Boost Your Brain’s Plasticity to Combat Mental Aging

Seven strategies that boost plasticity

If you wish to promote neuroplasticity and keep your brain flexible, adaptable, and capable of learning, you should strive to:

• Get Plenty of Exercise. An active lifestyle with moderate amounts of aerobic activity performed on a regular basis has been linked with improved cognition and brain function, and the reversal of negative changes related to brain aging in older adults. Exercise boosts the circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. More importantly, it appears to promote brain plasticity through the actions of an exercise-induced increase in the brain’s production of a growth factor called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has been found to promote neurogenesis and synaptic growth and help prevent or reverse memory and concentration problems in healthy older people. A regimen of 30 minutes of exercise per day, at least five days per week, is suggested for healthy adults.
• Stay Active Socially. Social interaction is richly complex, and offers many challenges that require the brain to work to make sense of ever-changing conditions. Research suggests that social interaction promotes neurogenesis, the formation and survival of new brain cells, and that the absence of social interaction may be damaging to the brain. Studies show that people who maintain close friendships and family ties have a lower probability of developing dementia.
• Challenge Your Mind. Animal studies suggest that keeping the brain occupied and challenged with intellectually stimulating activities helps promote neurogenesis. Presenting the brain with new information and experiences, or engaging in activities such as computer brain-training programs, reading, playing chess, doing volunteer work, or taking dance lessons, can help keep the brain stimulated and growing. Evidence also suggests that regular engagement in challenging intellectual activities can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
• Reduce Your Stress Levels. Prolonged stress has been associated with impaired nerve cell function and reduced neurogenesis in a key memory region of the brain called the hippocampus. Over time, chronic stress can reduce the number of connections among brain cells, causing atrophy of important brain regions and increasing risk for dementia. Stress-reducing techniques such as meditation have been associated with increased brain volume and thickening of regions of the brain associated with attention, sensory processing, and memory, especially in older people. Other stress reducers include yoga, visualization, and other relaxation techniques, exercise, and enjoying soothing activities such as listening to music, reading, or soaking in a warm bath.
• Eat Well. The brain thrives on a healthy, low-fat diet that is rich in vegetables and fruits and includes a balance of nutrients from eggs, lean meats, fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and healthful fats such as olive and canola oils and omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish. Excessive amounts of processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol should be avoided. Vitamin B-12—found in meat, fish, milk, and eggs—helps maintain normal functioning of the brain and nervous system and protects against brain atrophy linked to slowing of the brain’s ability to repair and replace neurons. Restricting caloric intake in a moderate fashion has been shown to protect neurons, and to promote the production of growth factors such as BDNF that enhance neuroplasticity.