Cognitive Stimulation, Music Remedy, and Cryostimulation to Enhance Cognitive Perform

Under is an approximation of this video’s audio content material. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, pictures, and quotes to which Dr. Greger could also be referring, watch the above video.

In my e-book How To not Age, I focus on the position of medicine and dietary supplements and deal with weight loss plan and life-style approaches to the prevention and therapy of cognitive decline, however there are a couple of frequent non-drug, non-supplement, non-lifestyle approaches to dementia therapy––for instance, cognitive stimulation remedy, which usually includes group actions and social interplay. There have been at the least 44 randomized managed trials of cognitive stimulation together with 1000’s of individuals. ADAS-Cog, brief for Alzheimer’s Illness Evaluation Scale – Cognitive subscale, is probably the most generally used measure of cognition in medical trials of dementia therapy. A clinically related enchancment is usually outlined as a discount of 4 or extra factors on the ADAS-Cog measure. Regrettably, the attenuation of cognitive decline for many of the cognitive stimulation research averaged solely about two factors.

You could possibly argue any enchancment is best than nothing, however sadly, the cognitive results don’t seem to generalize to serving to with on a regular basis life conditions. You may practice folks to get higher at a computerized “mind sport,” however that doesn’t essentially translate to different arenas. Additionally, the marginal enhancements are short-term. They don’t seem to persist as soon as the intervention interval is over.

Whereas cognitive stimulation remedy could haven’t any important total impact on high quality of life, any form of group remedy has been proven to enhance psychological well-being. As social creatures, social participation is necessary for psychological well being all through the life course, however there’s inadequate proof that it could possibly enhance or stop cognitive dysfunction. Dementia is related to social isolation, however this can be reverse causation, the place the dementia results in social withdrawal, as a substitute of the opposite approach round.

The identical situation comes up on a regular basis with these advocating for “use-it-or-lose-it” psychological stimulation to forestall decline. For instance, this overview in a peer-reviewed growing older journal instructed that “if an individual solves crosswords 4 instances per week, they will cut back their threat of dementia by 47 %.” Sure, doing frequent crossword puzzles is related to decrease subsequent dementia threat, however isn’t it extra doubtless that these on the verge of a dementia analysis are much less prone to be doing crossword puzzles, on account of their declining cognitive talents?

Music remedy presents an identical story of enhancing well-being with out essentially affecting cognition. Even in late levels of dementia, when verbal communication is misplaced, music could be loved. Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear to enhance mind perform. Most (5 out of seven) meta-analyses of the 40+ interventional medical trials of music remedy for folks with dementia discovered no cognitive advantages. And, the few research that did discovered the impact was short-lived, disappearing after one to a few months. Though cognition doesn’t appear to be affected, there nonetheless could also be constructive results when it comes to lowering agitation, and enhancing temper and socialization.

One of many kookiest remedies I ran throughout was cryotherapy, also referred to as cryostimulation. These with delicate cognitive impairment randomized to short-term exposures to extraordinarily chilly temperatures skilled a transient increase typically cognitive functioning (not obvious two weeks after every day classes ended). Examine topics in shorts and a t-shirt have been uncovered to 58 levels beneath zero (-50 C) for 2 minutes. No, wait, that was the placebo management group uncovered to “noncryogenic” temperatures. How low did the experimental group go? Two minutes at extra like 200 levels beneath zero (-130 C).

Please take into account volunteering to assist out on the positioning.