Brain Health

Music and Memory How does music affect your brain? Grabber: How does music effect your brain? Teaching methods: small group poster paper, peer to peer, individual. Technology Method: poll anywhere app or interactive class flow so students can use their own devices to respond with answer and see class responses instantly. This method can be used throughout mini lesson. There are no wrong answers, this is just to get them thinking.

Music and the Brain When the brain is listening to music, areas all over the brain are engaged in the task. Watch an excerpt from ‘The Tango Brain’ Areas of color are areas of the brain that are being activated as the person is listening. ‘The Tango Brain’ can be found here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D9EcsYTEcg8 It is 8 minutes long, however selecting a minute from the middle of the video should be enough to demonstrate the point. This animation shows how the cortex is activated during listening to a piece of Argentinian tango. It is based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, computational musical feature extraction and statistical modeling. For more information, see Alluri V, Toiviainen P, Jääskeläinen IP, Glerean E.

Music and Dementia One of the most powerful examples of how music can affect the brain comes when people with dementia listen to their favorite songs. Watch ‘Alive Inside’ The movie trailer runs 6:45 is can be accessed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FWn4JB2YLU If you have time to show the full documentary, ‘Alive Inside’ can be purchased and shown in classroom settings using the following exemption from having to purchase a license. Face-to-face teaching exemption: ‘Alive Inside’ is reserved for educational institutions (like universities, high schools, etc.) using the film in curricular settings to students registered for a particular course. A license must be purchased for any screenings open to the public.

The Human Brain We are born with all the brain cells we will ever have, and they grow and develop over time. There are roughly 2500 connections between brain cells when we are born. Some are from the sounds heard in the womb, like their mother’s voice or music. The brain reaches peak volume around age 16, so you have the physically largest brain when you are a teenager. Interactive opportunity: What is the memory they have from the farthest back in time. How old were they? What was the memory about?

The Human Brain The brain continues to develop until age 25, when the peak of memory function is reached. Although the brain is only 2% of your total body mass, it uses between 20% and 50% of all the energy in your body. As we age, our brains will lose some cells as a normal part of aging. Confusion and memory loss are not normal at any age. In reviewing the first two bullet points, ask the kids what this information means to them. Did they know their brain is still growing? Did they realize how much energy it takes to use your brain?

The Virtual Brain Tour, Part 1 http://www.alz.org/braintour/3_main_parts.asp Review the first 7 slides of the tour under ‘Brain Basics’.

Normal Aging What does it look like? Method: Students brainstorm (think-pair-share) Interactive opportunity: Students can split into small groups to create a poster presentation of what they think normal aging looks like.

What does normal aging look like? Slowing of reaction time Bone loss Loss of muscle mass Some vision and hearing loss Decreased sensitivity to tastes and smells Loss of cells throughout the body Slight slowing of brain processing speed, but no loss of abilities What does normal aging look like? Memory loss and dementia are not a normal part of aging. As people age their bodies change, including the brain. People who age normally can expect the following: Slowing of reaction time Bone loss (both men and women) Slowing of metabolism Decrease in muscle mass Decreases in sensory ability Need glasses to see clearly. It also becomes harder to see in the dark because pupils become more rigid over time and cannot open as far Some hearing loss, especially high frequency sounds Less sensitivity to touch Less sensitivity to odors Less sensitivity to tastes  Normal aging also includes the process of cell loss throughout the body as cells die and are not able to replicate or be replaced. The number of times the cells in our body can replace themselves is limited. As the body ages, cells begin to die and not be replaced. Example: Skin of an elderly person is much thinner and contains fewer cells. This is happening in all parts of the body. http://www.agingcarefl.org/what-is-normal-aging/

Risks to Brain Health What are some things that can be harmful to your brain? Think pair share, other Correct answers include: Alcoholism Smoking Obesity Cardio-vascular disease Diabetes Concussion Diseases that cause dementia

Risks to Brain Health Alcoholism Smoking Obesity Cardio-vascular diseases Diabetes Concussion Diseases that cause dementia An opportunity to discuss how diet and exercise not only effect your body, but also your brain. The first six bullets all lead to increased risk for developing dementia.

