
and should, advocate for effective health care to fight this
illness as soon as possible, and in the best ways possible.
The last two sections of the book focus on how to ensure
healthy living and a healthy brain as you age. Understanding
current information and evidence on the brain-aging process will
go a long way to helping you put into place a program and
lifestyle that can be neuroprotective to ensure successful brain
aging. The final chapter examines the possible directions and
avenues science may take in the years to come in regard to
altering the effects of aging. Only by posing interesting
questions will individuals be inspired to understand and answer
them; thus I will provide some theories and examine the
possibility of having excellent brain health forever. This will
include looking at some of the scientific advancements that
could make this possible. A glimpse into the future of what
might be possible may help generate and spark ideas to deal
with the issues we are all currently facing as we age.
Finally, the ultimate goal of this book is to provide proper
and supportive information as both a resource tool and an