The Brain Body Connection:
Staying Vibrant Through Your Golden Years
Joan Sievert, MSW, LCSW, RYT
Flourish Therapy Services, LLC
Brain vs Mind
• This is a central philosophical debate concerning the nature of man
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Mind – Body Connection
• Does our brain exert an influence on our body and vice versa?
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It’s Your Brain, Welcome To It
• Your brain is composed of 100 billion or so neurons (nerve cells) which
are in constant communication with each other in order to process your
bodily functions, sensations, thoughts and emotions.
• The synapse is the point of connection between neurons where
electrical impulses trigger biochemical messengers (neurotransmitters)
to communicate and relay information.
• Intertwined within the neurons is a vast network of blo0d vessels which
bring nutrients and oxygen to the brain tissue. The heart pumps 2025% of its blood to the brain with every beat
• The health of these neurons and vessels is vital to the functioning of
your brain and body.
• Cognitive Decline and Dementias arise out of damage to these vessels
and nerve cells.
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What is Dementia ?
Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by
significant impairment in at least two of the following core
mental functions:
Memory
Communication
Ability to focus or pay attention
Visual Perception
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Alzheimer’s Disease
• Alzheimer’s is marked by inflammation and buildup of amyloid beta
protein plaques and tau protein neurofibrillary tangles which begin in
the hippocampus and spreads to the frontal lobe
• The most important risk factors are advancing age and family history:
Age - After age 65, risk doubles every five years and after age 80, risk
reaches nearly 50%.
Family History – Risk increases if you have a close relative with dementia
– parent, sibling, child. An increased number of family members
increases your risk.
• Alzheimer’s arises from a complex interaction between genes and other
factors, some of which may be modifiable or preventable.
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Common Changes in The Aging Brain
• Reduction in volume and synapses – occurs at all levels from molecules to
larger structure – The volume/weight of the brain decreases 5% per decade
after the age of 40 with a possible increase in this rate of deterioration after
the age of 70. The myelin sheath, which protects nerve cells and facilitates the
impulse transmission, begins deteriorating after age 40.
• Cerebrovascular changes – Your brain is only 2% of your body’s weight, but it
is nourished by a rich network of vessels which bring 20% of your body’s
oxygen and other nutrients to it. Age related deterioration in blood vessels
and the broader cardiovascular system generates damage in the brain
• Decrease in Neurotransmitters – We experience a decrease in Dopamine,
Serotonin and Glutamate, neurotransmitters involved in pleasure, motivation,
mood, social behavior, learning and memory.
• Inflammation - Level of inflammation in the brain increases with age. May
precede the diseased states or as a consequence of neural damage.
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Risk Factors for Dementia
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Cholesterol
• Inactivity
• Smoking
• History of Depression
• Obesity
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Neuroplasticity and Your Aging Brain
• Neuroplasticity = The notion that our adult brains are capable of
change and growth continuously throughout life, responding to
everything we do and every experience we have.
• “Nervous systems have evolved to help us adapt to the environment
and determine the best course of action in any given situation, based
on what has been learned from past experiences. Nervous systems
evolved to change, and so neuroplasticity is an intrinsic and
fundamental property of all nervous systems.” – Moheb Costandi 2016
• We see various kinds of neuroplastic changes in the brain due to injury,
stroke, chronic pain and other insults. How do we create this change as
a preventative to AD and other dementias?
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Neuroplasticity (Continued)
“There is growing evidence that certain activities
and lifestyle choices such as physical exercise, diet
and learning a second language or musical
instrument, may protect against AD and other forms
of dementia.” – Moheb Costandi 2016
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Preventative Factors
• Exercise
• Diet
• Sleep
• Mindfulness Practices/States of FLOW
• Social Interaction/Relationships
• Education & Literacy Level
• Cognitive Reserve
“Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger”
-Mehmet Oz12
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The FINGER Study
• The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and
Disability (Professor Miia Kivipelto ) was the first long-term trial illustrating
that concurrent multidimensional approaches can improve or maintain
cognitive functioning and reduce that risk of cognitive decline.
• 2 year study of 1,260 at risk 60-77 year olds. The intervention group (n=631)
had to participate in meetings and were given comprehensive advice on how
to maintain a healthy diet, a comprehensive exercise program and
management of vascular and metabolic risk factors (physician and nurse). The
control group (n=629) was given traditional health advice.
• Participants in the intervention group scored 25% higher than the control
group on the Neuropsychological Test Battery. In Executive Functioning they
scored 83% higher and in Processing Speed they scored 150% higher. There
were also significant improvements in memory improvement. Researchers
will follow up in 7 years to see if the reduced cognitive decline observed is
followed by diminished levels of dementia and AD.
• The FINGER Study illustrates that addressing multiple modifiable risk factors
may reduce AD risk.
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Exercise and Your Brain
“Only a mobile creature needs a brain. That which we call
thinking is the evolutionary internalization of movement” –
Rodolfo Llinas – 2002
“Exercise releases a cascade of neurochemicals and growth
factors that can reverse the process of shrinkage (in the
brain)… The brain grows with use and withers with
inactivity.” – John J. Ratey, MD -2008
“Exercise cues the building blocks of learning in the brain;
affects mood, anxiety and attention, guards against stress
and reverses some of the effects of aging in the brain.” John J Ratey, MD 2008 – Spark
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Benefits of Exercise
• Strengthens neural connections
• Balances neurotransmitters
• Prevents inflammation
• Fosters neuroplasticity
• Balances insulin levels and makes cells more sensitive to
• Elevates your stress threshold
• Lifts mood which also enhances motivation
• Increases blood flow and improves vascular health
• Slows aging at a cellular level.
