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Memory Improvement Without MedicationIt is almost everyone’s wish to improve their ability to retain and recall information. Researchers are constantly looking for new therapies, drugs, and techniques to bolster memory. A certain amount of memory loss is considered normal with aging, but today’s aging population is very concerned with reversing this trend. Methods to treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia are being developed, as well as new treatments for normal memory loss due to aging. Factors such as nutrition, especially important to school age children, are also being looked at to increase memory function.Studies have shown that children who do not eat a balanced breakfast, or who skip breakfast, do not do as well on test that measure memory. Terrill Bravender, a researcher at Duke University states, “Without glucose, our brains simply don’t operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, they have a problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don’t remember things as well” (Aubrey).Eating breakfast is not only an important factor in children’s performance at school, but what they eat for breakfast plays a critical part as well. The glycemic index measures how quickly carbohydrates in our food are converted into fuel for our bodies. Foods that have an high glycemic index, such as sugary cereals or pastries, cause blood sugar levels to peak quickly. After a couple of hours blood sugar levels then drop dramatically. Foods that are low on the glycemic index scale create a slow rise in blood sugar levels that can last throughout the morning (Aubrey).One recent study by Tuft’s University psychologist, Holly Taylor, had one group of children eat a bowl of high sugary Cap’n Crunch, while another group ate sweetened oatmeal. Both foods had the same amount of sugar, but the oatmeal contained more protein and fiber, which made it rank lower on the glycemic index scale. The students were then tested on their ability to memorize names of countries on a map. The group who had oatmeal did 20% better than the group who ate the sugary cereal (Aubrey).Another important aspect of memory research is helping patients with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disabilities retain their memory abilities longer. While much of the research has focused on developing new drug treatments, other research is showing that activities such as staying socially active can improve memory. Doing activities such as volunteer work has been shown to provide benefits for aging seniors without cognitive disease, but new research shows that patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia can also benefit from social activity. Dr. Peter Whitehouse and his wife Cathy have founded an inner-city charter school that brings older patients with memory illness to volunteer with the students. Dr. Whitehouse started the Intergenerational School 8 years ago, and has seen dramatic improvements in patient abilities and quality of life. Dr. Whitehouse summed up his philosophy as, “We presume, although we’re doing the kind of research to try to demonstrate it, that engagement is not only as good but perhaps better and more necessary for older people, who have what I call aging-associative cognitive challenges” (Shapiro).Other research is looking at ways to improve memory retention in aging adults not suffering from cognitive illness. Richard Restack, a Washington D.C. psychiatrist, has written a book entitled, Think Smart: A Neuroscientist Prescription for Improving Your Brain’s Performance. Restack emphasizes one key to improving brain power is to exercise the three different types of memory: long-term, sensory, and working memories (Weeks).Exercises to improve long-term memory include recalling a year from your past and associate it with what you were doing. Examples of a year of your life could be happenings at school, work, sports events, political events, or cultural happenings. Sensory memory improvement can be exercised by working on your memory recall of odors. Dr. Restack recommends going into the kitchen and closing your eyes, while having someone open jars and hand them to you to smell. Short-term or working memory can be improved through exercises such as video games and puzzles. Dr. Restack feels that working memory is the most vital part to our everyday lives, “That’s the area of being able to keep in mind several things at once” (Weeks).How much memories can be improved by training is also being studied. Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski, from the University of Sothern California, conducted a study involving 400 people aged 65 and older. The subjects were divided into two groups who completed 40 hours of Brain Fitness training, or 40 hours of watching educational lectures. The subjects who completed 40 hours of brain Fitness training did significantly better on a memory test than did the lecture group. The Brain Fitness program uses sounds to improve memory. It improves the speed and accuracy of your auditory system, which better enables the brain to process information from outside stimuli. While the program produced results, some researchers caution the $400 cost of the program may not be worth the amount of memory improvement (Weeks).With the increasing population of baby boomers reaching retirement age, maintaining memory function is a top priority. Programs and techniques that minimize memory loss or increase memory retention will call for more research. While many of the drug companies search for the magic pill, other researchers will look at programs like those discussed above. Things like nutrition and natural memory boosting techniques will be a part of this process. As the average life expectancy increases, so will the need for more and better memory research.References:Aubrey ................
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