Scientifically proven ways that brain function and Neurogenesis is can be optimised.
The brain is perhaps the one thing that we use every moment of our lives (it only ceases to function when we have an exam or fall in love!).
Despite massive advances in neuroscience and brain research in recent years we still know very little about how it converts raw stimulation and information into conscious thinking and our sense of self; what philosophers call the "hard problem".
However, we know now that brains can continue to produce new cells and connections throughout our lives and we can, and should continue to learn throughout our lives. The process of new cell production is called Neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. Given the right conditions, which we'll look at in this article, you can assist the process by changing regimes and behaviour.
Neurosurgeon and Chief medical correspondent to CNN, Sanjay Gupta has released a new book, Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age. Based on his research, practice and observations, he outlines five things we can do to maintain and nurture our brain health.
Whatever you thought, the truth is we can assist our brains health and fitness by applying a few simple tasks and changing habits.
First, let's look at some myths that have become lodged in our beliefs about our brains' functioning and fitness.
Myth 1. The brain stops growing in your early 20's.
Until recently, it was believed that the brain stopped growing and generating new cells in our early 20's, and it was downhill from there. You couldn't generate new brain cells.
However, in the 1950s research began to show that our brains are much more "plastic", adaptable to change than had been previously thought. It wasn't until the 1990s that that view began to change.
In his book, Neurogenesis, Brant Cortright, points out that although the brain indeed reaches full development in your 20's you nevertheless can continue to grow, and keep, new brain cells your entire life.
Due to better neural imaging developed in the 1990s, Fred Gage of the Salk Institute showed that new neurons form in animals in their hippocampus, a small region buried deep in the brain's interior, responsible for memory, spatial navigation if conditions were right. This was then shown to occur in human brains also. We create new memories all the time.
Certain conditions assist the formation and use of new brain cells (Neurogenesis) if we optimise our diet, health and fitness, and stress levels and responses.
Myth 2. Ageing means cognitive decline and memory loss.
Most of us have been told that once we've peaked at 20, it's all downhill from there, at least as far as the brain is concerned. It's a slow slide into diminishing brain function, and we just have to accept that this is our lot in life. This confuses the myriad forms of dementia diseases with the normal functioning of our brain.
There is a considerable variation in the rate of Neurogenesis amongst people of any age. It has been shown in research that Neurogenesis is one of the critical markers of quality of life. If you increase your Neurogenesis, you increase the quality of your life. Our brains shrink with low production and retention of new brain cells and, obvious to say, the quality of your life depends on the quality of your brain. So the rate of Neurogenesis is a major contributing factor to the quality of your life.
Myth 3. Your genes determine how you age and how long your brain remains sharp.
When Fred Gage experimented with mice, he found that both lose 60-70% of all new neurons produced similar to humans. However, an enriched environment allows far more neurons to survive.
This is further backed by Brant Cortright in his book, The Neurogenesis Diet and Lifestyle. Enriched environments increased Neurogenesis by 4-5 times and increased cognitive ability and increased memory.
It has also been shown that better hormonal and emotional ability provides better ability to resist stress, depression and fear.
There has also been shown to be a strong connection between depression and lower Neurogenesis.
In 2000, Jessica Malberg of Yale researching anti-depressants found that anti-depressant SSRIs, NRIs, and NDRIs (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac) (second most widely prescribed drug in the world) increased Neurogenesis. Therefore, Neurogenesis, not serotonin, is the key to depression.
Anti-depressants don't work without Neurogenesis. Low Neurogenesis causes many cognitive difficulties including, memory loss, cognitive impairments, chronic stress, depression, loss of emotional resilience, trauma, reduced immunity, diminished executive function, loss of vitality and dementia.
Your brain determines everything in your life, everything we experience is experienced through our brain. What, according to Sanjay Gupta, can we do to optimise a healthy brain and body?
5 things you can do to stay sharp!
1. Nourish.
If we can regulate what we consume, we encourage good Neurogenesis. Nutrition was seasonal.
We have evolved to eat wild plants, meat and fish. However, our bodies have not evolved as fast as the change in nutrition. With the prevalence of high saturated fats, high sugar content and high salt content, we consume foods that don't encourage Neurogenesis and brain health.
Simply put:
· Slash sugar
· Hydrate Smartly
· Add more omega-3s from natural sources
· Reduce portions
· Plan meals ahead
A more comprehensive list of nutrition and foods that benefit Neurogenesis is available HERE.
