Cognitive Reserve: The First Line of Defense Against Dementia

Nothing can cure or slow Alzheimer's disease—but, what if there was a way to stave off its effects on a person's memory and cognition?

Scientists have discovered a biological mechanism, called, ‘cognitive reserve,' that allows the brain to retain its functionality despite the onset of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

The concept of a cognitive reserve arose from the observations of several independent research studies. Researchers found that certain seniors with normal, or minimally-impaired, mental functioning, actually had physical signs of pronounced Alzheimer's disease in their brains. It was concluded that something was protecting these seniors from the effects memory-robbing disease.

Gary Small, M.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the UCLA Longevity Center, likens cognitive reserve to, "having an extra mental battery." He says that a person with a high amount of cognitive reserve can compensate, somewhat, for the brain damage caused by disease and old age.

Hope for a damaged brain

As a person's brain ages, several things begin to happen that can negatively impact their ability to think and remember, according to Small.

Brain cells begin to die, neurotransmitters don't work as well as they did when the person was young, tissues shrink, and protein deposits begin to build-up, interfering with communication between cells (Alzheimer's disease).

One by one, the biological ‘batteries' powering a person's thoughts and memories begin to wear out.

And, in the elderly, dementia is often irreversible.



Building up and tearing down


But, those who decided to forgo getting their master's need not worry. Education is not the only way to fortify the brain against memory impairment.

Small says learning new things and doing mental exercises to help remember names and faces can also help beef up a person's cognitive reserve. In his book, "The Alzheimer's Prevention Program," Small describes one such exercise: LOOK, SNAP, CONNECT.

Designed to help a person remember and associate names with faces, this exercise instructs people to concentrate on a new acquaintance's name (LOOK), take a mental snapshot of their name and face (SNAP), and then synthesize the mental pictures to link the acquaintance's name and face in their mind (CONNECT).

Sue Maxwell, M.S.W., director of Older Adult Services at Lee Memorial Health System, feels that simple lifestyle changes can also help a person's mind become less susceptible to dementia. "Pretend you're in a world where there are no paper and pencils—you have to remember things on your own," she says.


There are certain things experts believe may hinder or deplete a person's mental power cache.

Chronic stress and a sedentary lifestyle are proven brain-drainers. Scientific evidence indicates that stress may as much as double a person's risk for developing Alzheimer's.

A healthier brain at any age

When it comes to cultivating a healthy brain, "It's never too late, and never too early to start," Small says.



Every little bit helps

What constitutes a mentally engaging activity will vary, depending on a person's level of cognitive impairment.

Small says that any type of stimulation helps, and a caregiver may have to adjust an activity's level of difficulty to fit a senior's capability. For example, if your elderly loved one enjoys reading, but can no longer handle adult books due to their dementia, they may need to downgrade to a children's book.





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