The Growth Kit

E44 · How To Prevent Cognitive Decline After Middle Age: A Science-Based Approach

Listen Later

Studies reveal that over 50% of people mistakenly believe cognitive decline is simply a function of getting older. This misconception can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, causing people to disengage from mentally stimulating activities, physical activity, and socialization.


The good news? Your brain is more adaptable than you might think. Listen for a research-based dive into practical strategies to help mitigate cognitive decline.


Read The Article:

  • How To Prevent Cognitive Decline After Middle Age: A Science-Based Approach

    • Things Mentioned:

    • While any new learning is good, these three areas have been shown to have the most significant impact.

      • Dancing: Dancing may be the most powerful activity for cognitive health. Research shows it can reduce the risk of dementia by 76% and a meta-analysis showed it to improve memory, cognitive flexibility, visuospatial function, balance, and attention, thanks to the triumvirate of physical movement, mental challenges, and social interaction.

      • Language: Research indicates that bilingual individuals are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, with studies showing up to a 4.5-year delay in symptom onset compared to monolinguals.

      • Instrument: Similarly, learning to play an instrument enhances memory and spatial-temporal skills, with evidence suggesting improved neural plasticity.

      • The study Preventive Strategies for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Benefits of Aerobic Physical Activity, Especially Open-Skill Exercise says it all: “Physical inactivity is highly associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.”

      • Signs of insulin resistance include:

        • Abdominal fat

        • The inability to fast

        • Hypoglycemic episodes

        • A BMI greater than 25 (calculate yours here)

        • Fasting glucose greater than 114

        • Fasting insulin greater than 5.5

        • HbA1c (hemoglobin A1C) greater than 5.7

        • If you have any of these symptoms, address insulin resistance immediately. Find specific strategies for how to do that in this article.

        • There's no test you can have your doctor do on you but there is something called the 21-point Brain Care Score (BCS). A study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry found a notable association between scores on this test and later-life issues.

          • "Each five-point increase in the baseline BCS was associated with a 27% lower risk of incident stroke or incident dementia or late-life depression when adjusted for age and sex, and this difference was statistically significant "


          Connect With MindBodyDad (The Growth Kit HQ):

          • ⁠⁠⁠Weekly Newsletter⁠⁠⁠

          • ⁠⁠⁠www.MindBodyDad.com⁠⁠⁠

          • ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (MindBodyDad)⁠⁠⁠

          • ⁠⁠Instagram (The Growth Kit)⁠⁠

          • ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠

          • ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

            • ⁠Affiliate Disclosure⁠

            ...more
            View all episodesView all episodes
            Download on the App Store
            The Growth KitBy Brian Comly
            • 5
            • 5
            • 5
            • 5
            • 5

            5

            3 ratings