Memory Maximizers: Vision Problems; Statins & Memory

Address Vision Problems to Minimize Their Effects on Mental Acuity

One in every 13 people over the age of 65 has some type of visual impairment, and this weakening of a vital sensory input is linked with important effects on brain function, such as declines in cognitive ability and memory.

A recent study compared individuals with normal vision to individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD, a condition in which degeneration of the retina causes loss of the ability to see objects in detail) to a similar group of individuals with normal vision. The researchers found that overall cognitive function, and particularly memory performance, was worse in participants with late-stage AMD than in healthy participants. Executive function (planning, and decision making) in AMD participants was also significantly worse than in healthy controls, according to the research, which was published in the May 2014 issue of the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias. To protect your eyesight and avoid the brain effects of vision impairment:

• Get regular eye exams to detect and treat vision problems as early as possible.
• Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses to reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation that might damage the eyes; use eye protection when operating machinery that may inflict injury from flying objects such as sparks or chips.
• Maintain your health by getting regular medical checkups, giving up smoking, and managing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure that can damage the eyes.
• Eat a healthy diet, with plenty of foods that contain nutrients linked to eye health. These include: citrus fruits and juices for vitamin C; carrots and dark-green leafy vegetables such as spinach for beta-carotene; whole grains, nuts, and eggs for vitamin E; and fish, meats, whole grains and dairy products for zinc.
• Consider supplements. Ask your doctor about taking vitamin and mineral supplements, including bilberry (huckleberry), which may help protect eyesight.
• Make an effort to continue social activities. Isolation can lead to depression and lack of mental stimulation.
• Seek professional help for psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Taking Statins May Help Protect Your Memory

Do your brain a favor—take statins if you need them. The cholesterol-lowering drugs, once suspected of causing cognitive problems, are now thought to actually help protect the brain from memory loss and dementia.

In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration mandated a warning label on statin drugs warning of possible memory loss. Researchers set out to determine the effects of statins on memory function by analyzing dozens of major studies on the subject. The studies involved 23,000 cognitively healthy older adults over a period of up to 25 years. In a n extensive review published two years later in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the investigators said their comprehensive analysis could find no evidence that statin drugs impair memory and, in fact, turned up evidence that with long-term use (longer than a year), the drugs were associated with a 29-percent reduction in dementia risk. The study authors theorized that the widely used drugs might help protect the brain against memory loss and dementia by reducing plaque in arteries and blood vessels that impair cerebral circulation and/or lead to strokes, and by reducing inflammation that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

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