Brain Health
as Long as Possible
“It’s interesting, Curmudge, that a year ago you didn’t know
diddly about brain plasticity, and now you view it as the genesis of talent and
the key to solving a host of problems.”
“Julie, as we discussed earlier, Pedro
Bach-y-Rita’s overcoming his stroke disabilities was a real
eye-opener. And I know of another
example of brain flexibility—much closer to home—that had nothing to do with a
disability. The late Mrs.
Curmudgeon was a very talented organist.
She probably started piano lessons at the age of 6 or earlier and then
organ a few years later. She was
soloist with the Toledo Orchestra on piano when she was in high school and on
the organ when she was in college.”
“One might think that was God-given talent, but you are
going to tell me otherwise.”
“Some might have been natural, but we shouldn’t overlook
hard work. In addition to having
excellent teachers, let’s assume that she practiced at least an hour a day
through grade and high school and two hours a day in college. That’s 7,300 hours devoted to training
the brain to read three lines of music simultaneously and send the right
signals to ten fingers on three keyboards and two feet on the pedal board.”
“So, Smart Guy, what convinced you that this was intense
training of a plastic brain and not extraordinary God-given
eye-to-brain-to-finger coordination?”
“She couldn’t catch a ball that was thrown to her. She had the natural hand-eye
coordination of a three-year-old.
What was extraordinary was her devotion to excellence in her chosen
profession. That is typical of
so-called ‘talented’ performers.
By the way, Julie, although Mrs. Curmudgeon’s practice hours tapered off
later in life, she was able to maintain her proficiency. She gave one of the best recitals of
her life at the age of 73—six months before her death.”
“But what about prodigies like Mozart, who at the age of
three was picking out thirds on the clavier and was composing at the age of
five? I say that talent and the
capacity for hard work are variable, and most people require lots of both to
achieve excellence.”
“You’ve got me there, Julie. I must admit that I couldn’t have learned to play the piano
if I had studied it for 100 years.”
“It seems that we have identified common elements in a
brain’s healing itself and a brain’s developing excellence. Both require time, dedication, and a
lot of hard work. So what do you
suggest for a person with early-stage Parkinson’s or a bit of dementia?”
“We’ve said before, Julie, that recommendations are above
our job classification. But I
would propose that one Google his situation and become his own
expert-in-residence. To start, go
to the links in the Literature Cited section at the end of this post. And if you have a firm diagnosis, look
into proven therapies like LSVT LOUD or BIG for
Parkinson’s.”
“And what about people like you, Old Guy, who are simply
getting old and falling apart piece by piece?”
“DO NOT sit around waiting to die. If that is your plan, it will certainly succeed. Find a way to lead a purposeful life as
a volunteer or active member of an organization. Keep that brain revved up and running and facing a tougher
challenge each day. Learning a
foreign language is good because it is increasingly difficult to learn
something new today while not forgetting what was learned yesterday.“
“Language study should be your cup of tea, Curmudge. You like it, but without Mrs.
Curmudgeon’s scheduling trips to Europe you may never get to use it. And speaking of trips, I’m sure that
being a widow or widower is simply inconvenient. One can’t turn to his/her deceased
spouse and say, ‘let’s go to the recital at Lawrence this evening. It starts in an hour.’ Yet an active social life is an asset
to longevity. Unfortunately,
social engagements among senior citizens involve more planning and a different
mindset than the hormone-powered dating of 60 years ago.”
“I know of what you speak, Dear Colleague, from my studies
as well as personal experience. I
also know that there’s more to be shared about the health of the senior brain
than we can accommodate in this post.
So let’s put it on the agenda for our next discussion.”
“Hoo-ah, Chief.
I’ll be here.”
Kaizen Curmudgeon
Literature Cited
Alzheimer’s
trials
Use
of MRI scan to diagnose Alzheimer’s
Frontotemporal
degeneration
Up-to-date
website for posts on frontotemporal dementia
Detailed
overview on frontotemporal dementia
Natural
products for Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative diseases (Bonnie Davis et al.)
ElderThink:
Medications for Alzheimer’s
ElderThink:
Research breakthroughs
Affinity
Health System Safe Driver Program
Link to posting from blog archives: Twice Blessed—5/13/10
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