YOUR WAY TO ARTER BRAIN
Your grey matter is significantly affected by everything you consume throughout your life, says JANE SYMONS
eeded for mental development, and PA, which appears to play a role in gnalling between brain cells. hildhood and teenage years rain growth is completed by five or x years of age, although maturation ntinues, and providing an dequate supply of nutrients and inerals from your diet is especially mportant during this period of rapid owth and development. Data from the DHA Oxford earning and Behaviour study has own that seven-to-nine-year-olds ho had underperformed on ading tests showed significant mprovement after taking 600mg of omega-3. “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism spectrum disorders are all associated with a relative lack of omega-3 fatty acids,” says Dr Derbyshire.
The teenage brain is still under a state of construction, continuing to gather DHA up to the end of adolescence. During this period neurons multiply and begin to build more and more connections but synapses which aren’t used will whither and fade away so any intellectual activity will strengthen cognition. Some experts now believe that brain power is a little like bone density and the more we build in the first half of life, the greater the cognitive reserves we have to draw on, lowering the risk of dementia as we get older.
And while the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA continue to be beneficial, studies suggest that high intakes of saturated, trans fats or sugar are damaging. Animal studies have shown that a high-fat and sugar junk food diet impairs neural activity in the hippocampus. 20s and 30s MRI scans of more than 4,000 people over 30 years have shown that brain development continues until about the age of 25, although Professor Beatriz Luna, from the Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development at the University of Pittsburgh, says: “Most of the brain’s systems are good to go in one’s 20s.” Areas of the brain involved in identifying errors continue to undergo change until we’re in our mid-20s, suggesting wisdom really does come with age, although it’s a lot earlier than we might think.
Vitamin E, which is found in avocados and nuts, may help ward off depression and a diet high in fruit and vegetables supports vascular health, a factor in dementia.
Professor Daniel Potts, president of the Cognitive Dynamics Foundation at the University of Alabama, says: “The overwhelming evidential data is that antioxidants do help brain function.”
Keeping active mentally and physically can help head off problems. As Dr Doug Brown, of the Alzheimer’s Society, says: “What is good for your heart is good for your head and there are simple things you can start doing now to reduce your risk of developing dementia.
“Regular exercise is a good place to start as well as avoiding smoking and eating a Mediterranean diet.” Mid-life Early onset dementia is far more common than was previously thought. Research by the Alzheimer’s Society has revealed there are more than 40,000 under-65s who are affected, including thousands of cases in 40-somethings.
Seven out of 10 over-50s have some degree of memory loss and more than half have a friend or family member whose memory is failing, research by supplements firm Equazen found.
Dr Derbyshire says: “A growing body of evidence suggests that higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial for the ageing brain.”
A randomised-controlled trial in 485 adults aged 55 and older found that those taking 900mg of DHA a day improved immediately and delayed verbal recognition memory scores after 24 weeks. Learning scientists at the Tsinghua University in Beijing have shown that magnesium, found in beans, nuts and whole grains, improves memory.
Lead researcher Professor Guosong Liu points out: “Half the population of industrialised countries has a magnesium deficit, which increases with ageing.
“This may very well contribute to age-dependent memory decline and increasing magnesium intake might prevent or reduce such decline.” later life “The brain shrinks with increasing age and there are changes at all levels from molecules to its morphology,” says Dr Derbyshire.
The antioxidant vitamins A,C, E and selenium have been shown to reduce inflammation in brain neurons and stall cognitive decline.
A recent meta-analysis found that episodic memory – our ability to remember times, places and associated emotion – significantly improved with DHA and EPA supplementation, especially in older adults who already had memory complaints.
Scans have shown that vitamin B12, which is found in meat, fish and dairy products, reduces brain shrinkage as we age, which is thought to be a factor in dementia.
Vitamin D deficiency, which is common in Britain, increases the risk of dementia.
Researchers at Exeter Medical School have shown that mild deficiency ups the odds of problems by 53 per cent while severe deficiency increases the risk by 125 per cent.
Lead author David Llewellyn admits: “We expected to find an association but the results were surprising. The association was twice as strong as we anticipated.”