Memory and Wellness

Forgetting where you put your car keys may be common, but forgetfulness can be far more than an inconvenience. Lifelong learning can help keep the mind sharp as we age, but are there other steps we can take? With an eye towards nutrition and prevention, the Wellness Advisor spoke to Dr. Bernd Wollshlaeger about protecting memory.

Wellness Advisor: What happens to our brain that makes our memory deteriorate?

Dr. Bernd Wollshlaeger: Most scientists claim that as we age we decrease the number of our brain cells decreases. This causes deficits in memory performance. However, this possibility seems less likely since the actual loss of nerve cells as we age is relatively small. Therefore, the most convincing data of loss with age appears at the biochemical level. Not all parts of the brain are equally affected by the aging process. The cortical motor areas are relatively spared from neuro-degenerative changes in normal aging. Stimulation of such areas through increased physical activity can improve memory retention.

WA: Are there any foods that help aid memory?

Dr. Wollshlaeger: Clinical data indicate that food rich in antioxidant nutrients, and specifically vitamin E, might slow memory loss in the aging brain. Eat a diet rich in whole grains and fruits to receive these benefits.

WA: Can supplements help? If so, what supplements help, and how do they work?

Dr. Wollshlaeger: The treatment of cognitive impairment and memory often addresses the symptoms of the disease rather the causative factors involved. Several dietary and nutritional supplements including vitamin E, folic acid, ginkgo biloba, and vinpocetine have been studied. These so-called nootropic agents (or memory enhancers) have demonstrated some clinical benefits in the treatment of memory loss.

In the window of opportunity between mild cognitive impairment and the development of more serious disorders, the utilization of nootropic agents such as vinpocetine and ginkgo biloba might slow the disease process and decrease its incidence. Three studies suggest a significant improvement during treatment with vinpocetine in the cognitive function of patients. The demonstrated safety, absence of serious adverse effects, and the improvement of cognitive function even in healthy individuals suggest a clinical application of vinpocetine in the early phases of mild cognitive impairment. In animal experiments Vinpocetine and its derivatives have been shown to increase cerebral blood flow, increase blood flow in the vertebral and coronary arteries of dogs, and increase brain glucose uptake in mice. Vinpocetine works in enhancing memory by enhancing the flow of blood circulation in the brain and utilization of oxygen.