Age-Related Memory Decline: Current Concepts and Future Directions
The effect of age on memory and the brain has been the focus of many studies. Results have identified critical questions that need to be addressed to further our understanding of age-related memory decline: Is cognitive decline diffuse or selective? Where does memory decline localize to anatomically? Does decline represent an abnormal state? What are the causes of memory decline?
10 Brain Exercises That Boost Memory
A Whole-Body Approach to a Healthy Brain So what types of exercises benefit your brain? Research shows that when it comes to keeping your mind sharp, exercising your body as well as your mind and sticking to healthy habits is the ideal formula. A study published in July 2019 in The Journal of the American Medical Association followed 196,383 participants age 60 and older who did not have cognitive impairment or dementia when they joined the study and tracked data for eight years on factors such as current smoking status, regular physical activity, healthy diet, and moderate alcohol consumption. They found that a healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower dementia risk among participants, regardless of genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Confusion and Memory Problems in Older People
Increasing confusion in elderly clients can be puzzling, not only for them, but also for you as a caregiver. Establishing if their change in condition is permanent or an acute episode will help you to decide on the right approach and plan of action. Knowing your client will give you some indication of their basic memory ability and general day to day functioning. This can be obtained from the client, their family and friends, and from other healthcare professionals providing them with care.
Memory Loss & Forgetfulness: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments
Many older people worry about becoming more forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. In the past, memory loss and confusion were considered a normal part of aging. However, scientists now know that most people remain both alert and able as they age, although it may take them longer to remember things. A lot of people experience memory lapses. Some memory problems are serious, and others are not.
Are Your Memory Changes Due to Getting Older? How to Tell
Contributor: Ronan Factora, MD Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy You’ve probably heard this phrase before: “I’m just getting older.”
Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory
Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory Try these simple ways to improve your memory. By Mayo Clinic Staff Can't find your car keys? Forget your grocery list?
Ten minutes of exercise a day improves memory
Just 10 minutes of light physical activity is enough to boost brain connectivity and help the brain to distinguish between similar memories, a new study suggests. Scientists at the University of California studying brain activity found connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage increased after a brief interval of light exercise – such as 10 minutes of slow walking, yoga or tai chi. The findings could provide a simple and effective means of slowing down or staving off memory loss and cognitive decline in people who are elderly or have low levels of physical ability. The scientists asked 36 healthy volunteers in their early 20s to do 10 minutes of light exercise – at 30% of their peak oxygen intake – before assessing their memory ability. The memory test was then repeated on the same volunteers without exercising. The scientists also kept track of the participants’ mood changes.
How memory and thinking ability change with age
Scientists used to think that brain connections developed at a rapid pace in the first few years of life, until you reached your mental peak in your early 20s. Your cognitive abilities would level off at around middle age, and then start to gradually decline. We now know this is not true. Instead, scientists now see the brain as continuously changing and developing across the entire life span. There is no period in life when the brain and its functions just hold steady.
Age-Related Memory Loss: What's Normal, What's Not, and When to Seek Help
Worried about your forgetfulness? Learn what’s normal when it comes to memory and aging, and how to recognize the signs of more serious problems. Memory and aging We’ve all misplaced keys, blanked on someone’s name, or forgotten a phone number. When you’re young, you don’t tend to pay much attention to these lapses, but as you grow older, you may worry about what they mean. Perhaps you start to talk about a movie you saw recently when you realize you can’t remember the title.
