Transcript Healthy Brains 101: How to Maintain Your Brain!

Robbin Gibb, PhD
Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience
University of Lethbridge
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My Definition: The capacity of the
brain to change during aging and
in response to experience.
Experience includes injury, drugs,
sensory event, learning etc.
Developing the cerebral
hemispheres
100 billion neurons
10million connections
=
An engineering
marvel…
Your brain is sculpted by
experiences, especially in the fir
few years BUT continuing throug
the lifespan
Cortical Neuron
Brain Plasticity:
Connections are
formed and altered
by experience
Brain Development
Maturation Occurs from Back to Front of the Brain
National Academy of Sciences, USA
Images of Brain Development in Healthy Youth (Ages 5 –Copyright
20) © 2004 The Gogtay,
N., Giedd, J.N., et al. (2004)
Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101 (21), 8174 – 8179
Blue represents maturing of brain areas
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ACE (adverse childhood experience) study
>170,000 middle aged adults in California
ACE’s are more common than previously
thought and have a powerful effect on mental
and physical health later in life
Frontal lobe development is particularly
sensitive
Emotional abuse
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Mother treated violently
Household use of drugs or alcohol
Presence of mental illness
Parental Separation or Divorce
Incarcerated household member
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Stress in our lives is double edged sword.
Stress hormones are responsible for flight or
fight-self preservation
Mild stress of short duration tends to have a
positive effect on brain function -"Steeling"
Chronic stress or intense stress has
detrimental effects on brain structure and
function-"Sensitizing"
Early Experience alters stress
axis
Chronic stress
OR high stress
Acute, mild
stress
Development of
Stress Reactivity
Modest Stress
Reactivity
Reduced Risk for Disease
Increased Stress
Reactivity
Increased Risk for Heart Disease,
Type II Diabetes, Alcoholism,
Affective Disorders, Brain Aging
etc.
The Fear Response: Fight or Flight and Stress
Visual Thalamus
Visual
Cortex
Amygdala
Scientific American
The Hidden Mind, 2002, Volume 12, Number
12
Hippocampus
Amygdala
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Emotional
Stimulus
Amygdala
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Hippocampus
Hypothalamus
PVN
Cortisol
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Cortisol
CRF
PIT
ACTH
Adrenal
Cortex
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LeDoux, Synaptic Self
“Executive Functions”
Governing emotions
 Judgment
 Planning
 Organization
 Problem Solving
 Impulse Inhibition
 Abstraction
 Analysis/synthesis
 Self-awareness*
 Self-concept*
 Identity
and
 Spirituality
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*Self- “everything”
Williamsgroup, 2003: Please credit Protecting You/Protecting Me (PY/PM)
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Intellectual
Social
Physical
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Challenging brain to learn, remember,
problem solve, create
Brain Fitness Program-POSIT science has
clear benefits on memory and understanding
Challenges often ramp up stress hormones
above baseline but less than stressful
situations
Slight stress enhance our abilities to learn
and remember
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Participation in social activity is associated
with better cognitive function
Social activity outside family contact have
biggest positive effects
Social interaction ramps up stress hormones
to optimize brain function and social
adaptation
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Aerobic training- BDNF
Resistance Training- ILGF Reduced risk of
Falls and limb fractures
Training intervals varied but modest regular
exercise- brisk walking 30min 5 X per week
resulted in improved memory and cognition
scores - good retention of improvements
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Older people often lose appetite or become
less interested in preparing wholesome food
Less folic acid and Vit B-12 associated with
cognitive decline
Omega 3 and 6 help maintain health myelintherefore healthy connections
Antioxidants (Vit C ,E) reduce oxidative stress
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choline in diet - translates into enhanced
production of Acetylcholine
loss of ACh implicated in AD
Loss of appetite often related to loss of sense of
smell
Food doesn't taste as good if you can't smell it
Loss of sense of smell predicts cognitive decline
Loss of sense of smell can precede onset of
Parkinson's or AD by 10 years or more
Lowered ability to identify odors is associated
with lower cognitive function at the time of
testing
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High blood pressure
Low hip to waist ratio- waist less than 36
inches in circumference
Both lead to microinfarcts that decrease
frontal lobe function in particular
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High Cholesterol
Leads to reduced memory capacity due to cell
loss or degradation of connections in
hippocampus
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Most people don't get enough
Significant link to how well someone sleeps
and their overall health and function
Sleep deprived people have poor regulation of
hormones - appetite and hunger
People who do not get enough sleep do not
live as long as those who
1/5 MVA are caused by drowsiness
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Adequate sleep
before you attempt
to learn something
new
Better attention
Better motivation
Better grasp of the
new concept or task
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Adequate sleep
following learning
Consolidates the
learning
Strengthens
connections in the
brain
Only effective
immediately after
learning (1st night)
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Disrupted sleep cycles more common as we
age
Significant disruption associated with
increased risk of schizophrenia, AD and other
mental disorders
Shift workers have more disruption of
circadian cycles- also more likely to develop
cancers
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Sleep apnea- wake up tired, headache, unable
to learn
Don't breathe while sleeping
Sleep clinics provide testing
Get a machine that helps you breathe
Apnea untreated results in loss of brain cellsearly dementia
“ If we think we are fragile and broken, we
will live a fragile, broken life. If we believe
we are strong and wise, we will live with
enthusiasm and courage. The way we name
ourselves colors the way we live. Who we
are is in our own eyes. We must be careful
how we name ourselves.”
Wayne Muller
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left side
optimistic, positive
often unrealistic
Happiness registered
in left frontal lobe
More motivated and
more likely to
achieve goals
Shrinks with age in
men
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Right side
pessimistic, negative
maybe realistic
Anger and Fear
registered in right
frontal lobe
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Winning or losing a fight (rainbow trout)
influenced the future behaviour in the fish
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Not just the length of your life that is
important
Quality of life contributes to aging
successfully -Maintenance of good
physical health
◦ Maintenance of good psychological well being
◦ Both maximize span of effect functioning
◦ Effective Cognitive Functioning
increases quality of life*