Protein Shakes for the Brain
by Michel Noir Ph. D. & Bernard Croisile, M.D., Ph. D.

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Increasingly, scientific evidence tells us that our minds don’t
have to deteriorate as we age—there are things we can do now
to dramatically increase the probability of staying mentally and
physically fit throughout our lives. This is good news indeed,
because mental fitness and agility are so directly connected to
a good quality of life. Physical exercise, good nutrition, social
connection with others, and mental stimulation all play important
parts in ensuring that our brains remain sharp and agile.
Over the past 25 years, scientists and physicians affiliated with
medical schools and universities all over the world have followed
and tested large groups of people to try to understand why some
people stay mentally sharp over the span of their lives and other
people don’t. As a result, we now have a significant body of
scientific research in an area called “cognitive reserve.” Cognitive
reserve involves the brain’s ability to create new neural pathways
and connections that can be used as a mental savings account, a
reserve to be drawn upon in times of need. The research supports
the hypothesis that many people continue to operate at a high
mental level throughout their lives by building these brain reserves.
Several studies support the hypothesis of cognitive reserve and
reinforce the importance of good physical health in keeping the
brain fit. One such study is the famous Nun’s Study described in
Aging with Grace, in which Dr. David Snowdon, a neurologist, and
his colleagues followed 700 nuns over more than 20 years. Two
extremely important findings have come out of this study: first,
there is a link between vascular episodes, such as stroke and heart
attack, and Alzheimer’s and dementia; and second, stimulating
intellectual activity can provide protection from many types of
cognitive decline.
Other ongoing studies have come to similar conclusions. The
Bronx Aging Study, led by neurologist Dr. Joe Verghese and
published in The New England Journal of Medicine, has followed
almost 500 people for more than 20 years, observing what they
actually do in their lives and what the relationship is between these
choices and brain health. The research has found that people who
participated in mentally stimulating activities, such as interactive
games and dancing, four times a week had a 65 to 75 percent better
probability of remaining sharp than those who did not participate
in these activities.
Dr. David Bennett at Rush University Medical Center has recently
come to the same conclusion after following more than 2,000 people
for years. Over time, 134 people died. None of them had been
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or even mild cognitive decline. But 36
percent of them had the severe tangles and plaques of Alzheimer’s.
This positive news reinforces the “use it or lose it” philosophy;
these people had built up enough brain reserves to show no clinical
signs of disease, meaning they still exhibited good thinking skills.
We encourage you to challenge yourself to learn at every
opportunity by learning a new language or a new musical
instrument or new and more complex tunes with an old one,
reading, dancing, or taking a class. These are all effective tools to
keep your mind sharp. But sometimes your brain needs a quick
shot in the arm, a quick burst of energy—that’s why we developed
Protein Shakes for the Brain. Doing the puzzles in this book is a
quick and easy way to give your mind’s muscle a little boost and
keep those neural pathways growing.


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