The Truth About Senior Moments

 The Truth About Senior Moments 

We all have times when the word gets stuck in our throat. We can see the person's face and hear their voice, but we can't quite put a name to them. Most of us have thought of these times as "senior moments." We think they are part of becoming older, after all. But a new study from Chicago says something else. People used to think that senior moments were harmless, but they might not be. The study reveals that a lot of awkward senior moments, including forgetting a word, name, or recent discussion, are actually indicators and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists in Chicago did autopsies on the brains of 134 older people who seemed normal except for some moments of forgetfulness. They found that one third of the participants had brains full of plagues, waxy protein clumps, and scarred tissues, all of which were signs of Alzheimer's disease. Their senior moments were sick. Even though their brains were getting worse in ways that were similar to people who died from Alzheimer's, these participants were nevertheless able to live regular lives, meaning they could take care of their personal, household, social, and daily requirements. Because they can accomplish this, the question that comes up is: why do some people become completely disabled and unable to do anything because of brain deterioration, while others (who had the same level of brain deterioration) can still operate normally?

Dr. David Bennett, an Alzheimer's researcher at Rush University Medical Center, says that this difference can tell us a lot: "There's something about these people that lets them have a lot of pathology without obvious memory problems." We need to know why that is. His research shows that some things seem to keep us from being unable to do things in our daily lives, even when plaques and proteins build up in our brains. Some of these things are a) having a lot of education and b) feeling like you belong in society.

Learning a new skill or language, performing crossword puzzles, reading, and writing are all mentally engaging activities that can help reduce the number of "senior moments" and lower the risk of Alzheimer's by allowing the brain to make up for the disease's debilitating effects. Moderate cardiovascular exercise, like jogging or fast walking, can build up artery reserves that save individuals from having heart attacks. Similarly, activities that build up the brain can produce a "neural reserve" that lets people deal with Alzheimer's-related brain damage without getting dementia.

So, what activities can we do to keep our brain reserves safe?

1. In the well-known Nun's Study, researchers found that the sisters who wrote in a dense language in their early journal entries (which showed they could handle complicated concepts and imagery in a single line) were the least affected by Alzheimer's. Writing requires the right and left hemispheres of the brain to work together. Putting feelings and thoughts into words requires both hemispheres to work together, as well as the thinking and the senses. So go ahead and write, and do it every day. Do it every day, just like you do exercise. Write from your brain, your heart, and your gut. Don't care what other people think. Just write!

2. Pick up a new language or talent. The brain builds new neural reserves as it learns something new, especially if it's something it hasn't done before. The language can be about music or computers. In fact, programming has come a long way in the last few years, and the whole online world of systems, protocols, and programs has opened up a lot of new growth opportunities.

3. Learn to play a new instrument. This is another way to get used to new places. We were impressed by an older man who stood up with the kids (ages 3 to 17) and played his solo piece at a recent violin concert where my grandson (age 4) played with the other members of his Suzuki school. The crowd went wild with applause. These kinds of things that happen to non-seniors make us want to get out of our comfort zones and do whatever it takes to learn a new skill.

4. Go on long trips to many places. In the same way, going to different cultures might make your brain work better. We could feel the neurotransmitters blazing in our brains when we went to France and Italy last fall, especially in Italy. We had to learn how to ask for food, time, directions to the train station, and the bathroom. The city became into a puzzle we had to solve, and nowhere was this more clear than in Venice. While we were securely on the ferry to the Piazza del San Marco, we talked to a man from Latvia, a woman from Capri, and a couple from Korea. We spoke different languages, yet we were able to understand each other rather well. In this case, eyes, hands, and actions said more than words!

5. Work out every day. Aerobic and cardiovascular exercise not only makes our muscles, joints, and bones stronger, but it also makes the brain tissue in older adults denser. The average brain loses 15% of its cerebral cortex and 25% of its white matter as people become older. This loss is directly linked to a decline in cognitive capacity. Aerobic and aerobic exercises benefit the areas of the brain that are most sensitive to the ravages of aging.

6. Lastly, bless everyone you meet and love what you do. Let go of things that aren't important to your spiritual growth, like your senior moments. It is like learning a new language to let go of your ego self. We are shadows, and our true home is somewhere else. This knowledge will help us master the language of spirit.

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