What You Can do to Improve Memory (and Why It Deteriorates in Old Age)

As a regular columnist for the newsletter, Sharp Brains - The Brain Fitness Authority, I have just posted an article that might interest those of you whose slipping memory reminds you that you are getting older. The article summarizes research that explains why memory often deteriorates with old age. But it does not have to decline, and the article suggests things you can do to delay or even prevent memory decline. "Eat your blueberries" is only a part of the answer. I present the evidence that as you get older your thinking style has to change. The article suggests ways to do that.

Click here to see the article. Searching on "Klemm" will lead you to other articles I have written for the brain fitness newsletter. And don't forget to order my book, which is pre-requisite to getting the most out of these blog and newsletter posts. The Website now sells it for less than Amazon.

Aerobic Exercises Increases Brain Volume in Elderly

As you get older, you will probably at some point start to worry about staying on top of your mental game. Will you get senile? Will you get Alzheimer's? These frightening questions may have a hopeful answer if you live a healthy lifestyle and get plenty of aerobic exercise.

A recent study by Arthur Kramer and colleagues at the University of Illinois used MRI brain scans to evaluate the effects of exercise in aged humans on parts of the brain that are most involved in age-related decline. They studied 59 healthy but sedentary volunteers, aged 60-79, during a 6-month exercise period. Half of the subjects participated in aerobic exercise, and the other half did toning and stretching exercises. Twenty young adults who did no exercise served as a control group. A before-and-after comparison of MRI images revealed that the aerobic group developed more brain volume, both in white- and grey-matter areas. These improvements did not occur in the young subjects nor in the older ones who did only muscle-toning exercise.

While memory as such was not tested, it is highly likely that increased brain volume could only help memory function.

Source: Colcombe, S. J. et al. 2006. Aerobic exercise training increases brain volume in aging humans. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and medical Sciences. 61: 1166-1170.