A workout for your brain

Jacqueline Stenson MSNBC contributor

LOS ANGELES - Shirley Robin has begun noticing some changes in her brain power recently. "I'm forgetting things very easily," she says. "I'm repeating stories all the time. There's no question that there's a loss of memory here."

But even at the age of 75, Robin isn't giving up without a fight.

During a recent afternoon at UCLA, she and about a dozen other seniors took part in a class aimed at enhancing their cognitive abilities. Through a series of "mental aerobics" activities, the class participants learned memory strategies and exercises to help keep their minds in shape.

One exercise focused on remembering people’s names. The instructors told the class to zero in on some aspect of a person’s face and try to associate it with something they’d remember. For instance, Freddie Katz has large green eyes like a cat.

Other activities centered on figures. When trying to remember a number such as 37, the instructors advised, make a story out of it: The triplets drank 7 UP. For the address of 76 Willow Avenue, think of 76 trombones in a willow tree.

In addition to such brain-training classes that are now offered in some cities, various books, videos and web sites are devoted to helping people boost their memory. And early next year, chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association are planning to offer “Maintain Your Brain” workshops to educate people about lifestyle measures -- including mental and physical activity -- to help preserve their cognition.

Experts say programs aimed at boosting brain power are attractive to many aging baby boomers and older people who are worried about developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. There's reason for concern: Alzheimer's cases are expected to soar in the coming decades as the population ages. But there is some good news too: Increasing evidence suggests there are steps we can take to help keep our brains in shape.

'Use it or lose it'
Until about 25 years ago, most scientists believed that senility was an inevitable part of aging, according to Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging who launched the memory training classes on campus.

MENTAL AEROBICS See how your memory shapes up with these mind-challenging exercises that gauge how well you remember the following: Pictures Lists Words

But they now know that’s not necessarily the case, says Small, author of “The Memory Prescription.”

Research has demonstrated, for example, that higher levels of education and plenty of mental stimulation throughout life are associated with lower rates of Alzheimer’s, he notes.

A study published last year in The New England Journal of Medicine found that people over 75 who often read, danced and played board games or musical instruments had lower rates of dementia, including Alzheimer's, than those who didn't frequently engage in such stimulating pursuits.

“It’s the use-it-or-lose-it theory,” Small says. “If you keep your brain cells active it improves their efficiency. You develop what we believe is a cognitive reserve.”

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