Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 A lack of dietary DHA promotes heart disease, Alzheimer's, dementia and poor cognitive function. Poor cognitive function (i.e. a poorly performing brain) causes people to make poor decisions about diet, such as eating more beef. And so the cycle continues.
It's beef, stupid
It's no exaggeration to say that people who eat lots of beef, but who fail to eat the DHA-rich parts of the animal or supplement with other sources of DHA (such as fish oils) display lower intelligence than people who follow plant-based diets with DHA supplementation. It doesn't mean that eating beef makes you stupid. |
Mark Sircus
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 Memory and Cognitive Function: Magnesium deficit may lead to decreased memory and learning ability, while an abundance of magnesium may improve cognitive function in children and the elderly.
Blood Brain Barrier
Several studies show that magnesium does cross the blood-brain barrier, in both animals and in humans.1 Brain magnesium concentrations are regulated by active blood-brain barrier transport.2 Cerebrospinal fluid magnesium concentration increases by 20-25% in response to doubling of the serum concentration, and peaks around four hours after parenteral administration. |
| Memory, cognitive function, and Periodontal Disease
Magnesium may reverse middle-age memory loss.1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology ssociate Professor Guosong Liu and postdoctoral associate Inna Slutsky at MIT's Picower Center for Learning and Memory found that magnesium helps regulate a key brain receptor important for learn-lg and memory. Their work provides evidence that a magnesium deficit may lead to decreased memory and learning ability, while an abundance of magnesium may improve cognitive function.
"Our study shows... |
J. Douglas Bremner
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 Often cognitive function had deteriorated slowly over the many years these patients had been on a sleeping pill. After stopping the pill, all patients had long-term improvement in cognitive function.
Most studies of these medications involve only six weeks. However, it is known that patients with chronic insomnia develop tolerance over time and lose the beneficial effects of medication. |
Benjamin H. Natelson, M.D.
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 In those earlier studies, we had found that CFS patients with no evidence of depression were the ones with worse cognitive function than CFS patients who had experienced depression. The way we check cognitive function is to conduct neuropsychological tests. The complaint of fuzzy brain, while fairly common in CFS patients, usually expresses itself only in subtle ways, but neu-ropsych testing showed problems in doing at least one set of tasks: those that require both mental processing and a physical, motor response. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
See article keywords and concepts |
| A lack of dietary DHA promotes heart disease, Alzheimer's, dementia and poor cognitive function. Poor cognitive function (i.e. a poorly performing brain) causes people to make poor decisions about diet, such as eating more beef. And so the cycle continues.
It's beef, stupid
It's no exaggeration to say that people who eat lots of beef, but who fail to eat the DHA-rich parts of the animal or supplement with other sources of DHA (such as fish oils) display lower intelligence than people who follow plant-based diets with DHA supplementation. It doesn't mean that eating beef makes you stupid. |
Bottom Line Health
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| STAY MENTALLY ACTIVE
Scientists have learned from autopsies that people who have brain changes that are characteristic of Alzheimer's don't necessarily exhibit impairments of cognitive function. Why do some Alzheimer's patients experience severe declines in mental abilities while others continue to function more or less normally? |
| STRESS AND DEPRESSION
Depression, anger and stress increase the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as declines in cognitive function.
A study of the nuns' biographies showed that those who expressed negative emotions died sooner and were more likely to have declines in mental function. Stress and anxiety increase levels of glucocorticoids, hormones that damage the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory.
Depression saps motivation and self-esteem and it can cause significant declines in memory. |
| This finding contradicts previous studies that suggested that stenting may cause a slight decrease in cognitive function. More research is under way.
Iris Q. Grunwald, MD, consultant physician, department of interventional and diagnostic neuroradiology, Saarland University Clinic, Hamburg, Germany.
Foods that Reduce Stroke Damage
Blueberries, spinach and spirulina (a type of green algae) may reduce stroke damage.
These foods have high levels of antioxidants that help neutralize damaging free radicals. |
| Reason: We all have brain reserves—"extra" neurons that give us the ability to maintain cognitive function after neurological damage. Those who lose some of their brain reserves early in life and then go on to develop Alzheimer's will experience mental impairment more rapidly than those who have not had previous injuries, and therefore, have greater brain reserves.
