That's Fit

While some debate its efficacy, marijuana has been sparingly prescribed for certain conditions for many years now. It has exhibited some ability to help manage pain, reduce ocular pressure for glaucoma patients, reduce nausea from chemotherapy, and help with AIDS-related wasting syndrome. But, besides the potential addictive qualities, medical marijuana also can cause some loss of memory.

Scientists may have found a way to harness the medical benefits of marijuana without some of the side effects. The psychoactive compound in marijuana is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC has positive benefits such as relieving pain and anxiety but can result in cognitive problems. In fact, patients on marijuana therapy are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety in the long run. In a lab study on mice, scientists have found that organophosphorus agents (OP) had the same positive effects as THC without the downsides. Much more research is needed before this finding could be applied to humans.

If I were a venture capitalist invested in a promising brain fitness software company, I might be inclined to pump even more money into efficacy research. More and more of the Baby Boomers fueling our fitness boom will be entering the land of Social Security checks, and we all know what it means to collect SS -- you're getting pretty old. No doubt, as dementia, memory loss and Alzheimer's disease knock on Boomers' doors, one gigantic demographic will likely be interested in purchasing proven brain fitness software.

Considered a young industry, the U.S. market for brain stimulation products has more than doubled to $225 million between 2005 and 2007. One health insurer, Humana, has buddied up with Posit Science to offer Posit's brain fitness programs to a niche of Medicare members at a discount. Not only for the older adult, Cogmed has even tested a brain stimulation program on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Some experts stress clinical data supporting the efficacy of these programs will be critical for a business model to succeed down the line. It'll be important for industry players to back up circumstantial evidence that brain stimulation software works in the short term -- at this point it's premature to conclude these programs actually lower the incidence of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease over the long term. Read what industry leaders have to say about the future of brain fitness in this interesting article. Perhaps someday in the retirement community you'll pencil in an hour for brain fitness after your round of golf or 50 laps in the pool.

One of my biggest fears is losing myself in a Dementia-fueled haze, in which I forget relatives, experiences and years of my life, as my great aunt Doze has. Losing one's memory is such a tragedy, and something to be avoided at all costs. While we can't control the future and what happens to our bodies and minds down the road, we can take steps to prevent age-related dementia such as memory loss.

Memory loss is due to a number of things--genetics, lifestyle, environment--but what much of it comes down to is this: use it or lose it. Just like any of your other muscles, you have to exercise your brain to keep it strong. This includes engaging in social activities, doing puzzles like sudoku, using your imagination, etc. Your lifestyle also plays a big role. It's important to get a well-balance diet and to be active, for your brain as well as your waistline.

For more information, read this article and let me know your thoughts.

Alzheimer's is one of the more frightening conditions that can affect as us we age. However, recent research suggests that there's hope -- finding that it may be possible to regain lost memories.

Using both mental stimulation, and a drug that encourages growth of brain nerve cells, scientists have been able to reverse memory loss in mice. The rodents had a condition similar to Alzheimer's, leading researchers to believe that these methods could also be used in humans that have lost their memory and ability to learn.

While this is exciting news in itself, what's most interesting, is that the mere possibilty of retrieving these memories suggests that they were never "lost" in the first place -- but instead rendered inaccessible by brain damage.

Meaning, that with impoved technology, the disease may not only be preventable -- but also reversable.

If obesity, cardiovascular health, and more energy aren't enough motivation to get exercising, maybe throwing in more brain power will make a difference?

New research shows that exercise stimulates the brain to create new brain cells (and we could all use some of those) in the areas linked to memory and memory loss. 11 healthy adults participated in an exercise regimen for 3 months, and when scientists compared MRI's from before and after they saw definite positive changes. Armed with this new data, they're now looking to figure out which exercises have the most impact -- so doctors can prescribe specific workouts for specific patients.

As if we all don't need another good reason to engage in regular exercise, U.S. researchers reported yesterday that exercise boosts brainpower by building new brain cells. In fact, the new brain cells are built in an area of the brain linked with memory and memory loss. As our very own Rigel adds here, boosting brainpower can be the result of a frequent dose of exercise, and even specific workout routines can be prescribed to specific patients for the most optimal results. I agree completely.

What does this mean? To me, it says that brain cells are organized in a better fashion (over time) as a result of exercise that allows better memory retention -- which is definitely a plus to those who have to remember large and small details all day long for school, work, kids, home, car, shopping, etc. In other words, almost every one of us.

The findings were determined by studying mice, who grew new brain cells in a brain region called the dentate gyrus. Researchers MRI scans to help document the process in mice -- and then used MRIs to look at the brains of people before and after exercise. Low and behold, they found that people also grow new brain cells when they exercise as a main conclusion of the research.

They need to stop doing studies on college and higher-education, because every time they do I just get more confused.

The latest research finds that people with higher educations suffer faster memory loss as they age. The study looked at people over age 70 and asked them to remember 10 words. The same people were tested up to 4 times between 1993 and 2000, and those with more schooling had a greater loss than those with less. Given, they had more "knowledge" to start with, but a lot of good that did them since they ended up at the same place as their less-educated counterparts in the end.

Okay, so college reduces your risk of stroke as you get older, but now it also increases your risk of memory problems. However will we choose?