Lifestyle Effects on Memory & Cognition

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More ways exercise can help seniors fight memory loss

A recent study finds that cognitive decline is greater in older adults who have a high salt intake —but only if they’re not physically active. Another finds that older rats who exercise are protected from memory loss caused by bacterial infection.

A three-year study following 1,262 healthy older Canadians (aged 67-84) has found that, among those who exercised little, those who had high-salt diets showed significantly greater cognitive decline.
Coffee and a healthy diet reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s

Recent studies show why a low-fat, low-carb diet, and caffeinated coffee, help protect against developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Dietary changes affect levels of biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's
Adolescent binge drinking can damage spatial working memory
  • This study finds that adolescent females are particularly vulnerable to the effects of binge drinking, and points to specific changes in brain activation patterns seen in binge drinkers.

Binge drinking occurs most frequently among young people, and there has been concern that consequences will be especially severe if the brain is still developing, as it is in adolescence.
Folic acid tied to better grades in Swedish teens

More evidence of the importance of adequate folate consumption for cognitive functioning at all ages.

Most research into the importance of

Moderate to intense exercise may protect the brain in old age
  • Moderate but not light exercise was found to help protect the brain from brain infarcts in some older adults, but not all.

Another study showing the value of exercise for preserving your mental faculties in old age.
Sleep and memory - round-up of recent reports

A round-up of recent reports relating to the role of sleep in consolidating memory.

Sleep can boost classroom performance of college students
Religious factors may influence brain shrinkage in old age
  • An intriguing new study suggests life-changing religious experiences may result in greater brain shrinkage in old age.

The brain tends to shrink with age, with different regions being more affected than others. Atrophy of the

Young binge drinkers less able to learn new verbal information

Binge drinking university students, regardless of gender, performed more poorly on tests of verbal memory, but not on a test of visual memory.

Following animal research indicating that binge drinking damages the

Air pollution impacts cognitive performance

A study of Michigan public schools, and a mouse study, add to growing evidence that high levels of air pollution negatively affect learning and memory.

Following several recent studies pointing to the negative effect of air pollution on children’s cognitive performance (see this April 2010 news report and

Smaller life space linked to greater risk of cognitive decline

A study of healthy seniors reveals that homebodies have faster cognitive decline and more risk of developing Alzheimer’s and MCI, than those who have a wider life-space.

Growing evidence has pointed to the benefits of social and mental stimulation in preventing dementia, but until now no one has looked at the role of physical environment.

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