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Tag: cognitive impairment

  •  Solutions for preventing Mild cognitive impairment

     Cognition is a terminology that often come across in our everyday discussions& readings related to thinking and brain functions. What is cognition? How cognitive impairment do occur and what are the ways to prevent cognitive impairment?

     

    Cognition simply refers to any process related to perceiving, thinking, understanding, reasoning and comprehending. According to American psychological association cognition is defined as all forms of knowing and awareness, such as perceiving, conceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, imagining, and problem solving. Along with affect and conation, it is one of the three traditionally identified components of mind. An individual percept, idea, memory, or the like.

        Cognitive impairment is a condition related to reduced brain functions related to memory, understanding and comprehension. It is a term used for indicating problems with thinking, memory, and judgment, ranging from mild to severe.

     It may eventually affect the quality of life if left untreated. Mild cognitive impairment can often be managed with lifestyle changes and a few simple medications. However, more severe cognitive impairment may impact a person’s ability to perform daily activities. It may present as:

    • Difficulty with thinking and memory &in concentrating, learning new things, or remembering past events.
    • Language and communication also affected. Difficulty in finding the right words or following conversations.

     Therefore, it is crucial to prevent risk factors leading to cognitive impairment. It is not possible to prevent totally, some dementia or severe cognitive impairment causing factors. However, the risk can be considerably reduced by paying some attention to our daily routine and habits.

    Some modifiable risk factors & solutions to prevent cognitive impairment

           Cognitive functioning of brain is dependent on several factors related to our daily lives.

     A few factors leading to cognitive impairment are listed here:

    1] Sleep

     Sleeping for 6-8 hours is crucial for proper functioning and repair of nervous system. Sleep deprivation has detrimental impact on nervous system functioning. How does sleep benefits us in improving the health of nervous system?

    • Sleep plays a crucial role in reducing mental fatigue and helping memory and recall. Studies have proven that lack of sleep affects long-term memory, working memory, attention, higher order executive function, and various decision-making processes. Sleep deprivation can impair memory, recall functions of the brain. Furthermore, it may elevate your stress levels.
    • Sleep is essential for regenerating certain areas of brain

    It is important for brain to continue the regenerative processes within neurons for ensuring proper functioning of brain and nervous system. It happens during sleep hours. Sleep deprivation hampers the regenerative processes.

    • During sleep beta amyloid fibrils are removed by CSF.

      According to research studies during sleep, the cerebrospinal fluid removes the beta-amyloid metabolite in the brain which are harmful to brain functions as they have been implicated in the disease pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Beta amyloid metabolite is notorious for causing Alzheimer’s disease. That means, sleep deprivation may enhance the risk of Alzheimer’s disease increasing beta amyloid fibril deposition.

    • Brain cell damage is repaired during sleep

    It is during sleep that certain enzymes repair brain cell damage caused by free radicals. Sleep deprivation prevents this repairing process. It is a fact that the brain functions normally because of the neurotransmitters, and neurons that are unable to rest or regenerate.

     Studies have shown that sleep [particularly NREM sleep]is important for turning off the norepinephrine, serotonin and histamine neurotransmitters, which is the time available for receptors to “rest” and regain sensitivity to be more effective at naturally produced levels again.

     Each phase of the sleep cycle has critical role in restoring restores and rejuvenating the brain for optimal function. Normally the glymphatic system of brain eliminate toxins building up with in the nervous system and brain during sleep. It cannot eliminate these toxins that can build up, and negatively affects cognitive abilities, behaviour, and judgment if there is lack of sleep.

    • Lack of sleep also affects your linguistic capacity.

    Temporal lobe of brain is linked with language processing. Sleep deprivation affects it very adversely. Lack of sleep may cause slurred speech due to the brain’s incapacity to process the neuronal signal at optimum levels during waking hours.

    2] Physical activity & exercise to strengthen neuroplasticity potential of brain

    Have you heard about the unique potential of human brain neuroplasticity?  Neuroplasticity is the term referring to the brain’s ability to change, reorganize, or grow neuronal networks. This can involve functional changes due to brain damage or structural changes due to learning. Exercise and physical activity may help to boost it.

    Regular moderate aerobic exercise is an effective solution for improving neuronal health and functional abilities. It is assumed that exercise-induced memory improvement is probably mediated through neurotrophic factors, and exerkines.

     Exerkines are defined as signalling molecules released in response to acute and/or chronic exercise, which exert their effects through various pathways.

     Many organs, cells and tissues release these factors, including skeletal muscle (myokines), the heart (cardiokines), liver (hepatokines), white adipose [fat]tissue (adipokines), brown adipose tissue (baptokines) and neurons (neurokines). Exerkines have potential roles in improving cardiovascular, metabolic, immune and neurological health. Thus, exercising helps your brain power.

