Experts reveal that the human brain is more flexible and adaptable than previously thought, and that maintaining its health not only prevents deterioration but can also enhance mental performance with age.
For decades, scientists and doctors believed that humans are born with a fixed number of brain cells that do not regenerate, and that Alzheimer's disease is largely linked to genetics and cannot be prevented. Consequently, it was widely believed that age-related brain deterioration was unstoppable.
But recent research has overturned this traditional view, showing that the brain is capable of reorganizing and adapting, and even producing new cells in some of its regions, in a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.
Studies indicate that this adaptation extends beyond recovery from injury to include improved cognitive abilities if the brain is stimulated by healthy habits. With a healthy lifestyle, the brain can maintain its efficiency and even become more active over time.
In this context, a report published in The Lancet indicated that there are 14 modifiable factors that could prevent about 45% of dementia cases through lifestyle changes.
Research also shows that genetic factors associated with Alzheimer's disease, such as the ApoE4 gene mutation, do not necessarily mean a person will develop the disease. Even with this mutation, factors such as physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
In a study conducted at Saint Louis University, levels of amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease were compared between sedentary individuals and those with high levels of physical activity. The results showed that those with high levels of physical activity who carried the ApoE4 mutation had similarly low amyloid levels to those without the mutation.
In other words, exercise appears to reduce some of the risk factors associated with the disease, reinforcing the importance of lifestyle in prevention, regardless of family history.
These changes not only help prevent dementia but also improve brain function. According to clinical experience and scientifically based training programs, exercise, good sleep, proper nutrition, and mental training techniques can enhance memory and improve concentration.
In a study of 127 patients who underwent a brain training program in Washington, 84% showed improvement in cognitive tests within just 12 weeks. MRI scans also revealed an increase in the size of the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory, in more than half of the participants.
A subsequent trial on patients suffering from the effects of brain injuries also showed significant improvement in more than 80% of them in attention, mood, sleep and memory.
These results reflect the brain's ability to adapt and change in response to experience, a characteristic known as neuroplasticity.
These data confirm the basic principle in neuroscience: what is used is strengthened, and what is neglected is weakened, which makes continuous brain stimulation an important factor in maintaining its health.
A Swedish study also showed that learning new skills such as languages can lead to structural changes in the brain within a few months, including an increase in the size of the hippocampus and an enhancement of neural connections.
To understand these results, the brain can be viewed as an integrated system made up of multiple regions that work together as a single network, controlling memory, attention, thinking, movement, and emotions.
This system relies on a delicate balance between nerve cells, supporting cells, blood flow, and nutrients, in addition to the cleaning processes that occur during sleep.
However, this balance may be affected by factors such as obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, lack of sleep, and chronic stress, which over time leads to impaired cognitive performance and increased neuroinflammation.
As for memory, it is not just a static retrieval of information, but a dynamic process that goes through four main stages: acquisition, consolidation, storage, and finally retrieval.
At each stage, the brain works to select, organize, and store information in different areas, then reassemble it as needed into a complete experience.
Thus it becomes clear that the brain is not a fixed organ as was thought, but a living system capable of change and development, and that daily habits play a crucial role in determining its efficiency over time.
