The aging process implies a series of losses: muscle mass is lost, strength is lost, agility is lost and another series of faculties related to brain functions are lost, among other things But, as with everything, if you work to prevent it, all these losses are minor.The cognitive reserve is a concept that fits precisely here, and that usually comes up when talking about dementia and the disease of Alzheimer.
Surely you have heard that the realization of intellectual activities is very important and recommended during the aging process, and it is very interesting that older people learn new things, exercise, play cards, etc.
Does this have to do with cognitive reserve? Yes, although it is much more than that.
Does doing this type of activity delay dementia and prevent Alzheimer's? Uhm… better read on, I don't want you to get scared.
Cognitive reserve and its role in brain damage
The cognitive reserve is the cognitive and intellectual capacity that a person has accumulated throughout his life through his cultural knowledge, academic studies, participation in intellectual and recreational activities (such as reading, writing, learning languages , chess, board games, etc.) l as well as their participation in recreational and sports activities to enhance their psychomotor skills.They also greatly influence innate abilities and genetic factors.
However, Although a high cognitive reserve acts as a protective or preventive factor against the symptoms of dementia, it cannot stop the neurodegenerative pathology underlying Alzheimer's disease. This is because the neurodegenerative process of this disease progressesregardless of education and intellectual achievements.On the other hand, when the pathology becomes very severe there is no longer enough substrate to avoid the symptoms of dementia.
The cognitive reserve enhances the plasticity and connectivity of the neural networks, since a person who has exercised his cognitive abilities during his life has accustomed his nervous system to adapt to the changes and to use alternative neural circuits when some circuit is damaged.Therefore, people with high intellectual capacity delay the evidence of a neurodegenerative dementia , enhancing and using alternative neuronal pathways when the main route has resulted mean cativamente deteriorated.
Recommendations: Winter is coming
I have not been able to suppress the temptation to use the motto of the Stark House, Game of Thrones (no I can believe that he is clarifying this point.) As these people would say, winter is coming .Come on, we have to stockpile provisions for when the bad times come, and should not leave it for Last moment, not being that we take our sunbathing and the winter comes early or without us noticing.
In other words: It is very important to work when you reach the third age, but the mind should always be working hard.Leaving it for the last minute is not a good idea.It's like saving for retirement: when you start before, more money you will have when the time comes.
As we have already seen, in the case of Alzheimer's, having a good cognitive reserve can help prevent or delay the effects of dementia, but not stop them.That is better to start as soon as possible, to catch us off guard.
Did you like this article? Well then you can't stop reading this: Did you know that exercise reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease?
Images-Allan Afijo, Domino publico
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