Mannequins head sectioned with numbers

Is losing your memory inevitable as you get older? Olivia Abbott talks to Professor Carol Brayne, an expert on dementia from Cambridge University about keeping your brain young

Heard the one about the two old ladies; one says to the other ‘Do you ever think about the hereafter?’ and the other one says, ‘All the time – I go into the kitchen and I think, “What am I here after?” so I go back to the living room and then I think “now, what am I here after..?”’

Becoming forgetful seems to be an inevitable part of getting old, and with dementia-related diseases on the rise, and more and more concern over the rise in cases of Alzheimer’s, it surely pays to think about taking care of your brain.

An ageing society

‘We’re part of an ageing society and so there’s a great deal of interest at the moment in what happens to the brain as we age,’ says Professor Carol Brayne, an expert on dementia and brain health from the Cambridge Department of Public Health & Primary Care. ‘Life expectancy has changed enormously in the last 100 years - living to the sort of ages we do now is unknown in any animal or human populations, so we are now learning what it is to be old in our society.’

Because of such interest and intense research, it has been tempting for the press to jump on stories about discoveries related to brain health, but Professor Brayne is cautious about some of the advice that has been in the media recently. ‘There are newspaper reports almost every day about something that will prevent dementia,’ she says. ‘But the problems start when people interpret those stories as meaning they must rush out and buy that particular thing. It’s important to be sensible and moderate.’

The brain, like just about every other organ in the body needs a good supply of oxygen to do well, and for that reason, keeping your cardiovascular system healthy is one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy too. ‘We know that looking after blood pressure can reduce heart disease,’ says Professor Brayne, ‘we’ve seen a massive reduction in heart disease and stroke in recent years, and we know that those things are associated with brain ageing. So the things that prevent vascular disease are likely to be the things that are good for our brains too.’

So what about all that advice to do crosswords, sudokus and learn languages? There is some evidence that having a higher education, doing a complex job, and staying socially and physically engaged in later life help to protect the brain, but Professor Brayne stresses that the risk of dementia cannot be prevented altogether. It’s all to do with the way we age.

‘In the older age group, the risk of dementia doubles every five years, from a low base at 65 to being quite common in the 85-plus age group,’ says Professor Brayne. ‘Almost everybody with family in those age groups has had some experience of seeing some mental decline in older relatives.’

So, what should you do to protect your brain as best you can? Basically, Professor Brayne’s message is to look after yourself and enjoy life. When you read the next newspaper report about the latest anti-dementia miracle, her advice is, ‘Ask yourself, does it sound like a sensible thing? Does it fit with what I know about what is a healthy lifestyle? Eat a diverse diet, without too much processed meat, a reasonable amount of fish so you get the oils and minerals, and don’t have too much of any one thing including alcohol. Oh, and definitely no smoking.’

Keep your brain young

As Professor Brayne advises, the message is to look after yourself and enjoy life. The following things are all good to do and may well help to keep your brain healthier for longer

Exercise your grey matter

There have been a number of studies that appear to show having a second language can help protect against Alzheimers, so perhaps now’s the time to get to grips with that French, Italian or Spanish course you’ve been promising yourself.

Damien Tunnacliffe, director of Alliance Francaise in Cambridge (alliance-cam.co.uk), says, ‘Learning a language stretches your mind and broadens your horizons as well as helping to keep your brain healthy. It’s also a great way to meet people.’

There are lots of places to learn languages around Cambridge, from local authority evening classes at local colleges (visit cambridge.floodlight.co.uk to find a list) to dedicated language schools such as Alliance Francaise and La Dante (Italian, visit ladante-in-cambridge.org). There are also all sorts of online courses you can do – try visiting learndirect.co.uk for starters.

Exercise your lungs and heart

Various studies show that a vigorous workout increases blood flow to the brain, meaning more nutrients and more oxygen – vital for brain health. And it’s never too late. As soon as you start taking exercise, whatever your age and state of fitness, your brain will begin to benefit. Plus, of course, you will get fitter, healthier, have better skin, more energy... Get those trainers on now.

Exercise your social muscles

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health has shown that having an active social life helps to delay memory decline. The study looked at more than 16,000 older adults and found that the least socially active had double the rate of memory decline. So, make friends and influence people!

Exercise your taste buds

Nutritionist Fiona Hunter’s top five tips are:

Eat breakfast - Take the time to eat a proper breakfast and you’ll reap the rewards during your day.

Drink lots of water - if your brain doesn’t get enough fluid you’ll feel tired and be more likely to suffer from headaches.

Get your iron - iron helps your blood carry oxygen to your brain. Lean red meat is an excellent source, and good vegetarian sources include egg yolks, pulses, dried apricots, broccoli, and wholegrain cereals.

Eat your greens - at least five portions of fruit and/or vegetables a day, make sure you get a good variety.

Go fishing - oil-rich fish like salmon, sardines and fresh tuna contain Omega 3 fats which help your brain cells talk to each other.Try to eat at least one portion a week.