Brain Fitness Tip: Your Auxiliary Brain

One of the biggest challenges this time of year is keeping your brain fitness program going in spite of shopping, parties, family, and work. All of the usual temptations are there, plus a new group of reasons not to stick with your program.

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Worry and Brain Fitness

An interesting article appeared in the New York Times over the weekend. The article by Katie Hafner is titled “Exercise Your Brain or Else You’ll . . .Uh . . .” You can find the original article here (registration is required, but is free).

The article recounts several incidents in which people over 50 had troubling memory problems. One man, for example, couldn’t remember his own address when he went to send a package, and a woman who couldn’t locate her cell phone later found it in the refrigerator. Do these kinds of memory lapses mean that these persons have serious memory problems? The answer is, “It depends.” One memory lapse doesn’t mean very much. But a pattern of memory problems over a period to time may mean that someone’s memory isn’t as good as it used to be. Even if that’s true, though, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a person has a serious brain illness such as Alzheimer’s disease. Only a complete evaluation by a well-trained clinician can make that decision.

One issue the article highlights is how people over 50 or so may be more concerned than younger people about memory lapses. Put simply, people over 50 are more likely to worry about brain fitness. I have the pleasure of working with several young people in the Center on Aging. I notice that they may have memory lapses, but they don’t worry about them nearly as much as some of the people who come to our Memory Disorders Clinic for evaluation of their memory. They’re young, and if they forget something they don’t automatically worry about it. For them, it’s just a lapse. For someone over 50, the same kind of lapse is ground for worry. I’m not suggesting that if you’re over 50 and you’re worried (or your spouse and family are worried) about your memory you shouldn’t do something about it. I am suggesting that people over 50 may worry more about their memories. The New York Times article goes on to talk about how worry about cognitive fitness and cognitive decline or memory problems is feeding interest in brain fitness software.

If you’re worried about your memory, the best thing to do is find a qualified clinician who can complete a screening evaluation. Tests of memory and other cognitive abilities can help you find out where you stand in relation to other persons who are similar to you. This can help you decide whether your memory problem needs to be treated. And if you have a memory problem, a knowledgeable clinician may help you find out what’s causing it. Some memory problems are caused by problems such as mood problems, stress, or other treatable conditions. Getting the treatment you need may help.