       Some brain exercises to improve cognition & memory

    Brain exercises modify neuronal activity in such a way that they may help improvement in memory, cognitive functions or mental abilities.

    Practise the following things to improve cognition:

    • Learning new and complex skills

      Eg: playing instruments, games

    • Solving problems in mathematics
    •  Learning a new language
    •  Recall what you have read
    •  Cooking
    •  Visualization of words, things etc.
    •  Eye- hand coordination activities such as playing tennis, chess etc.
    • Sports games
    • yoga
    •  Meditation
    •  Completing a jigsaw puzzle
    •  Socializing
    •  Increasing vocabulary or word power
    •  Listening to music

    conclusion

    Mild cognitive impairment may affect quality of life overtime or it may progress to more serious forms if not addressed on time with adequate lifestyle changes and some simple medications for a short period of time in cases requiring them.

     In order to prevent this mental catastrophe, make a change or modification in your habits from the very early age.

    Never forget to do physical exercise in your routine; practice brain exercise and ensure that you get adequate sleep.

     It is crucial to understand that erratic sleep may disrupt your memory and other brain functions even if you exercise every day. Therefore, ensure that you sleep for at least 6-8 hours a day.

    Furthermore, yoga & meditation may help to improve health of brain and nervous system.

    Nutrition has pivotal role in maintaining the health of nervous system. Eat healthy follow balanced diet preferably, Mediterranean diet.

    Just include some micro habits to your routine for a big positive change. Enjoy this beautiful world with your senses and maintain your cognitive powers intact!

    References

    1.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/

    2.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16251949/

    3.  image courtesy : https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/sleeping-young-woman-lies-bed-with-eyes-closed_7728966.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=7&uuid=b12c4cae-4833-432d-91a0-9d6f652d3a6e&query=sleeping+woman

  • Walnuts help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease & other cognitive impairment from brain cell damage.

    Dr.Sanjana p Souparnika

    Daily consumption of walnuts may reduce the risk or slow the progression of age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

    Are you concerned about your cognitive abilities declining with the ageing process? Sometimes, people suffer from progressive reduction in comprehension, understanding and memory even before other changes of ageing set in apparently. It is a red signal or a cautionary warning that most probably, it could be the beginning of mild cognitive impairment.

    Cognition is the terminology that denotes the mental process of thinking, learning, and understanding. It involves a number of interacting skills, including attention, language, memory, and perception.

    Cognitive impairment is much more severe than the age-related declining memory and difficulties of comprehension. Of late it is discussed with enhanced significance  by the global population due to the spike in its incidence. Ageing as well as some hereditary and environmental factors accelerate the nerve cell degeneration within the brain and cause cognitive impairment or decline.

      Nowadays there is a global spike in the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease which is considered as the major cognitive impairment.  Alzheimer’s runs in families, however it has been detected in people with no positive family history of the disease. Therefore, the impact of free radicals on brain cells came into the view as the most probable cause of the nerve degeneration and it was researched meticulously across the globe. It has been confirmed that Cognitive impairment occurs as a result of free radical attack on brain cells.

    How is Alzheimer’s disease linked with free radicals?

    Amyloid beta protein (Aβ) is the main component of amyloid plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies suggest that Aβ stimulates the production of free radicals in nerve cells, which leads to oxidative damage and cell death.

     Free radicals are various types of chemicals which either reach human body from outside through numerous sources or they are generated as byproducts of metabolism of the body. Free radicals cause oxidative stress to body cells. Nerve cells or neurons are not exempted from this damage, instead, they suffer more intensely.

    Aβ can also induce neuroinflammation by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes.

     Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have important roles in the aging process, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and other brain disorders.

    Currently the only solution that has been emerged to fight against free radical damage is antioxidants.

    What are antioxidants?

    These compounds are effective warriors against the free radical attack and consequent damage to cells and tissues. Antioxidants prevent damage to nerve cells or neurons also. Thus, the antioxidants may function as very potent compounds against cognitive decline or impairment resulting from nerve cell damage or degeneration.

    We may get the advantage of antioxidant protection by consuming various kinds of vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts.

     Among the potent antioxidant foods walnuts play a pivotal role in protecting the nervous system and brain from free radical damage. Many research studies corroborate the good effects of walnuts on the brain and nervous system

    Walnuts

    Walnuts are nutritious seeds native to North and South America, southern Europe, Asia, and the West Indies. Walnut is the common name for any of the large, deciduous trees comprising the genus Juglans of the flowering plant family Juglandaceae.

    The word “walnut” derives from Old English wealhhnutu, literally “foreign nut,” with wealh meaning “foreign.” Walnuts are used for their edible fruit, their wood, and their ornamental purposes. There are many  species of walnuts. The nuts of all the species are edible, but the walnuts commonly available in stores are from the Persian walnut, the only species that has a large nut and thin shell, with the edible portion most easily separated from the shell.

