Courtney Roberts Cognitive Decline and the Default American Lifestyle C /

Introduction Stagnant and poorer cognitive function in the elderly Technology can decrease cognitive and physical activity Fitness is needed for good brain performance Sedentary forms of work, transportation, and leisure undermine fitness

The Brain Cognitive function= brain function Works even when person rests Works harder when person thinks, speaks, reads, acts, etc. Body needs to be able to deliver oxygen & glucose to the cerebrovascular system and needs to route blood to the active neurons in order to properly function Depends on cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic fitness

Default American Lifestyle Physical activity in work, transportation, & recreation decreasing Gas engines, electric motors, and electronic communication make travel, work, play, and commerce sedentary Shift from home-made to manufactured and restaurant meals Food being made for production, transportation, marketing, and convenience, NOT nutrition As people age, they experience severe problems controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar or delivering oxygen on demand Bottom line= American lifestyle is unhealthy

Default Lifestyle and the Elderly Muscles become atrophied and joints get inflamed and calcified Bones become brittle and misaligned Hearts grow weak and arteries get clogged and hardened They begin to use medication for… Blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, bowel movements, urination, stomach acidity, reflux, and to stifle anxiety, depression, and pain

Threats to Cognitive Function BMI: provides the most visible and readily measured sign of hidden physiological trends Low or declining BMI in elderly people usually indicates an unhealthy loss of muscle and bone as well as fat Cognitive dysfunction can stem from BMI’s relationship with other factors High blood pressure, high ratios of low-density to high-density lipoprotein, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, poor blood sugar control, oxidative stress, heart disease, stroke, and deep vein thrombosis Low physical activity and a higher BMI has a direct association with dysfunction because of low aerobic capacity

Bio-Accumulation Accumulators: Gather many small effects into one large one and once present they tend to stay present Exercise, eating habits, body mass, blood pressure, blood triglyceride, cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance Influence body’s ability to meet brain’s metabolic needs Represent the sum of many small consequences over time and provide little or no feedback for protective behavioral conditioning

Pharm-Accumulation The overlaying of medications, protraction of their use, and accrual of their side effects and interactions Creates problems for seniors because they have had the longest time to accumulate problems and longest time to take the drugs More exposed to complications and interactions and more vulnerable to medications Seriously threatens cognitive function of seniors Some drugs may produce dementia and delirium Some drugs have effects that can impair memory, learning, concentration & lucidity

The Baby Boomers Size of baby boom generation will reshape culture and standards of daily life As physical demands of life decline, so will levels of physical abilities Culture, buildings, products, and services will have to adapt to lower average physical abilities Social norms and built environment adapt to low physical abilities and being to discourage activities that create abilities Maintaining physical function requires determination to overcome the default lifestyle Aging population may accelerate trend to lower physical abilities and will therefor lower cognitive function This will lead to reduction of physical demands on everyone in society

Future Implications Future for cognitive functions remains uncertain, but signs are not good The aging of the baby boomers combined with the body mass trends implies that the number of diabetics will increase by 86% in the next 25 years Social movements need to work to make stairs more accessible and appealing and communities more walkable and they need to promote small changes in lifestyle People are being encouraged to promote healthier diets and activities The majority of adult Americans will either be old or obese In order to override the default, people will need determination and creativity to find a healthier way of living