Concussions Jenna’s Story Wisconsin State Law It is recommended this slide and corresponding video is high school age appropriate. Possible discussions: Professional sports and concussions Head injuries may increase your risk for dementia, concussions are a serious form of head injury. This short video talks about the importance of preventing, reporting, and caring for concussions. View Video Review the concussion law Wisconsin State Law Concussion Law, Wis. Stat. sec. 118.293 The law requires all youth athletic organizations to educate coaches, athletes, and parents on the risks of concussions and head injuries, and prohibits participation in a youth activity until the athlete and parent or guardian has returned a signed agreement sheet indicating they have reviewed the concussion and head injury informational materials. The law requires immediate removal of an individual from a youth athletic activity if symptoms indicate a possible concussion has been sustained. A person who has been removed from a youth athletic activity because of a determined or suspected concussion or head injury may not participate again until he or she is evaluated by a health care provider, and receives written clearance from the health care provider to return to the activity

Prevent Concussions What can you do to prevent concussions? Think-pair-share Have students list ways to prevent a concussion Scenario: Your friend wants you to go for a bike ride (moped, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile) and not wear a helmet – stating “we won’t be gone long nothing is going to happen” What are some possible responses be to avoid the risk of injury? How could a concussion change the quality of life?

Dementia What does dementia look like? Who gets dementia? Interactive opportunity ask: How many know someone with dementia or memory loss? This is an opportunity for the kids to relate their experiences with family members or others they know if they want. Or: Answer the questions ‘What does it look like’ and ‘who gets dementia’ via small group discussions and report out, poster presentation, etc. What does it look like? It is invisible, you cannot see dementia. We may have stereotypes in our heads of people with dementia, but people with dementia come from all walks of life. Who gets dementia? The number one risk factor for dementia is age, but they should understand that dementia can affect people in their 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s, and is not just a disease for old people. http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_early_onset.asp People of color are also at greater risk for developing dementia, with Latinos at 1.5 times the risk and African Americans at twice the risk of Caucasians. This is thought to be due to the higher amount of diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and other health-related risk factors in those populations.

Dementia Facts One out of every eight people over age 65 has Alzheimer’s disease. At age 85, one out of every three people will have it. In Wisconsin in the year 2020 there will be enough people with dementia to fill Lambeau Field and Miller Park. Alzheimer's disease is much more common than most people think.

Family Caregivers 70% of people with dementia are living in the community at home or with family members, not in nursing homes. One out of every four family caregivers are also caring for children under age eighteen. Kids are often helping to provide care. Affirm that those kids in the class that know someone, or may even be living with someone with dementia, that they are not alone and many kids are going through the same thing. Discuss potential teachers or school counselors that are available for kids to talk to about their concerns if they want to talk to someone about what is happening.

Virtual Brain Tour, Part 2 http://www.alz.org/braintour/3_main_parts.asp Review slides 8-16 under Alzheimer’s Disease and the Brain

Most Common Types of Dementia Alzheimer’s Disease Stroke-Related (vascular) Lewy Body Disease Types of dementia The three most common types of dementia include: Alzheimer’s Disease – Most common type of dementia. Common symptoms include memory loss, difficulty in word finding, increased confusion, becoming lost in familiar places, struggling with mental tasks that were formerly easy to do. Vascular (stroke-related) – Symptoms depend upon where in the brain the stroke occurred, and can be very similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Lewy-body dementia – Symptoms include hallucinations, stiffening of arms and legs, increased falls and difficulty in walking.

Dementia Symptoms Difficulty in planning or problem solving Difficulty in completing familiar tasks Confusion with time or place Trouble understanding visual images Getting lost in familiar places Unable to follow conversations or TV shows Trouble coming up with the right words Questions for the kids: How would you feel if these things were happening to you? What would you do? Use Know the Ten Signs sheet as reference

Young Daughter Faces Alzheimer’s Watch the video, ‘My Name is Lisa’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiRHyzjb5SI My name is Lisa video. Skill based lesson attached in .pdf Methods: Group, peer to peer, individual Video discussion questions? What did you notice Lisa’s mother doing? How did Lisa initially respond to her mom’s behaviors? What worried you most about her mom’s behavior? What do you think the future holds for Lisa and her mother?

Changes in Behavior Blaming others for things they can’t remember Withdrawing from social activities and friends Make things up when unable to remember Insist things are true that are not Become angry or upset easily Repeat the same questions over and over Although we cannot look at someone and see that they have dementia, we do notice changes in how they behave. Questions for the kids: What would you do if you knew someone had dementia and was accusing you of taking something that you did not take? What would you do? Would you treat them differently than someone who did not have dementia? What would be different?

Reduce Your Dementia Risk What can you do to reduce your risk of developing dementia? Brainstorm: Pair-Share with a partner or small group.

Answers Exercise Refrain from smoking Wear a helmet Eat a healthy balanced diet Social Engagement Cognitive Stimulation Music and Memory What does that look like? Exercise: Health-related components of fitness (link to video) Diet: Good fats: fish oils, nuts, fruits and vegetables (Mediterranean diet) Avoid sugar! Social Engagement: healthy relationships Cognitive Stimulation: Music, academics, games (board games, card games) and new experiences

Brain Health and Music There are benefits to your brain not only from listening to music, but also playing music. Watch ‘How the Brain Benefits from Playing Music’ https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+playing+music+benefits+your+brain