Archives for January 2019

11 Steps To Keep Your Brain Healthy

Jan 15, 2019 by United Brain Association Leave a Comment

“You are not stuck with the brain you have. You can make it better.”

To keep your brain healthy, you have to prevent or treat the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind. If you take preventative steps to keep your brain healthy now, you may fend off the onset of disorders such as dementia or memory loss in the future.

And if you or a loved one is already affected by a brain disorder, you don’t have to lose hope for improvement. The BRIGHT MINDS method has shown promise in restoring brain function even after it’s been lost.

Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist and researcher, has developed a program called BRIGHT MINDS to help patients fight back against brain disorders and restore healthy brain function.

Brain Health and the BRIGHT MINDS Program

The letters of the BRIGHT MINDS program stand for the 11 major risk factors that endanger brain health. These factors are:

Blood Flow
Retirement & Aging
Inflammation
Genetics
Head Trauma
Toxins
Mental Health
Immunity/Infections
Neurohormone Deficiencies
Diabesity
Sleep

The plan addresses each of these risk factors and takes steps to limit their impact. Even a risk factor as seemingly set in stone as genetics can be lessened to some degree by careful attention to a healthy, brain-boosting lifestyle.

The Importance of Blood Flow

The research uses imaging technologies to identify which areas in patients’ brains have healthy blood flow and which areas have poor blood flow. Foremost among the risk factors in the model is blood flow to the brain, which seems to be the number-one brain-imaging predictor of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The research has identified several key lifestyle factors that cause (or are indicators of) low blood flow to the brain. The factors include:

Caffeine and nicotine consumption
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Lack of exercise
Erectile dysfunction

Each of these factors is a warning sign that you may have low blood flow to your brain. If you or a loved one suffers from any of these conditions, it’s essential that you take steps to treat them as soon as possible.

Age and Brain Function

It is also extremely important to keep your brain active in order to keep it healthy. Brain function may have a tendency to decrease with age, but declining brain health is not inevitable, no matter how old you are.

Research makes it clear that as we age, our brains essentially start dying. They’re less able to build new connections in their neural pathways, and existing connections begin to break down. The problem gets worse when you stop engaging your mind in activities that require learning and coordination.

When you’re older, you’ve got less leeway to allow your brain to decline. It’s important to engage in brain-building activities throughout your life, but especially as you get older.

Tasks that keep your brain healthy include:

Crossword puzzles
Knitting
Learning a new language
Reading
Playing video games
Physical activities like walking, tennis or golf

Whole-Body Health and Brain Health

The BRIGHT MINDS model takes into account whole-body conditions that might not affect the brain directly but that can make brain dysfunction more likely nonetheless. Whole-body conditions that are hard on your brain include:

Inflammation that causes joint pain or muscle pain throughout your body
Mental health issues (depression, bipolar disorder, ADD, chronic stress, etc.)
Hormone deficiencies
Chronic infections
Unhealthy sleep habits

If you want to boost long-term brain health, confront any of these brain-sabotaging conditions head-on and do whatever you have to do to treat them. As you make your entire body healthy, your brain health will follow along.

Exercise, Nutrition and Brain Health

Healthy eating is key to keeping your brain healthy throughout your lifetime. The research makes a strong case for the importance of what you put into your body (or don’t put into your body) when it comes to long-term brain health.

Watch out for chronic conditions that are a sign of poor nutrition. These conditions are as bad for your brain as they are for the rest of your body. They include:

Obesity or overweight
Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure

Keeping toxins out of your body is important, too, including obviously harmful toxins such as lead and pesticides, but also often-tolerated toxins such as alcohol.

Exercise is also crucial, but activities such as football or other kinds of physical activity that can cause head trauma are to be avoided. Your brain is extremely soft and vulnerable, and it’s encased inside a hard skull; that design protects your brain, but it can also lead to damage to brain tissue if you get hit in the head. Any activity that could cause a concussion or even minor head injury is the enemy of good brain health.

Making Your Brain Better

You can take control of your brain health. You can improve your brain function even after it’s been compromised, and if you follow the principles of the plan from an early age, you may be able to prevent brain disorders from happening in the first place.

*Content published by the American Brain Society (ABS), such as text, graphics, reports, images, and other materials created by ABS and other materials contained on unitedbrainassociation.org are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the unitedbrainassociation.org.

Managing Caregiver Guilt

Jan 14, 2019 by Dear Prudence 3 Comments

Do you ever feel as if you can’t spend another minute taking care of a loved one who’s suffering from dementia, mental illness or other debilitating condition? That you can’t endure another frustrating visit or irrational argument? That you’re simply too tired to do everything that’s being asked of you?

Chances are if you’re a caregiver for a struggling loved one, you feel all of those things at one time or another. And chances are good that when you feel those emotions, you also think that you’re the worst person in the world for feeling them.

