Memory function

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Before You Take that Pill: Why the Drug Industry May Be Bad for Your Health J. Douglas Bremner See book keywords and concepts

Estrogen affects brain areas involved in memory like the hippocampus, which has led to the idea that the decline in estrogen after menopause is associated with a decline in memory function. Based on observational studies, it was originally believed that HRT prevented the development of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and improved memory function or delayed the normal decline of memory with aging in women without dementia.

The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What Treatments Work and Why Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. See book keywords and concepts

One study found that a dose of 1,500 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine taken once a day for ninety days substantially improved reactions to stress, memory function, and mood. Acetyl-L-carnitine helps the brain form acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter needed for memory and thinking. A number of studies have demonstrated positive effects of acetyl-L-carnitine supplementation in Alzheimer's patients, especially with regard to tasks that involve concentration and attention. One study done in 1991 and published in Neurology divided 130 Alzheimer's patients into two groups.

The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. See book keywords and concepts

He tests motor function and memory function with mazes and assorted tests for muscle strength and coordination. Around middle age, rats start showing the same kinds of decline in performance that humans do. But what Joseph's studies show is that when you feed the lab animals extracts of blueberries, wonderful things start happening; or, more accurately, bad things don't happen. Bad things meaning mental deterioration. And loss of coordination and balance. Gone. Those rats that chowed down on the blueberries behaved like young studs. In Joseph's lab, they'd found the Rat Fountain of Youth.

You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

And the connections that are so important to maintaining memory get blocked and broken and detoured so that your memory function is slowed—or sometimes lost. In the end, that can cause you to lose the power lines that go to the neighborhood of fashion trivia or to the office complex of phone numbers or to the cul-de-sac of your anniversary date. Luckily, as you'll see, there are several simple ways to restore those power lines, regrow those neural connections, and preserve one of the most powerful things you can pass along to the generations that follow: your memory. And your wisdom.

Bottom Line's Health Breakthroughs 2007 Bottom Line Health See book keywords and concepts

He adds that previous research had shown that caffeine improves attention, and that any improved memory function identified was assumed to be the result of better focus—"You have to be attentive to remember. "But this study showed that caffeine had a direct effect on the networks and processing of the memory," Rubin says. Koppelstatter says the mechanism by which the caffeine acts on the brain is largely unknown, but is related to how caffeine reacts on the small blood vessels and nerve cells in the brain.

Researchers at Innsbruck Medical University discovered that 100 milligrams (mg) of caffeine—approximately the amount in one cup of coffee— increased activity in the part of the brain that is responsible for short-term memory and improved performance on a test that measures memory function. THE STUDY For the study, researchers recruited 15 men between the ages of 26 and 47. On the first day of the study, each man was given 100 mg of caffeine dissolved in water. The following day, they were given just plain water. Other than the water, the men fasted during the two-day study period.

This is the specific brain region that would be used for short-term memory function," says study author Dr. Florian Koppelstat-ter, a radiology fellow at the University. These functions include being able to prioritize information in order to manage tasks efficiently, as well as plan new tasks and deal with stored information, he says. An example of this would be the process of looking up a number in a telephone book, and remembering it so you could dial the number. HOW CAFFEINE WORKS Dr.

Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief David Winston, RH(AHG), and Steven Maimes See book keywords and concepts

Research indicates that high Cortisol levels promote degeneration and death of nerve cells along with decreased memory function. One recent report showed that chronic stress is associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Stress also affects our mental capacities in more subtle ways. There is a modern condition that is sweeping our technological world called partial attention. We have become distracted by technology and its many tools (cell phones, computers, BlackBerry devices, instant messaging), and many are finding it difficult to pay attention.

The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What Treatments Work and Why Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. See book keywords and concepts

He tests motor function and memory function with mazes and assorted tests for muscle strength and coordination. Around middle age, rats start showing the same kinds of decline in performance that humans do. But Joseph's studies show that when you feed lab animals extracts of blueberries, wonderful things start happening—or, more accurately, bad things don't happen. Such as mental deterioration. Rats that chow down on blueberries in the Joseph lab act like they've found the Rat Fountain of Youth. Blueberries actually help neurons in the brain communicate with one another more effectively.

Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You Andreas Moritz See book keywords and concepts

As a result, the neurons can no longer take up enough glucose and, thus, degenerate and block memory function. In 2004 researchers revealed that diabetics may have a 65 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The question arises whether the higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, cancer, blindness, etc. is really due to the diabetes itself or its treatments. I propose that diabetes has become such a dangerous ailment because it is treated on the symptom level rather than on the causal level.

You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore Bill Sardi See book keywords and concepts

Nicotine can improve working memory function, learning, and attention. [Psychopharmacology 184: 523-39, 2006] Nicotine is also being considered as treatment for brain disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. [Expert Opinion Investigational Drugs 8: 747-60, 1999] The tobacco industry has somehow created the idea that nicotine is the chief cancer-causing agent in cigarettes. This is misleading. Nicotine is actually the habit-forming component of tobacco. Lowering nicotine levels in cigarettes appears to be counterproductive.

Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey See book keywords and concepts

Selective decline in memory function among healthy elderly. Neurology 52, 1392-1396. 6. Murphy, D. G., DeCarli, C, Schapiro, M. B., et al. (1992). Age-related differences in volumes of subcortical nuclei, brain matter, and cerebrospinal fluid in healthy men as measured with magnetic resonance imaging. Arch Neurol. 49, 839-845. 7. Morrison, J. H., and Hof, P. R. (1997). Life and death of neurons in the aging brain. Science 278, 4\2-A\9. 8. West, M. J. (1993). Regionally specific loss of neurons in the aging human hippocampus. Neurobiol. Aging 14, 287-293. 9. Ball, M. J., and West, M. J.

Before You Take that Pill: Why the Drug Industry May Be Bad for Your Health J. Douglas Bremner See book keywords and concepts

A recent large controlled trial using a large battery of tests of normal individuals found that ginkgo had no effect on memory function. Ginkgo can have serious side effects, including coma, bleeding, and seizures. It should not be used with medications like Warfarin, which causes thinning of the blood. Minor but more common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and dizziness. GINSENG Ginseng products are derived from the roots of several plant species in the Araliaceae plant family, which is indigenous to Asia.

Studies of women with hysterectomy and bilateral oopherectomy (removal of uterus and ovaries) initially showed an improvement in memory function with HRT, although these studies were uncontrolled. However, the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study showed that estrogen alone in women with hysterectomy was associated with a decline in cognition as measured with the Mini Mental Status Exam. In terms of benefits, HRT does reduce the loss of bone-mineral density that occurs with normal aging and reduces the risk of osteoporotic fracture. There is also minimal evidence that it improves sleep.

Based on observational studies, it was originally believed that HRT prevented the development of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and improved memory function or delayed the normal decline of memory with aging in women without dementia. However, at that time "smart" women were doing things that they thought were good for their health, like taking HRT, which could have led to obvious biases in these types of studies. In fact, although HRT was originally hypothesized to prevent dementia, when carefully assessed it was found to actually double the risk of dementia.

HORMONE TREATMENT For many years people believed that estrogen and progesterone prevented the development of Alzheimer's disease, benefited the cognitive dysfunction of AD patients, and improved memory function in normal people or delayed the normal decline of memory with aging. However, when carefully assessed in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study, a placebo-controlled randomized trial (the best way to resolve this in my opinion), estrogen and progesterone were found to actually double the risk of dementia.

A recent large controlled trial using a large battery of tests found no effect of ginkgo on memory function in normal individuals.23 Ginkgo can have serious side effects, including coma, bleeding, and seizures. It should not be used with medications that are used to decrease blood clotting, like warfarin. Minor but more common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and dizziness. THE BOTTOM LINE I don't think any of the medications currently available, including vitamins and supplements, are worth giving to anyone affected by Alzheimer's or other types of dementia.

Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey See book keywords and concepts

The loss of calcium buffering in these experiments is similar to that reported in many studies with respect to aging (see [268, 269]), and such losses can have a profound effect on the functioning and viability of the cell [270-272], further increasing OS [273] and leading ultimately to decrements in motor and memory function in senescent rats [30, 274].

The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing Gary Null and Amy McDonald See book keywords and concepts

An animal study demonstrated that DHEA affects excitability in the hippocampus, thereby enhancing memory function at moderate dosages. Because the optimal dose needed to facilitate the induction of neuronal plasticity in humans is not yet certain, the dosage level used was arrived at empirically. "Another study showed that DHEA enhances acetylcholine release from hip-pocampal neurons in the rat brain. DHEA has been found to be consistently low in patients with AD. "Research in animals has proved pregnenolone to be a very powerful memory enhancer.

Toxic Childhood: How the Modern World is Damaging Our Children and What We Can Do About it Sue Palmer See book keywords and concepts

It's therefore very important to 'sleep on it' when you've studied something, as even small reductions in slow-wave sleep have been linked to a decrease in memory function. It may also be that 'sleeping on it' is involved in creative thinking and problem-solving. The German sleep researcher Jan Born recently gave some of his students a repetitive number task containing a hidden short cut.

Beat Diabetes Naturally: The Best Foods, Herbs, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies to Optimize Your Diabetes Care Michael T. Murray See book keywords and concepts

Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it is associated not only with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, but also with marked daytime fatigue, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and loss of memory function and other intellectual capabilities. For many people with sleep apnea, their bed partners or family members are the first ones to suspect that something is wrong, usually from their heavy snoring and apparent struggle to breathe.

Disease Prevention and Treatment The Life Extension Editorial Staff See book keywords and concepts

Female Hormones An article in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology evaluated 71 postmenopausal women relative to memory function: 28 were taking estrogen hormone replacement therapy. In those taking estrogen, there was significantly better verbal memory function (paragraph recall) than in those who were not (Kampen et al. 1994). Another article in the journal Brain Research described an experiment using mice with surgically removed ovaries. The administration of both 17-beta-estradiol and estrone improved retention in a test of foot-shock avoidance in a T-maze.

Fundamentals of Naturopathic Endocrinology Michael Friedman, ND See book keywords and concepts

DHEA shows the ability to protect against oxidative stress in the hippocampal region of the brain, a critical area for memory function often damaged by Alzheimer's disease.123 DHEA: Summary DHEA is a major steroid hormone linked to balancing the body's stress response, providing source material for the synthesis of sex hormones, and guarding against the degenerative conditions associated with aging. DHEA levels are evaluated in relation to the patient's age and sex. DHEA/CORTISOL RATIO As a maladaption to stress, a reduction in DHEA.

The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain Advantage Eric R. Braverman See book keywords and concepts

While the primary neurotransmitter responsible for memory function is acetylcholine, each of the other three plays a role. If you experience any problems with memory, don't ignore them: once again, they are early warning signs of an underlying chemical deficiency. This topic will be more thoroughly covered in Chapter 11, but you should be aware of the four distinct types of memory, each ruled by one of the major neurotransmitters. Working memory involves the ability to absorb information or stimuli and retain it for ongoing processing.

Dopamine stimulates working memory; acetylcholine helps to access memory and is responsible for speed and immediate memory function; GABA helps organize memory, particularly verbal memory; and serotonin helps with visual memory and perception. TREATING MEMORY DISORDERS WITH MEDICATIONS The most serious cases of memory loss require the most powerful remedies: drugs such as Aricept, Exelon, Namenda, and Cognex. However, these drugs are used only after the disease has progressed significandy; only then will they have any impact, at which time they can slow down the worsening of symptoms.

Transdermal Magnesium Therapy Mark Sircus See book keywords and concepts

Plasticity, or the ability to change, is the key to the brain's ability to learn and remember. Synapses, the connections among brain cells, undergo physical changes in response to brain activity. While the mechanisms underlying these changes remain elusive, it is known that synapses are less plastic in the aging or diseased brain. Loss of plasticity in the hippocampus, where short-term memories are stored, causes the forgetfulness common in older people. Armed with this new understanding, the researchers then identified magnesium's importance in synaptic function.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D. See book keywords and concepts

A double-blind trial in adults found that a standardized extract of bacopa (300 mg per day for people weighing under 200 lbs and 450 per day for people over 200 lbs) improved only one out of several measures of memory function after three months.75 Another double-blind trial lasting twelve weeks found 300 mg per day of bacopa improved four out of fifteen measures of learning, memory, and other mental functions in adults.76 A third double-blind study found no effects on mental function in a group of healthy adults given 300 mg of standardized bacopa and tested two hours later.

A double-blind trial in adults found that a standardized extract of bacopa (300 mg per day for people weighing under 200 lbs and 450 per day for people over 200 lbs) improved only one out of several measures of memory function after three months.75 Another double-blind trial lasting twelve weeks found 300 mg per day of bacopa improved four out of fifteen measures of learning, memory, and other mental functions in adults.76 A third double-blind study found no effects on mental function in a group of healthy adults given 300 mg of standardized bacopa and tested two hours later.

The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain Advantage Eric R. Braverman See book keywords and concepts

TREATING MEMORY DISORDERS WITH HORMONES Hormones associated with the memory function include human growth hormone, vasopressin, DHEA, and pregnenolone, as well as estrogen and testosterone. Hormone assessment and balancing should be included in a treatment plan for severe memory impairment. Women can experience different types of memory problems than men due to the influence of estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones. Estrogen receptors are present in several regions of the brain involved in memory and attention, including the temporal and frontal lobes.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

Improves brain and memory function. Dimethylamino-ethanol (DMAE) As directed on label. Aids in learning and memory. Note: This supplement is not intended for everyday use. It is best reserved for days when you need to be more focused and alert. Garlic (Kyolic from Wakunaga) As directed on label. May be useful for treating physiological aging and age-related memory deficits. Potent brain cell protector. Huperzine A or vinpocetine As directed on label. As directed on label. Aid the effectiveness of acetylcholine in preventing memory loss.

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