Prevention of Brain Aging

[Guest guest]

Hi All--This just came in from my cousin (I don't like the alcohol part!

Phil

Below fyi is some information which is pretty interesting which was sent out

by our co's medical department and which I thought merited circulation to

friends. It was written by a professor of neuro-biology/physiology at the

University of Texas. One of his areas of focus is brain growth and brain

deterioration (including Alzheimers). For your enjoyment, self-improvement,

or whatever the following is a brief summary of his understanding/belief as

to the current dos and don'ts with respect to healthy brain

function/regeneration!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVE YOUR BRAIN

(YOU WILL PROBABLY LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO NEED IT LATER )

1. LIFESTYLE, LIFESTYLE, LIFESTYLE

A. Stress kills neurons and (probably) slows the proliferation and growth

of new ones. Notice this: conflict, action, challenge, and even fear are not

stress. Stress is inescapable/uncontrollable suffering imposed upon you.

Serum cortisol is the main mediator of stress-induced brain cell death.

DO NOT: Allow anyone or anything to thwart your pursuit of your mission,

your passion, your dreams.

DO: Whatever you would do if your were independently wealthy and could

pursue your most enjoyable and fulfilling passion. Make your play your

" work. "

DO NOT: Allow anyone's misery, pain, violence, hatred, depravity, or abuse

into your life. What is in your eyes and ears today is in your heart

tomorrow and (we now know) is killing your neurons the day after.

DO: Maximize your exposure to joy, peace, laughter, kindness.

B. Exercise accelerates the rate of birth of new neurons. This is

unambiguously clear in the rat studies and most likely extends to man as

well. The running wheel works for rats; probably anything aerobic will work

for us. This effect is pretty big, and brain cell number definitely counts.

C. " Neurobics " works. " Use it or lose it " is true. Any kind of fun that you

can have that invites and encourages new brain activity will spur new blood

vessels, new neural connections, and (perhaps) new brain cell birth.1

DO NOT: Impose a stressful, painful, stressful, tedious " self improvement "

plan (see #1).

DO: Anything that make you giggle and laugh out loud while simultaneously

developing new cerebral skills. Games, languages, unicycling, learning to

fly (use a plane), learn to play music, join a choir, ZEN, painting,

charades, reflexology, ....anything ..... so long as it uses rusty brain

circuits (or new ones) and makes you smile.

2. GARBAGE IN: GARBAGE OUT

A. Alcohol kills brain cells. Beverage alcohol is an industrial solvent

roughly equivalent to acetone or methanol for dissolving grease.

Unfortunately, you brain is mostly grease (lipid), and the best data (in my

view) indicate that there is no " safe " dose of ethanol. for your brain (or

your fetus, if pregnant). One drink per week causes the brain to shrink more

than zero drinks per week (bummer). Whatever benefits putatively come from

wine (anitoxidants) are more safely had from grape juice. On the other hand,

to minimize stress ....... l.

B. Caffeine reduces blood flow to the brain, and this is probably bad,

too. I know of no data, however, showing any long-term effects of caffeine

on brain function or structure. (I have not looked very hard, though !!)

C. Some andidepressants (Paxil, Prozac) appear to promote brain cell birth

and brain cell growth.

D. All other psycho-actives are probably bad, if only because they

encourage state-dependent brain changes.

3. RUST IS THE FINAL ENEMY

A. Oxidative damage is a key factor (probably " the " key) in cognitive

deterioration. Most people I know in the brain-aging field take mixtures of

antioxidants daily. Vitamins C and E are good.

B. Inflammation promotes oxidative damage. Most of my brain-aging friends

also take one anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofin, daily.

C. Both zinc and copper participate in the redox death of brain cells. Do

not take supplements of either.

4. TOTAL CALORIES DRIVE AGING

Caloric input drives the aging process. Rats kept at about 40% of their

freely-chosen caloric input have up to 50% increase in life span (and are of

course gaunt (and cranky)). This also works for other species, and most (not

all) gerontologists think that it works for man. Most gerontologist are

plainly gaunt; try to be seated next to one when travelling. Whether

reduced calortic intake is also brain-sparing I do not know. Nor do I ( or

anyone) know what it is about caloric intake that drives aging (bummer).

--------------------------------------------

Frederickson, Ph.D.

Adj. Professor and Senior Scientist

Center for Biomedical Engineering

Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience

The University of Texas Medical Branch

------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

Phil Graves wrote:

<3. RUST IS THE FINAL ENEMY

A. Oxidative damage is a key factor (probably " the " key) in cognitive

deterioration. Most people I know in the brain-aging field take mixtures of

antioxidants daily. Vitamins C and E are good.

B. Inflammation promotes oxidative damage. Most of my brain-aging friends

also take one anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofin, daily.

C. Both zinc and copper participate in the redox death of brain cells. Do

not take supplements of either.>

Phil or anyone, anything along these lines that you do differently

(less/more)???

Would you recommend a supplement w/o zinc or copper? Do your " brain friends "

avoid zinc and copper in their diet or think the RDAs are set too high?

Can anyone comment on this, or the inflammation aspect too?

I appreciate anyone's ideas or suggestions.

Best, Dean M.

[Guest guest]

At 09:10 AM 8/25/01 -0500, Dean M. wrote:

>Hi everyone,

>

>Phil Graves wrote:

><3. RUST IS THE FINAL ENEMY

>B. Inflammation promotes oxidative damage. Most of my brain-aging friends

>also take one anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofin, daily.

I wonder about the safety of this. I looked at ibuprofen in the PDR

about ten years ago, and just like in the instructions that come with the

bottle, it said take only the minimum amount neccesary to be effective, or

some such (it didn't say that for many other drugs), but gave no reason why.

I had running friends that took it after most every run, and I had wondered

about the safety of that. A more recent friend has arthritis, wasn't feeling

good, the doctor took her off the ibuprofen she had been told to take daily

for her arthritis she said she was told it (at least long-term use at high

doses) causes liver damage (as do many other drugs). There may be a 'safe'

long-term level, but that also may be below where it is effective as an anti-

inflammatory.

I am not a doctor, all other disclaimers apply, etc.

>I appreciate anyone's ideas or suggestions.

>

>Best, Dean M.

----------

http://listen.to/benbradley