That’s caregiver guilt, and it puts an emotional weight on the shoulders of most caregivers, a weight that can be extremely harmful. Guilt, if allowed to feed upon itself, takes a toll on a caregiver’s mind and body that can lead to depression, self-destructive behavior and physical symptoms.

It can help, though, to understand why you’re feeling guilty and to know that caregiver guilt is a normal, manageable state that nearly every caregiver passes through at some point. If you know how you’ve arrived at the emotional state you’re in and what you can do to lessen its effects, you can stop caregiver guilt from doing real harm.

What Is Caregiver Guilt?

Caring for a loved one is an emotionally and physically taxing responsibility that inevitably wears us down and exposes our limitations. We’re only human, and the demands of caregiving regularly set us up to feel inadequate in a variety of ways. When we feel inadequate, guilt nearly always follows.

It’s important to recognize how caregiver guilt manifests itself because if you can see the signs for what they are, it’s easier to believe that you’re not alone. Take a look at these common manifestations of caregiver guilt and think about whether they apply to you:

You feel guilty for not being able to do everything. You feel as if you’re pouring all of your energy into giving your loved one everything that he or she needs, but it’s still not enough. There’s always something more to do, and you can’t keep up. Worst of all, you suspect that it’s your own weakness that prevents you from doing what other caregivers could do.
You feel guilty because your loved one’s condition is not improving. No matter what you do, your loved one is still suffering, and his or her condition might even be getting worse. You feel guilty because you can’t make everything better.
You feel guilty because you sometimes resent your loved one. You are exhausted by everything you do as a caregiver, but your loved one doesn’t appreciate everything you’re doing. He or she may be irrationally critical or demand more and more from you as time goes on. You’re frustrated and resentful, and you feel awful about it.
You feel guilty for enjoying yourself. While your loved one suffers, you feel as if you have no right to be happy or to have good things in your life.

Left unchecked, excessive feelings of guilt and self-criticism can lead to real consequences for the caregiver. Studies have found that caregivers for dementia patients, for example, are twice as likely to suffer from clinical depression as the general population. If you’re feeling guilty, be alert for other signs of depression, including:

Feelings of extreme sadness or hopelessness
Changes in eating patterns, including weight gain or weight loss
Changes in sleep patterns, including insomnia or oversleeping
Consistent fatigue
Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
Trouble focusing your thoughts
Increased use of alcohol or drugs
Suicidal thoughts

Why Is Caregiver Guilt So Common?

We like to think of ourselves as being up to any task, and we have a tendency to assume that other caregivers are unfailingly competent. When we perceive ourselves as falling short of our expectations, guilt is sure to result.

The problem is that caregiving introduces stresses that hinder everyone’s productiveness, and caregivers are virtually guaranteed to fail to meet unrealistic goals. Consider these challenges that caregivers face:

Caregivers spend less time with their families.
Caregivers get less sleep.
Caregivers are more likely to struggle with their jobs.
Caregivers are more often exposed to conflicts and stress in their relationships.
Caregivers have little time left to do things that make them happy.

All of these factors set up a situation that makes a caregiver feel inadequate, and it’s crucial for you to realize that it’s not just you. Every caregiver faces these obstacles, and every caregiver experiences guilt in reaction to them.

How to Overcome Caregiver Guilt

If caregiver guilt is such a fundamental part of caregiving, how, then, can you manage it and keep it from doing real harm to you? The answer lies primarily in acceptance, but there are some very concrete ways that you can think about your situation that will help keep the most harmful consequences of guilt at bay:

Accept guilt as inevitable. First of all, dispense with the notion that you’ll be able to care for your loved one without sometimes feeling guilty. We all will feel guilty, and there’s nothing we can do to make it go away entirely. What we need to do instead is to manage our guilt so that it doesn’t hurt us or our loved ones.
Don’t expect to solve every problem. No one, not even the most competent caregiver, can do everything perfectly. You won’t be able to end your loved one’s suffering, and you won’t be able to accomplish every task that’s put in front of you. No one could, and you shouldn’t hold yourself to an unrealistic standard.
Understand that negative feelings are normal. Caring for someone with dementia or mental illness is frustrating, anger-inducing, and sometimes demoralizing. Anyone in your situation is going to feel negative about their responsibilities and their loved one’s demands sometimes. Accept that you’re not a bad person for feeling this way.
Live your life. Don’t give up on the things that make you happy. You’re not helping your loved one by being miserable yourself, and taking care of yourself is important, too.
Get help. A caregiver support group can remind you that you’re not in a unique situation and that other people have experienced the same challenges that you’re facing. Seek out support when it feels like you can’t do it alone.

Caregiver guilt takes a foothold when you indulge in the fantasy that you can make everything perfect and good for your loved ones. Hoping for such an unrealistic outcome, however, is counterproductive. You can help your loved ones and yourself much more effectively when you acknowledge that you’re human and imperfect and that you can’t prevent the situation from being difficult sometimes. When you do that, you can spend more time focusing on the moments of joy and satisfaction that are still a big part of your life.

