Wouldn't it be great if you could just take a supplement or play some game in order to stave off dementia or improve memory? I've found that my patients spend a lot of money on this hope, and indeed, the supplement industry is big business. Yet no dietary supplement-not ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, omega-3, or coconut oil-has been scientifically proven to boost brain function or thwart cerebral decline.
Ditto for computerized brain-training tools, another booming industry. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Lumos Labs, the creators of Lumosity, a suite of computer- and app-based brain-training programs, had agreed to pay $2 million to "redress" misleading advertising claims about its effects on memory and cognition. The company had asserted its games were designed by neuroscientists and were scientifically proven to help stave off Alzheimer's as well as improve cognitive performance.
So what does improve brain health? More research is necessary to provide definitive answers, but some promising solutions are more affordable. For example, physical exercise, even if started after middle age, may protect against cognitive decline, according to considerable scientific evidence. In our feature "Yoga for Every Body," we look at the benefits yoga can provide for those affected by neurologic conditions.
Lowering blood pressure also reduces the risk of dementia as mentioned in "Mind Your Risks!," an item in Waiting Room about a new public health campaign launched by the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. And getting a good night's rest, as anyone who is sleep-deprived can tell you, is also crucial to cognitive function. In our "Sleep Smarter" feature, we uncover recent evidence that suggests that during sleep the brain clears out toxins such as amyloids, the sticky plaque proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. We also examine the relationship between sleep deprivation and other neurologic conditions and their treatments. And our experts provide tips on how to sleep better.
In Clinical Trial Watch, we report on clinical trials seeking healthy volunteers to test drugs that will slow cognitive decline in people who do not show signs of dementia.
In Healthy Brain, we sort through the hype about vitamin D, which may offer some benefit in protecting against dementia by helping to break down and clear Alzheimer's disease-related proteins and by enhancing blood flow to the brain. Those studies are in their preliminary stages, as are others which suggest a link with Parkinson's disease. More compelling evidence exists about the link between multiple sclerosis and vitamin D.
These stories can be mailed to you at no cost, courtesy of the American Academy of Neurology; just tear out and complete the subscription card inside. Also, be sure to look for more information online, including special blogs by members of our editorial advisory board in "The Neurologist Is In."
As always, please send us your ideas for topics you'd like us to cover.
Happy Spring!
Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief
