By Reginald Williams
Special to the AFRO
For many aging adults, cognitive decline can create a good bit of anxiety.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “while older Black Americans are twice as likely as older Whites to have Alzheimer’s or another dementia, research hasn’t yet identified the cause.” The organization also reports that “among Black Americans ages 70 and older, 21.3 percent are living with Alzheimer’s, a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior.”
Photo: Unsplash/ Nappy
Monica Ziegler’s mom and dad, Jean and Chester Preyar, were both diagnosed in their mid-60s – Jean with Alzheimer’s and Chester with dementia. Both educators, Ziegler, began to notice personality changes in her parents.
“He was working at A&T (North Carolina A&T University) and couldn’t remember many things. He lost his sense of smell and then he couldn’t remember normal things like who was the president, or how to use the phone,” said Ziegler.
Her dad, a physically fit walker, had a penchant for leaving home and walking for miles to places unknown after being diagnosed.
Experts say lifestyle and social indoctrination are the primary culprits driving neurodegenerative disease– not aging.
“Aging is not a disease,” said Dr. Sharon Brangman, chair of the Department of Geriatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. “It’s a part of the natural process,”
Multitasking, often celebrated and exalted in the workplace, is a primary felon of brain decline.
Socially, multitasking is believed to be an aptitude that yields numerous benefits. Research suggests that it reduces procrastination while increasing engagement and productivity. Business experts favor multitasking because they think it saves time and reduces costs. One employee’s assumed multitasking flexibility often eliminates the need to hire additional employees. Experts believe multitasking improves mental agility. Medical research, however, counters the business perspective on multitasking.
According to Brangman, mind juggling poses one of the greatest threats to cognitive brain health.
“There’s a saying that multitasking makes you stupid. Your brain just can’t do multiple things at the same time, and it becomes even more difficult as we get older,” said Brangman, who also serves as the director of the Center of Excellence in Alzheimer’s Disease. “Your boss or someone you work or interact with thinks it’s great if you can try to do multiple things at the same time. But our brains were made to do just one thing at a time. Actually, if you try to multitask, you can slow down brain functions.”
Additionally, Black people are at higher risk of suffering from other health issues.
African Americans are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Lack of sleep and stress also exacerbate a disease cycle, too often caused by life choices and a lack of options tied to better health outcomes. This curates the perfect environment for chronic illnesses and diseases including dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Our lifestyle is sometimes stressing our brain out. There are many things that are considered normal parts of our everyday function that are not really good for our brains,” explained Brangman, who contends that stress is a driving force.
Stress, which creates cortisol and epinephrine or adrenaline, is a considerable issue in poor brain health. It serves as the foundational problem that leads to multiple health problems. According to Brangman, there is emerging research looking at how stress reactions to things like discrimination and racism affect brain function.
“Stress and The Mental Health Population of Color: Advancing Our Understanding of Race-related Stress,” a study published by the National Institute of Health, dissects the complexity of psychological distress worn by Blacks. Over time, stress keeps Black people on high alert. Subsequently, it alters and often elevates blood pressure. It also changes the way the body manages sugar and causes increased incidents of diabetes.
“Stress is a very bad thing for us long term,” said Brangman, speaking of African Americans. “Sometimes we are so quietly stressed that we don’t even recognize it—it’s just there in the background, but our bodies are responding to it.”
Brangman, a trustee for the McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF), is answering the call to address data that suggests up to one-third of Americans feel uninformed about normal brain aging.
As a person ages, their brain will change in how it functions. However, forgetting things like why you entered a room or not being able to remember someone’s name is a natural, normal process of aging. Brangman maintains that the brain holds thoughts—storing lots of information. It behaves like a computer’s hard drive filled with data.
“It might take a little longer to get through all those files to get the right word out,” said Brangman. However, when forgetting information impacts the ability to get through the day, like what the Preyars experienced, it is the time to see a medical professional about overall brain health.
Ziegler and her sister have concerns about their chances of being diagnosed with some sort of mental malady. However, experts from Cedars- Sinai Hospital say that genetics account for about a seven percent risk that either will be affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.
Despite the prevalence of brain decline in African Americans, intentionally making good health choices reduces the risk of brain decay. Brangman says it’s essential that we know what to do to maintain brain health.
“If you want to improve your brain power as you get older, exercising is probably the number one thing to do,” advised Brangman. “Just take a walk. Combine that walking with a friend—socialization is very, very good for our brain as we get older.”
Brangman adds, “our brains are built for interactions with people. If you take a walk with a friend and talk, you’re helping your brain in two different ways.”
Brangman adds that a proper diet means avoiding processed foods and prioritizing good-quality sleep.
The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), in an article published by AARP on brain health, identified the following six pillars of brain health:
- Be social
- Enjoy your brain
- Manage stress
- Engage in exercise
- Make sure to experience restorative sleep – no less than eight hours
- Eat nutritionally-dense meals
Forgetting things doesn’t mean you are in an Alzheimer’s or dementia episode; it’s a typical path of cognitive aging. Be cognizant of potential brain deterioration, but know you can proactively help reduce brain dysfunction.
“We can take control of our health and reduce our risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia as we get older,” explained Brangman.
Additional resources for cognitive health are located at https://mcknightbrain.org/brainworks/.