New Knowledge to Prevent Dementia

​Memory gradually starts to fall from 30s.
 
Q1. Which waking speed makes the risk of dementia higher?
(A) Fast  (B) Slow
 
A1. (B) Slow
 
If the walking speed is slow, the risk of dementia is 1.77 times higher.
The motor area in the brain orders the body to walk fast. The nerve cells in the brain transmit the information to the arms and legs and we can walk fast. But if the nerve cells die, the information can’t be transmitted to the arms and legs, resulting in being unable to walk fast.
 
If the walking speed is slower than 90 cm per second, there is a risk of dementia.
That is, if you can’t cross the crosswalk during the green light, there is a risk of dementia.
 
Even if you forget something, if you can remember, that is just forgetfulness.
But if you forget that you made a promise itself, that can be a sign of dementia.
 
 
Q2. Which steps of walking makes the risk of dementia higher?
(A) Long steps  (B) Short steps
 
A2. (B) Short steps
 
Q3. Which exercise is expected to prevent dementia?
(A) Aerobic exercise such as walking  (B) Anaerobic exercise such as weight training
 
A3. (A) Aerobic exercise such as walking
Aerobic exercise helps produce BDNF which is a kind of protein that activates the brain. BDNF is not only produced in the brain but also is produced by the contraction of the muscles and is transmitted to the brain. BDNF restores the network of the nerve cells in the brain.
 
MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) is a condition that there is a slight decline of cognitive abilities, but no difficulty in daily life. But if a person with MCI doesn’t take any countermeasure, over half of those with MCI are at a risk of developing dementia within 4 years.
 
Q4. Which contains the substance that is expected to prevent dementia?
(A) Blue cheese  (B) Camembert cheese
 
A4. (B) Camembert cheese
The substances contained in camembert cheese such as Oleic amide decreases amyloid beta which causes dementia. People with Alzheimer’s disease store amyloid beta abnormally. Amyloid beta is considered that it emits toxins to kill the nerve cells.
 
Q5. Which contains substances that is expected to prevent dementia?
(A) Beer  (B) Distilled liquor
 
A5. (A) Beer
Hop (iso-α acid) which is bitterness of beer is expected to decrease amyloid beta. Proper amount is 1 to 2 bottles of beer a day. Too much consumption of alcohol progresses dementia.
 
Red wine is rich in polyphenol which has antioxidant effects.
 
Q6. Which should be taken positively to reduce the risk of dementia?
(A) Rice  (B) Milk
 
A6. (B) Milk
According to a research, people who took more vegetables, beans, sea vegetables and milk and took less rice reduced the risk of dementia by 30 %. This research suggests that eating rice is not bad but if you eat more rice, you can’t eat other things, so it is better to reduce the amount of rice (carbohydrate). To prevent dementia, it is important to take various kinds of nutrition through balanced meals.
 
 
Reading a picture book to a child activates the brain and prevents dementia.
Telling new information you have learned recently to your family has also the same effect as reading a picture book.
 
Q7. How long should you take a nap to reduce the risk of dementia by 80 %?
(A) 30 minutes  (B) One and a half hours
 
A7. (A) 30 minutes
Short nap within 30 minutes is effective to prevent dementia. But nap more than 1 hour raises the risk of dementia.
 
Short nap within 30 minutes lowers the stress caused by lack of sleep. When you are sleepy, your brain is stressed and nerve cells in the brain can be damaged.
 
A human being has biological rhythms that they get sleepy 8 hours after waking up. But if you put up with sleepiness and continue what you are doing, that stress weakens the nerve cells in the brain. That is why taking a nap reduces the stress of the brain.
 
10 minutes nap doesn’t affect the sleep at night, but if you sleep too much during the daytime, that affects the sleep at night.
 
When you take a nap, the sleep should be light so you should not darken the room or change clothes but take a nap on the couch.
 
Recommended time of taking a nap is within 8 hours after waking up in the morning and the length is within 30 minutes.
 
Q8. How many hours should you sleep at night to prevent dementia?
(A) 5 hours  (B) 7 hours
 
A8. (B) 7 hours
According to a research, between less than 6 hours, 7 hours and more than 8 hours of sleep, 7 hours sleep lowered the risk of dementia.
 
 
According to a research for 10 years in US, a game called Brain HQ reduced the risk of dementia by 48 %.