What to do: Prevent strokes by keeping the cardiovascular system strong—do not smoke, manage blood pressure and cholesterol, and get regular exercise. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
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 Reducing high blood pressure to normal improves cognitive function and slows Alzheimer's progression substantially. If you have a diastolic blood pressure of over 90 (that's the bottom number), then you have a five times greater risk of getting dementia two decades down the line than if it's below 90. If you have elevated blood pressure, it may be because your arteries are constricted, often as a result of cholesterol plaques, and limit the amount of blood and nutrients that reach a particular area. |
Dr. Arthur Janov
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 If they arise abruptly, perhaps as a result of taking a hallucinogen, or plunging into rebirthing therapy (a dangerous procedure), they can distort cognitive function and impair our ability to maintain some kind of mental cohesion in life. That is exactly what happens in psychosis when the defense system is weak and feelings from the depths rush forth to higher levels. This is what is called "a nervous breakdown," a breakdown of defenses against those very feelings, and a rupture of cohesion.
My definition of consciousness is integration; integration means wholeness. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Both men and women in the study whose blood pressure was deemed high enough to warrant treatment with prescription drugs—and also those with clinically uncontrolled (untreated) hypertension— performed significantly better on tests of cognitive function, memory, concentration and visual retention. Surprisingly, those with "normal" blood pressure, lowered with medication, showed the worst performance among all three groups in the study. The research clearly implies that senior citizens are overmedicated, and not just for blood pressure. |
Bottom Line Health
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| Winblad's team found that the patients taking donepezil experienced improvements in cognitive function and in their ability to perform daily activities, compared with patients receiving a placebo.
The patients receiving donepezil were more likely to have side effects than those on a placebo, but these side effects were usually shortlived and mild to moderate in severity, according to the researchers.
HELPFUL FOR CAREGIVERS
"This drug is effective in the severe stage of Alzheimer's," Winblad says. "It greatly reduces caregiver burden. |
Bill Sardi
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 During and following chemotherapy, some patients experience difficulties with memory, attention, and other aspects of cognitive function. This constellation of deficits is commonly referred to as "chemo brain fog." [Annual Review Medicine 34:35-46, 1983]
It is said that up to 25% of chemotherapy patients are affected by symptoms of mental confusion caused by treatment. A more recent study says 8 in 10 patients experience adverse effects to the frontal cortex of the brain as an aftermath of chemotherapy. Adverse effects are apparent even 10 years following treatment. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 The Fountain of Youth
Genetic makeup is partly responsible for determining the rate at which people lose cognitive function and whether or not they will develop dementia, but lifestyle choices play a huge role as well. So does diet. Just ask James Joseph.
James Joseph, Ph.D., a scientist at the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, has a special interest in what we should eat if we want to keep our marbles intact as we grow older. In Jospeh's lab, he's got something he calls the rat Olympics. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
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 Tests of cognitive function after 6 months of isoflavone or placebo therapy failed to show significant change from baseline (Howes, 2004). indications and usage
Unproven Uses: Internally, Red Clover is used for coughs and respiratory conditions, particularly whooping cough. Externally, it is used in the treatment of chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Isoflavone extracts of Red Clover are often used to treat menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes. contraindications
Not to be used in patients with estrogen receptor-positive neoplasias. |
| The anti-inflammatory effect of Ginkgo may be related to reduced eosinophil infiltration. cognitive function may be improved by the antioxidant properties of Ginkgo. Ginkgo may act as a free radical scavenger. Although known to produce symptomatic improvement of dementia, no single mechanism of action has been identified. Glucocorticoid levels may be reduced by Ginkgo. Ginkgo may inhibit several enzymes, including catechol-O-methyl transferase, cytochrome P450 3A4, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and monoamine oxidase, although studies have been contradictory. |
| Soy protein improved cognitive function, bone mineral density, or plasma lipids when started at age 60 or later. While isoflavones from Soy appear to cause fewer adverse effects than postmenopausal estrogen therapy may, these findings indicate that they don't confer clear positive effects. Cognitive testing results at the final visit were essentially the same as they were at baseline, with assessments for verbal skills, concentration, and visual attention showing no significant inter-group differences or improvements at the final visit. |
| Clinical evidence is available but limited for Ginkgo's ability to improve cognitive function in individuals with Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia for up to 52 weeks. In contrast to prescription and formulations typically used in clinical trials, such as high purity Ginkgo extract (EGb 761), nonprescription formulations are often inconsistent in terms of purity and concentration of active ingredients, which means that effectiveness may be blunted. No randomized clinical trials of Ginkgo were identified in individuals with Lewy body dementia (Warner, 2006). |
| A randomized trial of vitamin E supplementation and cognitive function in women. Arch Intern Med; 166:2462-2468. 2006
Kappus H & Diplock AT: Tolerance and safety of vitamin E: a toxicological position report. Free Radic Biol Med 1992; 13(1):55-74.