2. Move.
Both aerobic and non-aerobic exercise is good for both brain and body. There is a clear connection between body health and fitness and brain health. Our brains thrive on good blood supply and flow, oxygen and the right nutrients. Exercise releases various neurotransmitters and hormones, such as dopamine and endorphins which are known to boost mood,
Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive function and mental abilities. It has been shown that children and young adults who exercise regularly tended to have better test scores in math and reading than those who didn't.
Physical activity improves both long-term and short-term memory. Regular morning exercise has also been shown to give you more energy during the day and enhance sleep quality. Getting a better night's sleep, in turn, improves brain function and creativity. Rest is also the time when your brain repairs, sorts and restores.
Physical activity also has been shown to reduce stress and depression. From personal experience, I can vouch that regular morning runs boost daily optimism and mood.
Even simple exercise will improve your quality of life. Taking the stairs instead of an elevator, walking more or, as Matthew McConaughey says; "Just try to break a sweat every day".
3. Relax.
In my previous blog, Do Nothing… (you can view it here), I looked at the benefits of allowing some "stillness" into your daily routine to allow your brain to work quietly, subconsciously. Our brain's need time to chill out.
There have been scores of studies that show the benefit of down-time and good sleep. Poor sleep, particularly for extended periods, will affect your memory (my starting point is pretty low anyway) and increase stress. This, in turn, affects your ability to learn and adapt to new situations.
Our brains' plasticity (it's the ability to adapt to new situations) is depressed by lack of sleep. This may be due to a suppression of Neurogenesis, the formation and retention of new brain cells.
Seven hours of sleep is recommended as a bare minimum for healthy brain function.
Try the following to improve sleep:
· Allow sufficient time between a meal and going to bed, at least three hours is recommended. This allows your stomach to settle and stimulants to calm down.
· Don't take on board any caffeine after 2:00 PM.
· Go to bed at the same time every evening and rise at the same time every day.
· Read a book before bed and avoid all electronic devices. The blue light from screens affects the production of melatonin and therefore affects your sleep.
· Take a warm bath before bed.
· Keep the room dark and quiet.
4. Learn something.
All research shows that life-long-learning strengthens the brain. Your brain, like a muscle, needs to be exercised to stay fit and healthy. By learning, we focus our attention and create new neural pathways and connections within our brains. By staying curious, we retain our creativity and work with our brains' natural ability to make relevant, associative connections by seeking patterns and stories.
Moving outside of what we know, thereby applying a little stress to the system, is how we learn new things. Richard Feynman, the physicist, always advocated living with some doubt. Doubt encourages us to explore and learn.
Some tips to help you accomplish this:
· Try learning a new language. Language learning is highly beneficial for improving cognitive function and Neurogenesis.
· Join a writing group or book club.
· Read books outside of your professional interests.
· Enrol in classes such as painting, life drawing, cooking, dancing (dancing is, according to Ken Robinson, highly beneficial for the brain as it improves muscle and creative development).
5. Social connection.
The COVID pandemic has highlighted our need as social animals.
Contact (not just human, but also with pets) is an essential factor in our wellbeing. Good relationships have a direct correlate to healthier, happier lives.
According to Sanjay Gupta, recent research has shown that good relationships also improve brain plasticity and help Neurogenesis.
While full social contact is problematic, it is still beneficial to connect and reconnect with friends and colleagues. Zoom is only a partial answer, but nevertheless, it does offer some contact and social interaction.
Some things that may help (perhaps after COVID):
· Volunteer work.
· Associating with people younger and older than you. There were some fascinating experiments carried out in Holland where students were given cheap accommodation with pensioners, on condition that they help each other out (there was a similar experiment on UK TV). The results were better cross-generational understanding and empathy.
· Adopting a pet. Caring and concern for others have also been shown to boost cognitive function and increase empathy.
· Writing a letter by hand to someone and passing on a life-lesson. I'm a massive fan of writing by hand. I think the physical connection between pen and paper adds a dimension to understanding and learning. By the way, there is a website called future me, where you can write a letter to your future self, which will be posted back to you at the date you specify.
As with all these things, the game is to try to optimise what you have and, in the process, gain a better quality of life.
A few simple tips to help.
Do one small thing at a time. You have more chance to succeed if you take one small step, rather than a giant leap. Small changes compound into larger leaps.
Remember, your brains are highly "plastic". They can adapt to new situations and knowledge. In fact, our brains thrive on new experiences (although they also like to automate everything if they can).
Reshaping habits and behaviour is simple but not easy.
If you would like to know more about changing a habit and achieving a creative breakthrough, I will be releasing my habit-change course in a few weeks. You can pre-register here.