Age is not a disease. It is a risk factor for developing a wide range of diseases, including dementia. The older one gets, the higher the chance of dementia, but it doesn’t always happen that way. Games are becoming an important part of cognitive stimulation therapy for people with dementia and can be the key to keeping their minds active. Dementia is an overall term for loss of cognitive abilities severe enough to interfere with a normal pattern of life. Symptoms include forgetfulness, confusion, and difficulty performing tasks that used to be done without effort. These symptoms can be mild and non-disabling or severe and debilitating.
How Ageing Affects The Brain?
As we grow older, our brains’ structure changes. As a result, certain parts of the brain, like the hippocampus (the area responsible for memory) and the frontal lobe (the part of the brain that plans and controls actions), atrophy. It is believed that this happens because our brains lose the ability to absorb new information as we age. Hence an older person has difficulty learning new things. In addition to these physical changes, our tissues gradually shrink due to a reduction in the number of cells in them. The shrinkage is most noticeable in the parts of the brain that control memory and reasoning. Ageing also changes the brain’s chemistry (neurotransmitters) and electrical activity. With time, both of these begin to decline, and this affects the way our neurons communicate with each other.
How Hormones Affect Cognitive Functions
The common denominator in ageing is the gradual decline of many of the brain’s functions. One of the consequences of this decline is the loss of the brain’s ability to make new memories. When we are young, our brains constantly make new connections between different neurons so that a person can learn and remember new things. As we get older, our brains only retain little fragments of information from one day to another: it gets easier to learn new things, but it is harder to remember them.
Progressive memory loss is one of the main characteristics of dementia. The simple reason for this is that more and more of our brain cells die as we get older, implying that there will be fewer cells to create new memories. As the number of brain cells decreases, the ability to form new memories will also diminish, so a person will find it harder and harder to remember things he/she learned more than three years ago.
According to Medzone, High Growth Hormone Improves Cognitive Function
Growth hormones are essential for our bodies to develop properly throughout life. Growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates cellular processes that lead to a long and healthy life. Although growth hormone affects the body’s growth, it does not stop functioning after puberty – it continues to produce dopamine, affecting brain performance and cognitive functions. The effect of HGH determines how well we learn new things when we get older; it also helps us memorize information to recall later if needed. In addition, HGH increases the number of receptors in our brains, allowing neurons to communicate more efficiently. Better communication means that our cognitive functions are also improved, especially in terms of memory, attention and concentration. The age-related decline is a natural process that makes us lose control of certain cognitive functions. However, some diseases and conditions may induce a memory decline. One of these diseases is Alzheimer’s, a terminal and incurable neurodegenerative condition characterized by memory and thinking loss. The symptoms of this disease begin to show after age 65, but they can begin as early as 50.
Are There any Medical Treatments That can Cure Dementia Once it’s Developed?
Several medicines and drugs can help control some of the symptoms of dementia. However, this disease has no complete cure yet. The positive thing is that if we treat dementia in its early stages, the symptoms may be milder, and the person’s daily living skills and ability to care for themselves will not deteriorate so much.
How can Brain Games Help People With Dementia?
Brain games stimulate the brain, and doing so improves the blood circulation in its tissues. This leads to a faster formation of new brain cells, reinforcing the brain’s ability to make new connections between different neurons. Thus, keeping the mind active makes it easier for older people to learn new things and remember old information. Brain games can be fun and easy to learn; they help restore confidence and mood and improve cognitive skills such as memory, concentration and attention span. They also provide social interaction opportunities. They offer a stimulating mental challenge, which is important for stimulating the brain and mind. The positive effects of games are not only confined to people with dementia; they also help improve the whole family’s health. As a result, people with dementia who play these games are more likely to interact actively with their families, which is useful for them and can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
What Other Activities can Help People With Dementia?
Several other activities can help improve the cognitive functions of people with dementia. These include:
1. Language Learning
Learning another language is very beneficial for improving the brain’s cognitive functions, especially in older age. It seems that when people learn a second language, they use different parts of their brains than when they speak their native language. In older people, as a result of learning a new language, the brain gets stimulated to use different brain regions to accomplish tasks, and new neural pathways are created to access these regions.
2. Arts
The arts are useful for improving people’s cognitive skills, especially in older age. They help stimulate the brain and give people options to be creative, learn new things, and socialize.
3. Reading
Reading is an important activity for stimulating the brain. Reading short stories, newspapers, and magazines improves the brain’s performance in tasks such as working memory, attention, concentration and forming new neural connections.
Conclusion
Dementia is a disease that affects several mental functions. There are different types of dementia, and each one varies in its symptoms. However, they usually begin with memory loss, a symptom of a decline in cognitive functions. This decline makes it difficult for people with dementia to learn new things or remember old information. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is a terminal and incurable disorder.
Tech expert fresh from the Australian Coast. Been in the tech industry more than 9 years, as part of a Business Growth Group. His out of office days are 100% for freestyle surfing and waves chasing.
