We’ve all had them. The misplaced car keys, the missed appointment, a forgotten name. Often laughed off as a “senior moment,” forgetfulness is generally harmless, but could be more serious than we’d like to believe. According to recent studies, these forgetful moments could be an early hint at oncoming depleted mental function.
And it could be happening much earlier than generally thought.
Feeling forgetful earlier
A new article in the British Medical Journal spells out a recent study that found that the brain’s ability to carry out “executive functions,” including comprehension and memory, may worsen as early as age 45 in men.
Researchers tested for memory, vocabulary and comprehension three times during the study span, and noted changes as the subjects grew older.
After testing during a 10-year period, the study followed structural changes in the brain as people age. It found a notable decline in mental function in subjects aging into their late 40s.
Study participants experienced a 3.6 percent decline in mental reasoning scores, while men ages 65-70 showed a 9.6 percent decline (compared to female subjects in the same age range, who showed a 7.4 percent decline).
The study also predicted a 75 percent chance of an Alzheimer’s disease within 10 years for those that showed a marked mental decline.
Keep your mind healthy
It sounds dire, but you can take steps to stave off mental decline. Of course, a healthy lifestyle is important. Exercise may be the single-most preventative measure.
Increased cardiovascular health increases the blood flow to the brain, which helps slow the effects of brain aging. A healthy diet, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains helps with cardiovascular health and helps protect the brain from age-related decline as well, according to experts.
Another reason to quit
A separate study, also from the UK, provided what may have the biggest effect on holding onto your mental acuity longer ““ stopping smoking.
Particularly in middle-aged men still smoking, the habit was equated to adding a decade to your age when it comes to gauging mental decline, according to researchers at the University College of London. Their study looked at more than 7,000 men and women with various smoking statuses.
While women didn’t show a marked mental decline beyond what was already expected, the male subjects of the study showed a more rapid decline than expected.
Participants who stopped smoking slowed that rate, the study showed.
While a causal relationship wasn’t definitive “” those that smoke generally have a less healthy cardiovascular system, for one variable “” it certainly gives you another reason to quit.
And maybe you’ll remember where the car keys are.
