July 1, 2024

Cognitive Decline - Recognizing Early Signs And Prevention Strategies

Cognitive decline is a type of cognitive impairment that is characterized by memory loss and confusion. There are a variety of reasons cognitive decline can occur in people, some of which are aging, injuries, and diseases. Cognition is the brain’s integration of the abilities to learn, form and recall information and memories, and facilitate higher order thinking.

When these processes are damaged, degraded, or weakened, cognitive decline can manifest, and it can do so in a variety of ways. Aging carries with it an innate amount of cognitive decline so it takes diligent observation and evaluation to determine if the decline is pathological or not.

Cognitive decline can also confer limitations on people. Therefore, implementing a range of prevention strategies can have a great benefit in cognition.

Early Signs and Presentations

Recognizing cognitive decline in a loved one can be a subtle art and a skill that needs to be developed. According to the Cleveland Clinic, mild cognitive decline can present with a number of wide and sometimes vague symptoms.

People may repeat the same questions and stories, forget recent events and appointments, or have trouble remembering the right words they want to use. They may also have trouble processing verbal info.

Higher order thinking to complete more elaborate tasks will also be impaired, such as taking medications, shopping, and paying bills. Keeping an eye on loved ones and noting the time frame and severity of these changes can help identify whether or not the presentation is a matter of mental decline with age or cognitive decline that denotes a larger problem.

Cognitive decline can be an early presentation of dementia, either Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. Additional symptoms such as sleep behavior disorder, constipation, and depression are also clues of a more severe clinical picture.

Prevention Strategies

Thankfully, there are a slew of techniques that can improve cognitive function and health, even in the aging adult. Brain health encompasses several different domains: cognitive health, motor function, emotional function, and tactile function. In order to best address cognition, it is wise to approach brain health in a multi-disciplinary manner.

1. Taking care of physical health and maintaining a blood pressure within healthy limits are an important place to start when addressing the health of your brain. The SPRINT-MIND study conclusively showed that a major lowering and subsequent control of blood pressure lowers the risk for cognitive impairment, one of the risk factors for dementia.
2. Maintaining an ongoing and consistent level of physical activity has long been shown to improve cognitive function. By strengthening the neural connections that work in the brain when performing exercise contribute improvements in spatial memory. The National Institute of Aging reports that aerobic exercise, like brisk walking, is more beneficial than non-aerobic exercise, like stretching and toning exercise.
3. One other important preventative technique people can practice is keeping the mind active. This can include investing time in learning new skills and engaging in different hobbies. Memory improvement and improvements in cognition are some of the main benefits found from putting the brain through its paces. Luckily, this is a strategy that can be quite fun as many activities stimulate the mind.

Conclusion

Though cognitive decline can present in small ways that are not easily noticeable, a sharp and trained eye can learn to spot symptoms. By tracking the evolution of these symptoms, cognitive health can be a well managed aspect of whole-body health. Additionally, there are various preventive measures and exercises that people can integrate into their daily lives to improve their cognitive health.

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