    These seeds have immense potential to improve brain & cardiovascular health. Walnuts may be effective in improving chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration of brain.

    Walnuts are also great immunity boosting foods. A study [1] shows that walnut could significantly improve humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Walnut proteins boost the immune system and perform their immunomodulatory functions.

    Walnuts also helps to reduce blood sugar levels. A large study of 83,818 women (age: 34–59 years) showed that dietary supplementation of 1 oz of nuts, such as walnuts, five times or more per week decreased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes [5].

    Nutritional value of walnuts:

    According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, 1 cup of unbranded, organic walnuts (30 grams) contains:

    Energy: 200 calories

    Carbohydrate 3.89 grams (g)

    Sugar: 1 g

    Fiber: 2 g

    Protein: 5 g

    Fat: 20 g

    Calcium: 20 milligrams (mg)

    Iron: 0.72 mg

    Sodium: 0 mg

    Walnuts also provide minerals such as:

    manganese

    copper

    magnesium

    phosphorus

    vitamin B6

    iron

    Walnuts – Great source of omega fatty acids to boost brain health

    Walnuts contain a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can improve heart and brain functions. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, which may have anti-inflammatory effects that keep blood vessels healthy and reduce bad blood cholesterol.

    How does walnut consumption help to fight against cognitive impairment?

     Walnuts contain several components that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

    Animal and human studies suggest that supplementation with walnuts in the diet may improve cognition and reduce the risk and/or progression of Mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease [2].

     Walnuts have a high content (3.68 mmol/oz) of antioxidants, including flavonoids, phenolic acid (ellagic acid), melatonin, folate, gamma tocopherol (vitamin E), selenium, juglone, and proanthocyanidins .

    Walnuts also provide protein (4 g/oz), fiber (2 g/oz), phosphorus (10% daily value), and magnesium (11% daily value).

    Walnuts  have mainly polyunsaturated fat (13 g of 18 g total fat per 1 oz walnuts), of which the alpha linolenic acid [ALA] amount is 2.5 g.

    Omega fatty acids in walnuts have anti-inflammatory properties.

     walnuts contain a high amount of n-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that has a highly potent anti-inflammatory effect.

    ALA is the precursor for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to have anti-inflammatory effects.

    Studies have shown that ALA inhibits inflammation by downregulating iNOS (thus inhibiting NO production), COX-2, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α)

    In another study with older women, higher long-term intake of walnuts was reported to be associated with better cognitive performance. In this study, 15,467 women (70 years of age or older; mean age: 74 years) participated.

     The National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) of an adult population [of age groups 20–59 years; 60 years and older) in the United States also showed better cognition scores with walnut consumption.

    How do walnuts help to prevent cognitive impairment?

    The potential mechanisms by which dietary consumption of walnuts may reduce the risk or slow the progression of age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease include:

    • Walnuts Inhibit Aβ Fibrillization and Solubilize Aβ Fibrils which are important diseases causing deposits of nerve cells in Alzheimer’s disease.
    • Walnuts Decrease alpha beta protein or Aβ-induced Oxidative Stress and Cell Damage. The components of walnuts, such as flavonoids, ellagic acid, gamma tocopherol, and melatonin, are known to have antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties.

    Parkinsons disease also is a nervous system disease associated with cognitive impairment. Walnut extract has shown to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (postural balance, motor coordination, and movement), These seeds  have been found to be effective in reducing oxidative stress, and protecting neurons[4].

    Include walnuts in your daily foods for better brain health

    Walnut may be used as ingredients of porridge, cheese sauce, Apple walnut salad, fruit muffins, granola bars and brownie balls.  Walnut cookies& Walnut cakes also are yummy and nutritious disserts.

    Reference

    1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620302929
    2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7071526/
    3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24886736/
    4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26784178/
    5. .Jiang R., Manson J.E., Stampfer M.J., Liu S., Willett W.C., Hu F.B. Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. JAMA. 2002;288:2554–2560. doi: 10.1001/jama.288.20.2554. [DOI] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12444862/
    6.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5994573/
    7.    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/health-benefits-of-walnuts-2018081314526
    8.    https://www.britannica.com/plant/walnut-tree-and-nut
    9. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Walnut
    10. image courtesy-freepik.com

    Recommended For You

    Nuts &seeds

    Nuts are nutrient dense foods, made up of unsaturated fat Omega fatty acids which play significant role in brain ,heart and hair health.

    walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus Juglans (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, Juglans regia. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an involucre and thus not morphologically part of the carpel; this means it cannot be a drupe but is instead a drupe-like nut.

    After full ripening, the shell is discarded, and the kernel is eaten.

    Walnuts

    Walnuts are a great immunity boosting foods as well as cardiovascular and neuronal health protecting nuts.Include them in your diet to stay

    English walnuts without shells are 4% water, 15% protein, 65% fat, and 14% carbohydrates, including 7% dietary fiber