Everyone wants to live their life and remember it clearly, even at the end. Here are some tips to help you keep your mind sharp.
More than 50 million people around the world have mental problems, including memory issues. Scientists aren't sure why memory gets worse with age, but they have some ideas on how to lower this risk.
There are three main conditions: normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. They all share similarities, but there are key differences.
Memory problems in older adults are common and natural. As we age, all cells in our body wear out, including brain cells. So, minor memory lapses are normal in older people.
Mild cognitive impairment is between normal aging and dementia. People with it forget things but can still do daily tasks on their own.
Dementia is a condition where a person loses memory, thinking skills, and the ability to perform everyday activities. People with dementia also often have trouble seeing, knowing where they are, and speaking.
Later in the disease, they may forget family and friends, become aggressive, paranoid, and find it hard to move. The most common type of dementia, making up 60-70 percent of cases, is Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists do not know exactly what causes dementia. In Alzheimer's, abnormal proteins called amyloid and tau build up in the brain and form tangles, disrupting communication between brain cells. This change leads to different behaviors and thinking problems.
Usually, the parts of the brain that control memory are affected first. Over time, other areas are damaged. A person eventually loses the ability to care for themselves, to speak, to move, and may even have trouble breathing or swallowing.
Age is the biggest risk for dementia. About half of people over 85 have some form of the disease. Other risks include a family history of dementia and mental health issues like depression.
There is no guaranteed way to prevent cognitive problems. Still, you can try to delay their start.
Exercise does not do much for memory, but it helps improve other brain skills like planning. It also benefits overall health and keeps mobility in good shape.
Being alone or isolated raises the risk of dementia by about 2 percent. Even occasional video chats with family can help reduce this risk.