Four ways to boost your brain
31 Mar 2010

Four ways to boost your brain

2 mins to read
New research from Western Australia reveals a host of smart ways to defy age-related decline in cognitive function and get you on your way to better brainpower.


If there’s one term that has set the mind sciences field (psychology, psychiatry and neurology) abuzz in recent times, it’s ‘neural plasticity’. Whereas previously it was thought cells gradually die off, scientists now understand that the mind has the capacity to regenerate.

“There’s new evidence that the adult brain maintains plasticity and response to external stimuli,” explains research fresh out of the gates of the West Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, published in the journal Maturitas.

The researchers agree that lifestyle habits can substantially reduce your risk of age-related cognitive decline, and here are four of the best ways to get started:

#1 Get physical

You only need a small amount of physical activity to reap big boons for your brain. “People don’t have to run marathons to get the benefits—it’s as simple as doing some forms of simple activity, like walking or dancing, every day for around 20 minutes,” said study author Professor Leon Flicker, director of the West Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, after releasing results from a similar study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

#2 Stamp out the smokes

After examining various layers of the brain, the researchers found smokers showed decreased grey matter density in four brain regions. They also noted ‘abnormalities’ in grey matter, which they said mirrored those with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. In better news, they said that to quit successfully, getting advice from a GP and undertaking nicotine replacement therapy were both promising paths for those having trouble flicking butts (into bins) once and for all!

#3 Dive into a good diet

There’s evidence that high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid proven to be a marker of cardiovascular risk, have a positive impact on cognition, they found. In a similar study, American researchers reported vitamin B and folate may offer equal benefits—great sources include green leafy vegetables such as spinach and asparagus, and animal products, meat, fish and eggs.

#4 Drink sparingly

Small amounts of alcohol could actually shield your mental metal, the research reports. After reviewing 23 cohort studies, the authors found that low alcohol intake may be protective against the development of dementia. Red wine is most likely your best bet due to its stores of reservatol, a potent antioxidant.

Maturitas, Volume 63, Issue 4, Pages 319-322
JAMA. 2008 Sep 3;300(9):1027-37



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