Can you delay dementia?

While the No. 1 enemy in the fight against dementia may be our brain, that pesky organ subject to these disorders that wreak havoc on our neurons, it's also our greatest ally in delaying dementia. The very first thing our brain can do is simply help us believe that we can, in fact, ward off memory loss. You may not have realized it, but just in turning past the first page of this article, you showed a commitment to your brain that may help you in the long run.

One study seems to show that if you believe that memory loss is part of the aging process, then it likely will be. The study compared the cognitive abilities of people from China and the United States. The Americans reported believing that memory loss was an inevitable part of aging, but the Chinese group held fewer preconceptions about aging. The study found that the Chinese were less forgetful than the Americans, and some of the oldest Chinese participants performed just as well as the youngest participants in the study. This study seems to indicate that if you expect your memory to decline, you'll stop paying attention and blame the lack of information on the fact you forgot it [source: Rabins].

But since you're on this page, we can only assume that you are in fact looking for ways to pay attention and delay dementia. By visiting HowStuffWorks to expand your knowledge about the world, you're on the right track -- with the brain, it's a case of "use it or lose it." What you're using is a buildup of cognitive reserve, which is the brain's ability to be resilient in the face of attack. You develop cognitive reserve through intellectual stimulation. For instance, studies have shown that people with more years of education can delay the onset of dementia [sources: Whitehouse, Nagourney]. They have a greater amount of cognitive reserve to draw upon, which translates to a higher volume of connections between neurons and stronger rates of cerebral blood flow [source: Whitehouse]. Even when the brain is under attack, this stronger system continues to operate.

But don't get downhearted; even if you didn't go for that Ph.D., you can still start challenging the brain at any age to build up cognitive reserve. Software and video games meant to challenge the brain have begun popping up on the market, though scientists warn that these tools don't have much science behind them [sources: Belluck, Larson]. You don't even have to get that high-tech. In one study, participants who worked a crossword puzzle four days of the week had a 47 percent lower risk of dementia than those who did a crossword once a week [source: Gorman]. Mental activities like playing chess and other board games, learning a foreign language, volunteering, reading and playing a musical instrument all keep the brain humming. Finding a friend to do some of these activities with is also a bonus -- in a study that examined over 1,000 people, those with a limited social network were 60 percent more likely to have dementia after a three-year period [source: Friedman].

For a real-life example of how cognitive reserve can delay dementia, look no further than the 678 Catholic Sisters of Notre Dame, of Mankato, Minn. These nuns' cognitive states were studied for years as doctors tried to learn more about dementia, and doctors conducted postmortem exams on the women's brains. In one examination, doctors found that some of the nuns who had signs of Alzheimer's disease in the brain hadn't demonstrated a lack of cognitive function while still alive. The doctors did notice that the blood vessels in the brain were in exceptionally good shape, however, meaning that even as Alzheimer's started to appear, the brain found a way to work around the challenges [sources: Whitehouse, Tan]. That's not to say that cognitive reserve can delay dementia forever -- if the women had lived longer, they may have developed dementia eventually.

Your brain depends on a regular flow of blood, so another way to keep those cerebral blood vessels working well is good old-fashioned exercise. Read on to find out what other physical activities can help your brain.

If you want to protect your brain, you might as well protect the rest of your body as well, right? What good is a great brain if the ol' ticker is destroyed? Many of the things that are good for your body are also good for your brain, so many of the tips on this page may sound familiar. Addressing modifiable risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and controlling diabetes may go a long way toward preventing dementia; one study showed that people with three or more cardiovascular risk factors were more likely to develop Alzheimer's [source: Gorman]. Here are some other ways that you can multitask when it comes to your brain health.

First up, exercise. Studies have shown that being out of shape is linked with a higher likelihood of dementia [source: Bakalar]. Regular cardiovascular exercise not only helps you maintain a healthy weight, it also gets the blood pumping to your brain. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that followed more than 2,000 men aged 71 to 93; researchers found that the men who walked less than a quarter mile a day were nearly twice as likely develop dementias as those who walked two or more miles each day [source: Rabins].

After some brisk exercise, you might be hungry. In studies, low-calorie diets seem to offer the greatest protection against dementia [source: Tan]. If the old adage "you are what you eat" proves true, then in terms of your brain, you may want to be a Mediterranean. The Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fatty fish, olive oil and vegetables, may help protect against dementia.

You'll also want to reach for foods like broccoli, carrots, grapes, oranges and sweet potatoes. All of those foods are good sources of vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that can help protect your brain. While your brain needs oxygen to survive, oxidation also creates the byproduct of oxygen free radicals. These radicals can destroy brain cells, and the first line of defense is an antioxidant. While some antioxidants are present in the brain already, studies have shown that consuming more can lower the risk of dementia. Doctors, however, aren't sure whether consuming antioxidants as a supplement or in the diet is more helpful, as study results are mixed [source: Rabins].

If you normally smoke after a meal, you'll want to stop that as soon as possible. One study showed that current smokers over age 65 were 3.7 times more likely to experience mental decline over a one-year period than people who didn't smoke or who had only smoked in the past [source: Rabins]. You don't, however, have to give up your favorite adult beverages. While binge drinking is linked with a higher risk of dementia, mild to moderate drinking (no more than one drink per day) may provide some protection, as it's believed to improve blood flow [sources: Tan, Judd].

­But if you really want to get drunk on something, get drunk on knowledge. Keep visiting HowStuffWorks and build your cognitive reserve. You can get a start on that by visiting the links on the next page!