2018_09_03_EDU_ejercicio_cognitivo

"As we age, it takes longer to learn the new information we receive. The area of the hippocampus, closely linked to learning, is the one that is most affected as we advance in adulthood". This is how Germán Jusué Erro, clinical psychologist at the Navarra Health Service, explains why we lose report as the years go by. The expert participates in the summer course "Healthy seniors: giving years to life or giving life to the years?", organized by the University of Navarra and held at Civivox Condestable.

The passage of time coupled with a sedentary lifestyle subject , prone to the onset of cognitive impairment when we reach adulthood. However, the psychologist affirms that the programs of study show that cognitive stimulation is the "best option" to help prevent it.

"It is currently understood as a treatment in which a series of activities are applied that are aimed at maintaining or improving cognitive functioning in general, through structured exercises of report, perception, attention, concentration, language, executive functions (problem solving, planning, reasoning, control ...), etc., through scheduled and structured stimulation sessions. In short, it consists of stimulating and maintaining existing cognitive capacities, with the intention of improving or maintaining them and, very importantly, slowing down the cognitive deterioration that has begun".

Doing word search puzzles is not enough

The expert points out that programs of study "consistently" affirms the existence of risk factors for cognitive decline in old age. However, some of these factors are modifiable: a continuous aerobic activity, such as walking fast 10 km several days a week, "benefits brain health by obtaining a greater blood supply, increases the hippocampus and therefore, the report and learning ability". In addition to exercise, another factor is to pay attention to our per diem expenses.

Likewise, doing a mental activity also financial aid to reduce the risk of this deterioration; however, Jusué stresses that it is necessary that this activity is above all "stimulating" and with a certain level of demand, challenge and novelty. For example, doing word search puzzles is not bad, but it is not enough. A stimulating activity would be, for example, "doing comprehensive reading, enrolling in courses, learning a language, attend to conferences, learning music or playing an instrument, learning the performance of new technologies, writing, etc."

"Society is now better and more aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in adulthood," he says. In this sense, he reiterates the importance not only of continuing to inform about it, but also of promote the Education, the research and the training about the preventable risk factors of aging with deterioration.