Kirsh VA, Hayes RB, Mayne ST, et al. Supplemental and dietary vitamin E, (3-carotene, and vitamin C intakes and prostate cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst; 98:245-254. 2006
Kodama H, Yamaguchi R & Fukuda J et al. Increased oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid damage in the spermatozoa of infertile male patients. Fertil Steril; 68(3):519-524. |
David W. Grotto, RD, LDN
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 Elderly people who ate curry at least once a month scored better on tests to measure cognitive function than those who reported they ate curry less frequently.
SKIN CANCER: In an animal study, turmeric was shown to reduce skin tumor size by thirty percent and skin tumor occurrence by eighty-seven percent compared to the control group.
A study out of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston treated three melanoma cell lines with curcumin. Cell growth was inhibited and increased tumor cell death was observed. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
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| Once again, no benefits on cognitive function were observed among those receiving vitamin E (Petersen et al, 2005).
Vitamin C and vitamin E supplements in combination were associated with reduced prevalence and incidence of AD in an earlier cross-sectional, prospective study. A population of 4,740 adults 65 years of age and older were assessed for cognitive status, and their use of vitamin supplements was determined. Vitamin C users were those who took at least 500 mg of ascorbic acid, either as a single supplement or as part of a multivitamin preparation. |
Gerald E. Markle and Frances B. McCrea
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 Children born with metabolic disorders, "who once suffered irreversible mental retardation, now usually retain cognitive function as a result of routine newborn screening and treatment."15
These successes are noteworthy. They seem to reveal the value of routine physical examinations of supposedly healthy patients. Yet a few pages after lauding the exam's achievements, the 1989 Guide found "inadequate evidence to evaluate effectiveness or to determine the optimal frequency of a preventive service. |
Benjamin H. Natelson, M.D.
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| Abnormalities in cognitive function support underlying brain dysfunction. So when neuropsychological tests are abnormal, I do brain MRI imaging if this has not been done before in the past year. When a patient sleeps a lot, this hypersomnia also supports the idea of an underlying brain problem. While innumerable things can disturb sleep, the number of reasons why an individual sleeps for more than ten or eleven hours a night is relatively few; brain dysfunction is high on the list. |
David W. Grotto, RD, LDN
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| MEMORY ENHANCEMENT: Rats who ate purple-fleshed sweet potatoes showed significant improvement in cognitive function, which may be attributed to the anthocyanins present in the potato.
CANCER: A cell study showed that sweet potatoes have unique cancer-fighting properties.
BREAST CANCER: A case-control study found that those women who consumed more beta-carotene-rich foods had lower rates of breast cancer. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene. |
| It is also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin which is important for good cognitive function. Spinach is especially high in vitamin A and related compounds such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein, carotenoids that act as protection for the eye. Spinach is one of the richest sources of lutein, containing nearly 30,000 micrograms per cup of frozen spinach. Spinach is also rich in glycolipids, powerful phytochemicals known to have cancer cell growth suppression and antiproliferation qualities. |
| MEMORY AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION: Animal research has shown promise for using blueberry extract in the areas of improving balance, coordination, and memory, even in those challenged with Alzheimer's disease.
CANCER: Several studies have reported promising results for compounds in blueberries as effective inhibitors of cancer. Both wild and cultivated blueberries were found to be effective in inhibiting androgen-sensitive prostate cancer. |
Jack Challem
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 Dosage: To optimize cognitive function, take 100 mg of phosphatidylserine one to three times daily.
Protein and Individual Amino Acids That Improve Mood and Behavior
Action plan: Protein consists of amino acids, which are the building blocks of neurotransmitters, so it's important to eat high-quality protein, such as fish, chicken, and turkey. In general, individual amino acid supplements are best taken on an empty stomach, ten to twenty minutes before breakfast and one hour away from eating food at any other time of day.
Protein
Principal use: To stabilize mood swings. |
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