Early Onset Alzheimer’s: Yes, You Can Get It in Your 30s

Jan 12, 2019 by United Brain Association Leave a Comment

We tend to think of Alzheimer’s Disease as an affliction of the elderly, and that’s often true. But research suggests that the earliest stages of the disease often occur in people under the age of 65, and one study estimates that as many as 47 million Americans over the age of 30 show signs of the early “preclinical” form of the disease.

The key to effectively dealing with early-onset Alzheimer’s is to recognize the signs as they begin to appear, especially in a relatively young patient. Unfortunately, the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s, such as changes in mood or behavior, are often misdiagnosed as depression, anxiety, or other forms of mental illness. Misdiagnosis leads to ineffective treatment, and Alzheimer’s goes undetected until it is advanced, a situation that results in decades of suffering for the patient and his or her loved ones.

Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

As we age, nearly all of us experience some setbacks in our cognitive function. We have trouble remembering things, or we seem to get confused more than we used to. But when those cognitive difficulties come in clusters, or when they occur when we’re relatively young, they may be cause for concern.

The temptation is to think that if you or your loved one is young, there’s no way that those signs or symptoms could be an indication of Alzheimer’s. Missing the early signs of the disease, however, can mean a missed opportunity to help your loved one deal with the progression of the disease as soon as possible.

The signs of potential early-onset Alzheimer’s may include:

Loss of Memory. Minor lapses in memory are normal for all of us, but an increase in memory loss beyond what is normal, such as forgetting important dates or asking repetitive questions, can be a warning sign.
Struggling with Routine Activities. Sufferers of early-onset Alzheimer’s may have trouble focusing on tasks that they would normally complete quickly and easily every day.
Changes in Mood or Social Behavior. Sufferers may become moody or depressed, and they may withdraw from social interactions or activities that used to be pleasurable.
Language Problems. Sufferers may also have trouble finding the correct words to say in a particular situation or may have trouble maintaining a normal conversation.
Losing Things. Beyond typical misplacing of items, sufferers may put things in unusual places and forget where they are.
Difficulty with Problem Solving. Struggling with numbers, or with developing, remembering and following a plan may also be a warning sign.
Disorientation or Confusion. As Alzheimer’s sets in, sufferers may have difficulty understanding where they are, what day or date it is, or how quickly or slowly time is passing.
Judgment Problems. Alzheimer’s may manifest in poor judgment or in difficulty making rational decisions in areas such as finances or hygiene.

Learning to Spot and Treat Early Onset Alzheimer’s

In an attempt to get at the causes of Alzheimer’s Disease and to be able to identify the onset of the disease as early as possible, scientists have been working to find indicators that will show which patients are likely to develop the disease.

Some work has shown promise in identifying a genetic component to early-onset Alzheimer’s. Researchers have identified three genes–APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2–in which mutations are present in a relatively large proportion of early-onset Alzheimer’s patients.

These mutations appear to cause overproduction of a protein called amyloid-beta peptide, which in turn seems to cause the development of plaques that interfere with neuron function in the brain. A mutation of the PSEN1 gene called the A431E or “Jalisco” mutation has been linked, through the research of Dr. John Ringman, to cases of early-onset Alzheimer’s in patients of Mexican descent, for example.

Other research has focused on detection, rather than prediction, of the early onset of the disease. This type of research attempts to develop diagnostic techniques to spot the disease as soon as possible and to develop treatments that may slow the progression of the disease.

Dr. Reisa Sperling, Director of the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and Professor of Neurology at Harvard University, is currently conducting research using functional MRI (fMRI) and PET scanning technology to identify structural changes in the brain that accompany the earliest preclinical stages of the disease. Dr. Sperling is also leading a study of a new drug that may reduce amyloid levels in patients’ brains, and she is studying the effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treating early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Paul Rosenberg, Lead Scientist at the Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is also conducting research using PET scans to identify the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Rosenberg’s goal is to find the links between Alzheimer’s, depression, and other disorders in the hope of reducing misdiagnoses. He also hopes to develop a more thorough understanding of the effects of amyloid in the brain, which may lead to effective treatments for the disease.

Preventing Early Onset Alzheimer’s

Just as we don’t know precisely what causes Alzheimer’s, we also don’t have a surefire way of preventing it. As scientists work to find causes, treatments and, potentially, a cure for the disease, the best course of action is to live in a way that can help to boost your cognitive function.

To lead a brain-healthy life, be sure to:

Get plenty of exercise
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Control your weight, and treat Type 2 diabetes
Treat depression
Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Have good sleep habits
Don’t smoke
Limit alcohol consumption
Remain socially active
Keep your mind active and engaged

Taking steps to keep your brain as healthy as possible for as long as possible is important, but it’s also important to stay alert for the early warning signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Early detection, diagnosis, and intervention could give you and your loved ones a valuable head start on coping with the disease.