Americans Not Concerned About Brain Health

A new American Society on Aging poll finds Americans remarkably unconcerned about the health and performance of their brains, with only 10% considering it the #1 or #2 most important health topic for people their age.

(Pause for you non-U.S. readers to chuckle "that explains a lot.")

And while 90% of older (42+) adults think checkups for brain fitness are important, most never talk to a doctor or nurse about brain health.

James Frasier of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute commented that "these findings suggest that American adults lack general knowledge about how to stay cognitively fit and do not practice that which they know."

That's a shame. Much has been learned in recent years about the how the brain ages. Dr. Henry Mahncke of UC San Francisco spinout Posit Science Corporation summarized recent work:

"Not long ago, many experts would have disagreed with the current popular view that it is possible to improve brain fitness at every age. For many years, the prevailing concept was that the brain was like a machine, and, like all machines, it wore out over time. Every year, a few more neurons died, a little more disorganization set in and the brain shrank a bit more. This wear-and-tear perspective led to a general opinion that cognitive decline was inevitable and inexorable.

Over the past decade, researchers in cognitive aging, neurology, neuroscience and related fields have demonstrated that virtually all those beliefs about cognitive decline are false."

What researchers have found is that the brain can change for the better, and even grow new cells, given the right environment and care.

Several physicians and researchers involved with the ASA noted the importance of engaging in a variety of mentally challenging activities. Doing crosswords is good, but it may just enhance your ability to ... well, do crosswords. Better to "cross-train," with some mental math, problem-solving, and creative activity thrown in. Learning something new is always good.

Brain fitness has a lot of overlap with a generally healthy lifestyle. Physical exercise, which benefits your brain by improving blood flow, and diet are both important components of a brain health regimen. Social activity has also been found to help.

The detail of the poll is here, and it comes with commentary by physicians and researchers that nicely summarize what we do and don't know about how to keep brains performing well into old age. See especially Dr. Paul Nussbaum's "Brain Health in America" piece starting on page 47.

The study may alert a few people to the huge impact a healthy brain can have on their lives. Maintaining mental acuity can make for years of higher quality life. Americans may not realize it yet ... we hope they come around before they forget.