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MIND Diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for
Neurodegenerative Delay
• MIND diet = study of 960 older adults who followed the diet
for 9 years. This diet cut the risk of developing AD in half. It
is a combination of the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH
diet. Both diets reduce risk factors related to heart disease
and stroke.
• Key Components = Increased intake of fruits, vegetables,
nuts, legumes, and seafood.
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MIND Diet 10 Foods to Encourage
Encourage :
• Green Leafy Vegetables – 6 or more weekly
• Other Vegetables – One or more per day
• Nuts – 5 or more servings per week
• Berries – 2 or more weekly
• Beans – 3 or more weekly
• Whole Grains – 3 or more daily
• Fish – 1 or more weekly
• Poultry – 2 or more weekly
• Olive Oil – Primary Oil
• Wine – 1 glass daily
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MIND Diet 5 Foods to Limit
Limit:
• Red Meat – Less than 4 weekly
• Butter & Stick Margarine – Less than 1 TB daily
• Cheese – Less than 1 serving weekly
• Pastries & Sweets – Less than 5 weekly
• Fried/Fast Food – Less than one weekly
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The Benefits of Sleep
• Waste Clearance - There is much more rapid clearance of Amyloid Beta in a sleeping
brain vs a waking brain. Recent clinical studies show that worsening sleep quality and
duration were associated with a greater amount of Amyloid Beta build up in the brain.
• Replenishment of Energy Levels – In the initial stages of sleep, energy levels increase
dramatically in areas of the brain that have been active during waking hours. This
energy surge does not occur during wakefulness.
• Neurogenesis – Sleep deprivation can impede the growth of new neurons or cause
abnormal maturation.
• Consolidation of Memory – Memory is acquired and recalled during wakefulness, but
it is consolidated during sleep due to the strengthening of neural connections.
• Restoration – Repairing/healing, replacing and rebuilding in the brain occurs during
sleep.
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Mindfulness
“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying
attention, on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally. It’s about knowing what’s on your mind.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn
“This is the real secret of life – to be completely engaged
with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead
of calling it work, realize it is play.” – Alan Watts
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The Benefits of Mindfulness Practices
Increases the volume of grey matter in different parts of the brain
Reduces the volume of grey matter in the amygdala (worry/ fear)
Tones Vagal Nerve – improves digestion, heart functions, and mood
Decreases the naturally occurring age-related decline in brain cells
Increases attention/focus and spatial/sensory awareness
Combats the tendency towards an automatic stress response,
decreasing cortisol in the system
May change gene expression
Improves sleep
Balances hormones
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Mindfulness Research
• Meditation- A Harvard study showed that 8 weeks of meditation resulted in
an increase in grey matter density in the hippocampus (memory and learning)
and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and
introspection. In addition, there was a reduction in grey matter density in the
amygdala (anxiety and stress).
• Yoga – Studies with yoga practitioners have produced the same results.
Studies also show that yoga can reduce stress hormones and inflammatory
factors as well as increase grey matter in the areas of the brain involved in
pain modulation, attention, the visual cortex and the somatosensory cortex
(processes sensations, proprioception).
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States of FLOW
“Control of consciousness determines the quality of
life…Happiness takes a committed effort to be manifested”
– Mihaly Csikszentmihaly
FLOW, also known as “the zone”. It is characterized by total immersion in and
focus upon an activity to the point of a loss of self awareness, distortion of time,
lack of extraneous thoughts and effortless work. There is a balance between
challenge and skills which holds attention, but does not create anxiety or
boredom or apathy. Performing at a level that is matched with the demands of
the task. States of flow foster a positive mood and may enhance
learning/memory. There is recent research with older adults indicates that they
have the capacity to enter states of flow as well.
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STATE OF FLOW
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Benefits of Social Interaction/Relationships &
Education/Literacy
• Research shows that people who are more socially engaged and
emotionally supported have a lower risk of AD.
• “Life experiences that engage the brain, such as higher educational
attainment in this case, may protect against biological changes in the
brain that underlie Alzheimer’s.” – Ozimoa Okonkwo, JAMA Neurology,
5/26/15
• A high level of education and literacy appears to reduce the risk of AD.
Scientists believe this is due to the fact that learning creates new neural
pathways and therefore increases the “cognitive reserve”.
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The Nun Study
• 1986 - Dr. David Snowden from the University of Minnesota began a
longitudinal study with 678 nuns all over age 75 which lasted over two
decades. This was a homogenous population as far as lifestyle choices such as
diet, drug usage, reproductive histories, housing. The nuns brains were
autopsied upon death. They discovered that for some, despite the presence
of plaques, tangles and brain shrinkage, the nuns had exhibited no signs of the
disease when alive. Why?
• Cognitive Reserve - as a result of formal education level, a high level of
literacy, engagement in regular mentally stimulating activities and strong
social support/interaction the nuns had created more neuronal reserve – an
abundance and redundancy of neural connections which created a back-up of
many connections that remained undamaged. We can become resilient to
Alzheimer’s by creating these undamaged pathways.
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Cognitive Reserve
• Cognitive Reserve refers to the brain’s resistance to damage due to a
larger reserve of neurons or greater efficiency in processing.
• Those with higher education, mentally demanding occupations, higher
literacy levels or mentally challenging leisure activities have a lower risk for
the development of AD.
• Learning a new language is associated with anatomical changes in the brain,
such as an increase in grey matter density in certain areas of the brain. This is
called experience dependent neuroplasticity and is also found with other
activities that involve rigorous long-term training such as art, athletics and
music.
• Exercise, meditation/yoga, good sleep hygiene, and healthy diet all contribute
to protecting neuronal growth and creating cognitive reserve
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Tao Porchon-Lynch
Video of dancing light
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