I FORGOT WHAT I WAS WRITING ABOUT PART DEUX

Last Friday, I wrote a blog, “I Forgot What I Was Writing About,” that dealt with recent research on ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Studies had showed that physical activity, regular tea-drinking and sufficient vitamin D levels could reduce the risk of brain decline. I wrote that I was worried about my own brain decline because I don’t exercise, drink tea or get vitamin D. But since I do math puzzles and creative growth mind tests all the time, I thought I was at least helping myself by exercising the muscle that is my brain. I was wrong! There is no hope for me as the newest research reveals.


A recent study by doctors at Rush University Medical Center’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center reports that mentally stimulating activities may, at first, slow cognitive decline but actually speed up dementia later in old age. The research was published in the September 1, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, (http://www.neurology.org/) the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The Rush Hospital press release said, “According to lead author, neuropsychologist Robert S. Wilson PhD, mentally stimulating activities may somehow enhance the brain’s ability to function relatively normal despite the buildup of lesions in the brain associated with dementia. However, the benefits from brain exercises may be of no help after the pathologic burden exceeds some threshold.”


Dr. Wilson said, “Our results suggest that the benefit of delaying the initial signs of cognitive decline may come at the cost of more rapid dementia progression later on, but the question is why does this happen? The report showed that, “Mentally stimulating activities may somehow enhance the brain’s ability to function relatively normally despite the buildup of lesions in the brain associated with dementia. However, once they are diagnosed with dementia, people who have a more mentally active lifestyle are likely to have more brain changes related to dementia compared to those without a lot of mental activity. As a result, those with more mentally active lifestyles may experience a faster rate of decline once dementia begins.”

In short, mental activities may delay the start of dementia but once I get it, my brain decline process will speed up. So I have to make a decision now, when I have not started dementia, on whether NOT to stimulate my brain and have a slow descent into dementia or stimulate my brain now and have a careening descent later in my cognitive decline.


It’s a tough decision to make, even for a member of Mensa. I will do some math puzzles while I think about it.