By Julie Cunningham
Brain experts discussed the latest research on the effects of aging and diseases such as Alzheimer''s on the brain and gave information on ways people can keep their brain healthy at a public forum Saturday Nov. 16.
Nearly 1,000 people attended 'Staying Sharp' in Salt Lake City, which was the last of six cities in the country chosen to host the event this year. The forum was co-sponsored by AARP Utah, formally known as the American Association of Retired Persons, and the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives.
One of the issues discussed at the forum was the natural brain deterioration that occurs in most people as they age. There are two normal brain changes that can take place, said Dr. Guy McKhann from Johns Hopkins University.
The first is people do not learn information as quickly or as easily as they did when they were younger, he said. Once people have mastered the new information, however, they can remember it just as easily as a person who is younger.
The second is it becomes hard for a person getting older to work in two or more different areas at the same time, such as switching between daily tasks, McKhann said.
These deteriorations are completely normal and happen to most, but not all, people, he said.
Another topic discussed at the forum was Alzheimer''s disease. General and normal memory loss may be an inevitable part of aging, but Alzheimer''s disease is not, said Dr. JoAnn Tschanz from Utah State University.
People most at risk for developing Alzheimer''s disease are those above age 65, she said. This risk then doubles for people every five years after 65.
'This is not to say that everyone will develop Alzheimer''s disease if they live long enough,' Tschanz said. 'We''ve seen people who are in their late 90s, and they seem sharp as a tack and don''t seem to have developed the symptoms of the disease.'
One major misconception about Alzheimer''s disease is that many years of education or a college degree will prevent its development. However, this is not true, Tschanz said.
'We have not identified anything specific that will absolutely prevent the disease,' she said.
'Individuals with higher educational abilities seem to have compensatory strategies that they can rely on so that the early symptoms of the disease are not as evident in their day to day functioning,' she said. 'But as the disease progresses, their brain is no longer able to compensate, so they do manifest more and more symptoms of the disease.'
All experts agreed that a combination of both mental and physical exercise along with a positive self-image is the best way to prevent or postpone most brain diseases and keep the brain healthy.
'The most important thing is to try to keep mentally active,' said Dr. J. Richard Baringer from the University of Utah medical school.
'I think that''s as helpful or more helpful than almost anything you can do,' he said.
Mentally stimulating activities include almost everything from reading a book or newspaper to attending lectures or participating in discussions with others, he said.
People should also maintain a regular exercise program, eat a proper diet and have good general health, Baringer said.
'So if you''ve got heart disease, you take the appropriate medications,' he said. 'If you''ve got diabetes, you keep the blood sugar under control. Keeping all of the what I call support organs in good shape is vital to the brain.'
People do not have to wait until they are over 50 to begin brain deterioration prevention activities, Baringer said.
'It''s an ongoing process your whole life,' he said. 'People should develop active reading habits and exercise programs for their entire life.'
Women can especially benefit from an activity in which they can accomplish mental exercise, physical exercise and a good self-image all in one, McKhann said.
This activity is shopping.
Walking around a clothing store is physical exercise; making decisions on what to buy is mental exercise; and the good feeling that comes from purchasing clothing gives them a positive self-image, he said.