Lisa Genova, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist and bestselling author, shares her expertise on memory and Alzheimer's disease. She distinguishes between normal forgetfulness and serious memory loss, and discusses the powerful role of meditation in brain health. Genova emphasizes the importance of sleep for memory retention, while debunking myths about brain games. She also offers practical advice on nutrition and exercise, highlighting essential nutrients for cognitive health. This engaging conversation sheds light on proactive strategies to support brain wellness.
Forgetting names, words, or recent events does not always indicate early onset Alzheimer's; empathy and emotional connections remain intact even when memories fade.
Sleep, exercise, and diet are crucial for memory and brain health, including clearing away amyloid beta, reducing the risk of dementia, and following a brain-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and fatty fish.
Building cognitive reserve involves learning new and complex things rather than relying on brain games and puzzles, creating new neural pathways and connections in the brain that protect against Alzheimer's pathology.
Deep dives
Understanding Memory and Alzheimer's
Memory loss and forgetfulness are common concerns, but they do not always indicate early onset Alzheimer's. Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist and author, explains that forgetting names, words, or recent events can be normal and unrelated to dementia. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, and memory loss is just one symptom. However, empathy and emotional connections remain intact even when memories fade. Fiction can help build empathy and understanding of Alzheimer's from a patient's perspective.
Factors that Affect Memory and Brain Health
Sleep, exercise, and diet play crucial roles in memory and brain health. Quality sleep is essential for clearing away amyloid beta, a protein associated with Alzheimer's, from the brain. Aerobic exercise, like brisk walking, reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's. Mediterranean and mind diets, rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and fatty fish, are beneficial for brain health. Taking vitamin supplements like B12 and vitamin D is not necessarily recommended, as a balanced diet is usually sufficient.
Creating and Retrieving Memories
The process of memory creation involves four steps: perception, association, consolidation, and retrieval. Paying attention is crucial for forming memories, but forgetting can occur if information is not encoded effectively. Engaging in activities that promote social interaction, mental stimulation, and playfulness can aid memory formation. Additionally, being mindful of one's choices and incorporating brain-healthy habits can support memory and overall brain health.
Building Cognitive Reserve Through Learning
Building cognitive reserve, which can help prevent Alzheimer's, involves learning new and complex things rather than relying on brain games and puzzles. The brain games may improve performance in those specific tasks but do not translate to overall cognitive abilities or memory. By learning new things, we create new neural pathways and connections in the brain, which can protect against Alzheimer's pathology. This can be achieved by engaging in activities like reading, listening to podcasts, learning new instruments or sports, and exploring new places. These experiences stimulate the brain and build neural connections that contribute to cognitive reserve.
The Role of Meditation and Sleep in Brain Health
Meditation and sleep play vital roles in brain health. Meditation reduces reactivity to chronic stress, which is detrimental to memory and increases the risk of Alzheimer's. Chronic stress releases cortisol that can shrink the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory formation. However, meditation restores cortisol levels and helps maintain the hippocampus's size. Furthermore, sleep is essential for memory consolidation and the knitting together of neural networks. Quality and quantity of sleep directly impact memory and cognitive function. Sleep deprivation impairs attention, while a good night's sleep promotes optimal brain function and memory. Therefore, prioritizing adequate sleep and incorporating practices like meditation can contribute to brain health.
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Understanding the difference between ‘normal’ forgetfulness and actual memory loss, practical ways to stave off Alzheimer’s disease, and meditation’s role in brain health.
Lisa Genova has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. She is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels including Still Alice—which was adapted into a film starring Julianne Moore who won the 2015 Best Actress Oscar for her role as Alice Howland, Love Anthony, and Every Note Played. Her first work of nonfiction is Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. Genova’s first TED talk, What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer's has been viewed over eight million times and her most recent TED talk, How Memory Works--and Why Forgetting is Totally OK was the sixth most watched TED talk of 2021.
In this episode we talk about:
The difference between ‘normal’ forgetting and actual memory loss
The difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Meditation’s role in brain health
What the Memory Paradox is
The best foods and types of exercise for staving off Alzheimer's
The three things happening in your brain while you sleep that are helpful for memory
Why brain games (like crossword puzzles and sudoku) don’t actually improve memory
The first necessary ingredient for creating a memory
