Cognitive Reserve Exercise

Participation in physical activity has been shown to have many health benefits for older adults; this study does not provide strong support that it protects against cognitive decline. Reports have been made that physical activity may help guard against stroke and coronary heart disease, both of which may be associated with the development of dementia. Some studies were either limited in their scope or had short follow-up times. In all they find that for older adults, physical activity alone may not protect against cognitive decline. (By Charnicia E. Huggins: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforseniors.html)

In times past many people thought that memory loss was a normal occurrence for elderly people. This thinking was major reason for why Alzheimer’s disease was not caught until very later in the stages. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. After heart disease, cancer, and strokes, Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of death in adults in the Western world. “It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans over the age of 65 are affected with this condition. After the age of 65, the incidence of the disease doubles every five years and, by age 85, it will affect nearly half of the population” (Robinson).

Several patients suffered from dementia and some had accompanying diagnoses, such as hip fracture from falling or upper and lower extremity weakness. Dementia is a decline in memory and greatly affects how activities

No one wants to lose their mind. But the reality is that the risk of dementia doubles every five years after the age of sixty-five. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this age-related loss of brain function? Are There Ways to Reduce Dementia Through Lifestyle Changes? European researchers analyzed 1,433 people over the age of 65 to determine what lifestyle factors would reduce the risk of dementia the most. After getting a complete medical history on the participants, they tested their cognitive function at intervals over a seven year period. What did they find? According to this research, the two best ways to reduce the risk of dementia is to eliminate diabetes and depression - both of which are dementia risk factors. If both of these factors were eliminated and more people were encouraged to eat fruits and vegetables, the number of new cases of dementia would drop by 21%. There 's some controversy as to whether depression actually increases the risk of dementia - or whether it 's simply an early sign of the disease. This study suggests that depression probably does increase the risk of the disease - and isn 't just a symptom. It 's not surprising that diabetes is a risk factor since it 's associated with insulin resistance. Some studies show insulin resistance increases the risk of dementia. Another way to reduce dementia risk is to encourage people to be literate and educated. This study showed that the number of new cases of dementia would drop by 18% if

Ms.D. is independent and lives alone in her home, however, she reports difficulty remembering to carry out or terminate activities. She reports that she has forgotten to turn off the sink twice this year and flooded her apartment both times. The Functional Activities Questionnaire was chosen to inquire about her safety and the other activities in her life. Next, the Berg Balance Scale was used to highlight Ms. D.’s risk of falling noted by her “furniture-walking”, foot drop, and failed hip replacement. She carries a cane with her but often walks in the senior center without using it. Also, Ms. D. reports difficulty walking in the community and states that she needs a break every five steps due to fatigue. Lastly, the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam was chosen to determine Ms. D.’s cognitive impairment level, if any, and to rule-out Alzheimer’s Disease. As her chief complaint, Ms. D. reports often forgetting the names of people, places, and things. As mentioned before, she has forgotten to turn off her sink and flooded her apartment

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning which affects an individual’s daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that slowly destroys memory and thinking and the ability to perform simple tasks. There is some research that suggests cognitive training may slow the progression of dementia. Cognitive training challenges a variety of cognitive functions such as attention, memory and speed, which is different to general brain training that people may come across in their daily life (Kanaan et al., 2014). Various limitations

Thus, the impact of environmental factors was also explored. The influence of epigenetic factors, physical activity, and environmental enrichment were evaluated through analysis of correlational studies and a lab experiment. The results of this research generally indicated that environmental factors can play a role as a preventative measure of developing the disease. There is suggestion that the genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s can be lessened through environmental enrichment or physical activity. However, the research lacks definitive evidence that environmental factors can completely diminish the heritability of the disease across populations.

Throughout history there have been reports of decreased memory and mental deterioration that accompanied old age. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer who described the symptoms in a woman in Germany in the 1907 but it was not until the 1970’s that AD was considered to be a major disorder and AD continues to be a major health concern worldwide (Reger, 2002).

Most of the older persons in my family have developed dementia at their old age. “Attempting to avoid dementia development, some risk factors taken into account include ones that are unable to be modified: age with age-influencing early-life deleterious conditions, gender, and genetic influence. Additionally, several inborn physical attributes factor in such as lack of early education, environmental stress, and major unexpected circumstances that include accidents and trauma associated with increased risk for dementia. Physical activity has been suggested to weaken the pathophysiology of dementia through constant blood flow to the brain (sustained cerebral perfusion) due to the established relationship between hypertension and dementia. Some examples of physical activity include: dancing, undergoing either usual care or exercise for 60 minutes twice a week. ‘Physical activity’ refers to ‘usual care plus physical activity.’” Although some studies suggest that nutrition-wise antioxidants, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acid, and other supplements help delay the onset of dementia, there has been no absolute prevention from neither physical activity nor nutrition.”

As discussed at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference [AAIC] (2012), elderly people who had reduced cadence, velocity and stride length of just 1.7cm were seen to have greater declines in cognition, memory and executive function. These gait related restrictions were associated with an overall smaller brain volume (Bridenbaugh & Kressig, 2013). Having reduced mobility results in an accelerated cognitive decline as being in the same environment regularly provides little stimulus to keep the mind active. Gait restriction can be improved through physical therapy and although it may not increase lost brain volume it can assist in reducing the effects of further decline (Patla, 1991).

The articles by Erikson et al., Gatz, Korol et al., and Draganski et al. explore the concept of increased physical activity and/or mental activity having effects on the cognitive function and development or deterioration of the brain as we age. Although I agree that physical exercise is critical in increasing cognitive function because of the health benefits it provides, as well as the increased blood flow and circulation throughout the body, I ultimately believe that a healthy brain is not achieved solely by physical exercise or mental exercise, but both. I think there is a link between physical and mental exercise, and that the combination of these two activities creates higher cognitive functioning of the mind as well as the body. The mind and body come together and meet to make an overall healthy individual.

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Measurements taken from a worldwide patients during clinical studies. The authors reports that more than 45 million older adults are predisposed to developing dementia. These numbers are expected to triple within the next twenty-five years. Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases. The authors assert that observational studies suggests risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) levels are showed in mid-life and older adults. The United States National Institutes of Health admits that tobacco, oppression and diabetes mellitus, poor nutrition all increases the risk of deteriorating cognitive reasoning. Taken from a wide-range systemic evaluation the authors suggests that around half of the Alzheimer’s

Cognitive aging is commonly labeled strictly as memory and only found in “some people”. However, this is not true. The knowledge of cognitive aging has grown immensely, but there is still much to be learned. The surface has only been scratched with many more questions to be answered. Cognitive aging is worthy of study and effects everyone, but there is also much more is still to be learned.

Neurodegenerative diseases are conditions that affect the function of the neurons in the brain. These diseases impair cognitive function and have a large negative effect on daily life. Neurodegenerative diseases are both incurable and debilitating as they always result in progressive degeneration and ultimately the death of neurons. These diseases can result in dementias, impairments in mental functioning, and/or ataxias, impairments in movement. The risk of being affected by a neurodegenerative disease notably increases with age. An amalgamation of environmental and genetic factors can supplement this risk; for example, a person’s genes may predispose them to a neurodegenerative disease, but certain environmental factors may increase their