Cognitive Health

What is cognitive health?

Cognitive Health

Cognitive health i.e. the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember is an important component of performing everyday activities. It refers to the ability of the brain to perform mental processes [1]. It encompasses a range of cognitive abilities, including attention, memory, language, spatial orientation, and executive function. Cognitive health is important for overall well-being and quality of life, as it impacts an individual’s ability to perform everyday tasks, engage in social activities, and maintain independence. It can be influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors such as education and exposure to toxins.

Maintaining cognitive health is important throughout the lifespan. Cognitive decline can occur as a natural part of aging, but can also be caused by certain health conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. [2] Promoting cognitive health through lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, a healthy diet, and cognitive stimulation, can help to preserve cognitive function and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

How does one work on their cognitive health?

Harvard Medical School has identified six cornerstones of cognitive fitness: eating a plant-based diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, stress reduction, social interaction, and challenging the brain [3]. Among these six cornerstones, challenging the brain is one of the most important components of cognitive health.

Brain Health

Brain and Memory Exercises:

Brain exercises are essential for maintaining cognitive health. Individuals can improve cognitive function and promote overall cognitive health by engaging in mental activities that challenge and stimulate the brain. Incorporating brain exercises into daily routines can be a fun way to maintain cognitive health and promote lifelong learning. Brain exercises can help to promote cognitive health by stimulating the brain, enhancing cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and problem-solving, and improving overall cognitive function. Examples of different types of brain exercises include mental rotation, working memory, and reasoning [4]. In addition, activities such as playing Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and card games can also help to improve cognitive function.

Brain exercises can be fun and can be incorporated into daily routines. For example, challenging oneself to learn a new skill or hobby, such as playing an instrument or speaking a new language, can help to stimulate the brain. Even simple activities such as drawing a map from memory, creating word pictures, or dancing can also help to improve cognitive function.

Physical Exercise:

Regular physical exercise is crucial for maintaining good cognitive health [5]. Physical activity has numerous benefits, including improving memory and problem-solving skills, reducing anxiety and depression, and helping to maintain emotional balance. It is also effective in reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia [2]. This graph clearly shows how higher rates of exercise lead to improvements in mental/cognitive health.

Studies have shown that exercise has a positive effect on brain function and cognitive abilities, and can induce long-term changes in the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory. Furthermore, physical exercise can help build strength, reduce the risk of falling, and improve mobility and joints, in addition to improving cognitive health [6].

The cognitive benefits of physical activity are significant across all age groups. Research indicates that physical activity throughout childhood and young adulthood can positively impact perceptual skills, intelligence quotients, and verbal and mathematical tests. Exercise may also reduce cognitive decline related to normal aging and protect against changes related to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Diet: Diet plays a significant role in maintaining cognitive health, which includes how well we think, learn, remember, make and control movements, and interpret and respond to emotions. Several studies have identified the foods and dietary patterns that promote cognitive function and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and brain disorders like depression [7]. One of the most effective ways to maintain cognitive health is to eat a plant-based diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, nuts, and seeds. A study published in 2017 found that people who followed a Mediterranean-style diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and healthy fats had better cognitive performance than those who did not follow such a diet [8].

A part of healthy diet regimens could be the use of supplementary brain nutrients. Brain supplements have become popular in recent years, much of the evidence supporting their benefits comes from research on food and diet rather than isolated supplements. However, some studies have shown the potential benefits of certain supplements on brain health.

Do cognitive health supplements actually work?

In order to test the efficacy of cognitive health supplements, we must consider the effects of the supplements that are being used most often.

1. Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba is an herb that many older adults have used for cognitive health. In the year 2000 alone, it was estimated that Americans spent US$250 million on this supplement [9]. The hypothesized mechanisms of ginkgo biloba that may lead to improved brain function include changes in cerebrovascular circulation through cerebral vasodilation, a reduction in blood viscosity, a reduction of oxygen free radicals, and a reduction in the age-related decrease in neurotransmitter receptors [10].

2. Vitamins B6, B9 & B12

Studies have examined the effect of vitamin B supplementation, which included vitamin B6, B9 (folate), and B12 (cyanocobalamin), on cognition. Elevated homocysteine levels have been associated with an increased risk of dementia and the most common causes of homocysteine elevation are deficiencies in vitamins B6, B9, and B12 [11].

3. ω-3 fatty acids

ω-3 fatty acids (FAs) are a group of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs). Mechanisms for their benefit in cognition and dementia include reduction in CVD and stroke, reduction in the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in the pathogenesis of AD, maintenance of brain cell membrane integrity and neuronal function, and reduction of β-amyloid by decreasing production and increasing clearance.

It is obvious there are certain benefits to adding cognitive health supplements to your diet, however, it’s best to focus on a healthy diet that includes foods high in vitamins B6, B12, and B9 (folate) and whole grains, which have been shown to support brain health. Additionally, training cognitive skills by playing brain games may also help improve memory. Overall, while some brain supplements may have benefits, it’s important to also focus on a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise to support brain health.

References:

[1] National Institute on Aging. (2020) what is cognitive health? Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-cognitive-health

[2] Stern, Y. (2012). Cognitive reserve in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. The Lancet Neurology, 11(11), 1006-1012.

[3] https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/six-steps-to-cognitive-health

[4] https://www.forbes.com/health/healthy-aging/brain-exercises/

[5] https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/physical-activity-brain-health/index.html

[6] Di Liegro, C. M., Schiera, G., Proia, P., & Di Liegro, I. (2019). Physical Activity and Brain Health. Genes, 10(9), 720. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes10090720

[7] Klimova, B., Dziuba, S., & Cierniak-Emerych, A. (2020). The Effect of Healthy Diet on Cognitive Performance Among Healthy Seniors – A Mini Review. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 14, 325. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.00325

[8] Tosti, V., Bertozzi, B., & Fontana, L. (2018). Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Metabolic and Molecular Mechanisms. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 73(3), 318–326. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glx227

[9] Straus SE. Complementary and alternative medicine. In: Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Kasper DL, et al., editors. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 17. McGraw-Hill Medical; New York, NY, USA: 2008

[10] Snitz BE, O’Meara ES, Carlson MC, et al. Ginkgo biloba for preventing cognitive decline in older adults: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2009;302(24):2663–2670.

[11] Tucker KL, Qiao N, Scott T, Rosenberg I, Spiro A. High homocysteine and low B vitamins predict cognitive decline in aging men: the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(3):627–635.