1. WHAT WORKS? IMPROVING BRAIN PERFORMANCE AS WE AGE Janan Al-Awar Smither, Ph.D. Department of Psychology UCF

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE  How is the brain organized  What happens to an aging brain  Maintaining a healthy brain and improving brain performance  Final thoughts

3. The brain is a physical organ that is made up of neurons

4. UNDERSTANDING THE BRAIN

5.  We study the brain using neuroimaging techniques  Two basic techniques:  Structural neuroimaging  Functional neuroimaging

6. AGE RELATED CHANGES BASIC CHANGES IN NEURONS

7. AGE RELATED CHANGES  Basic changes in neurotrasmitters  Dopamine levels decline.  Serotonin and acetylcholine levels also decline.

8. AGE RELATED CHANGES  Basic changes in brain structure  Declining health of the brain’s white matter  Substantial thinning and shrinkage in volume and density also takes place  Overall Effects of Age Related Changes in Healthy Older Adults

9. AGE RELATED CHANGES  Can older adults compensate for the changes?  Unilateral vs. Bilateral activity  Neuroplasticity  Neural stem cells

10. MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BRAIN  “Brain Fitness”  Pillars of a healthy lifestyle  A Healthy Diet  Mental Stimulation  Aerobic Exercise  Social engagement

11. MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BRAIN  Healthy Diet  Is there a meal plan that would help stave off cognitive decline?  MIND Diet  The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay

12. BRAIN HEALTY FOODS  The 10 “brain-healthy food groups” are:  Green leafy vegetables  Other vegetables  Nuts  Berries  Beans  Whole grains  Fish  Poultry  Olive oil  Wine

13. UNHEALTHY FOODS  The five unhealthy groups are:  Red meats  Butter and stick margarine  Cheese  Pastries and sweets  Fried or fast food

14. THE MIND DIET INCLUDES  Every Day  Whole grains (3 or more servings)  Leafy greens (1 serving)  Other veggies (1 or more servings)  Glass of wine (red preferably)  Most Days  Nuts (like almonds and walnuts)  Olive oil (as main cooking oil)  Every Other Day  Beans  Twice a week or more  Blueberries or Strawberries  Poultry  At least once a week  Fish

15. LIMIT THESE FOODS  Butter (fewer than one tablespoon per day)  Fast food and fried food (less than one serving per week)  Full-fat cheese (less than one serving per week)  Red meat (less than four times per week)  Pastries and sweets (less than five servings per week)

16. MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BRIAN  Mental Stimulation  Cognitive Interventions  Brain Games

17. SCIENTIFIC INTERVENTIONS  Review of Randomized Control and Clinical Studies  Meta Analysis of Vidoe Game Training  UFOV Training  The ACTIVE Clinical Trials  memory training,  reasoning training,  speed-of-processing training, or  a no-contact control group.

18. ON-LINE BRAIN GAMES  Commercialization of brian training  Assumptions of online brain games  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nUdptV0OTM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nUdptV0OTM  Do improvements in real-life activities occur?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCIwbi2Torg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCIwbi2Torg

19. EXERCISE  Physical effects of exercise Increases heart rate Aids bodily release of hormones Blood washes away “metabolic wastes” Stimulates brain plasticity Increases growth factors in the brain

20. EXERCISE  The Golden Duo  How to choose the right exercise program

21. SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT  Social engagement appears to be associated with  resilience  physical health  Longevity, and  happiness,  ƒ But what about cognitive benefits?

22. FINAL THOUGHTS  Start out with a healthy diet  Cross Train your Brain  Remain Socially Engaged  Try New Things Often  Remember that it’s never too late to start  Stick to whatever you stick to