Ask the Experts Current Question

Date Asked: 5/29/2001 From: Alyson Stone Subject: Forgetting things . . . Question 25 : While forgetting things has seemed relatively normal to me throughout my life, I now find myself obsessing about not being able to remember names and events from long ago. Perhaps this is still normal, but I have now gotten it into my mind that it's the beginning of Alzheimer's or other dementia. (I should tell you that I have been checked and do not have Alzheimer's, and keep an extremely active mental life with puzzles, interests, reading, and volunteer activities.) Can you give me some comfort and ideas for how to stop driving myself crazy? Thanks for your help. This is a terrific website. Best, Alyson Stone Response Date: 9/4/2001 From: morrison@aging.arizona.edu Response to Question: ( 25 ) Alyson, Worries about memory loss are fairly common in our society. Most of the time, memory difficulties arise due to stress and anxiety, and having our circuits 'overloaded'. You mention having problems remembering names and events from long ago. This long-term memory loss is more indicative of this 'overload' phenomenon. Actually, it is short-term memory loss that is characteristic of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Here are some tips you asked for to keep your memory vital and alert for the rest of your life: 1. Lifelong learning: You are doing this already. Remember we 'use it or lose it'. 2. Exercise: Regular physical activity increases blood supply to the brain and has been shown to increase even test scores in many cognitive areas. 3. Daily activities: Social activities and a discipline to your day's schedule reduces the risk of memory decline as you age, especially after 'retirement'. 4. Stress reduction: Stress is a major cause of poor concentration which, you are currently experiencing. Take up some form of daily stress reduction for 20 minutes once or twice a day. It might be meditation, prayer, deep breathing, or yoga. Even tai chi and chi gong are helpful to relieve stress, while serving as your daily physical activity. 5. Sleep: Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. If you can't, consider a 20 minute nap from 1 to 2pm in the afternoons, which equals about an hour of night-time sleep. 6. Emotional stability: We know from the recently published Nun's Study (Aging with Grace, by Dr. David Snowden) that depression contributes to significant memory loss. Further, negative emotions like fear, anger, loneliness and confusion also lead to memory changes, while the positive emotions of love, happiness, gratitude, contentment and altruism are very protective and help sustain long-term and short-term cognitive vitality. 7. Nutrition: A balanced diet of lots of antioxidents (5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables) rich in folic acid and the B vitamins will also protect the brain from stroke. Since dementia is an inflammatory process, eating anti-inflammatory foods rich in ginger and curry, for instance, are helpful. I hope these tips are helpful to you and our website audience in maintaining a healthy memory throughout your lifespan. This question was answered by Evan Kligman, MD, Co-Director