# data[].attributes.body
These are slides of the presentations by Katharina, Carl and Rikki.

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This is an upcoming event. Pint of Science is a UK wide initiative, where we meet in a local Pub (Red Lion in Egham) and talk about the latest research. The topics this year vary quite a bit from communication over AI to detecting lies.

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Researchers from Royal Holloway share their research with you

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Thank you for joining us today! We'd love to hear your thoughts to help us improve future events.

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AgeWell Cafe: End of Session Questionnaire:

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General information on what to expect as we age

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General information on what to expect as we age

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Wonder what's considered a natural part of the aging process? Here's what to expect as you get older — and what you can do about it.

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Aging: What to expect

Wonder what's considered a normal part of the aging process? Here's what to expect as you get older - and what to do about it.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
You know that aging will likely cause wrinkles and gray hair. But do you know how aging will affect your teeth, heart and sexuality? Find out what changes to expect as you continue aging - and how to promote good health at any age.

Your cardiovascular system

What's happening

The most common change in the cardiovascular system is stiffening of the blood vessels and arteries, causing your heart to work harder to pump blood through them. The heart muscles change to adjust to the increased workload. Your heart rate at rest will stay about the same, but it won't increase during activities as much as it used to. These changes increase the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) and other cardiovascular problems.

What you can do

To promote heart health:

Include physical activity in your daily routine. Try walking, swimming or other activities you enjoy. Regular moderate physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your heart disease risk.

Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods and lean sources of protein, such as fish. Limit foods high in saturated fat and salt.

Don't smoke. Smoking contributes to the hardening of your arteries and increases your blood pressure and heart rate. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit.

Manage stress. Stress can take a toll on your heart. Take steps to reduce stress, such as meditation, exercise or talk therapy.

Get enough sleep. Quality sleep plays an important role in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Aim for seven to nine hours a night.

Your bones, joints and muscles

What's happening

With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength, endurance and flexibility - factors that can affect your coordination, stability and balance.

What you can do

To promote bone, joint and muscle health:

Get adequate amounts of calcium. The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommends at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for adults. The recommendation increases to 1,200 mg daily for women age 51 and older and men age 71 and older. Dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, broccoli, kale, salmon and tofu. If you find it difficult to get enough calcium from your diet, ask your doctor about calcium supplements.

Get adequate amounts of vitamin D. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 600 international units for adults up to age 70 and 800 IU for adults over 70. Many people get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight. Other sources include tuna, salmon, eggs, vitamin D-fortified milk and vitamin D supplements.

Include physical activity in your daily routine. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, tennis, climbing stairs and weight training can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.

Avoid substance abuse. Avoid smoking and limit alcoholic drinks. Ask your doctor about how much alcohol might be safe for your age, sex and general health.

Your digestive system

What's happening

Age-related structural changes in the large intestine can result in more constipation in older adults. Other contributing factors include a lack of exercise, not drinking enough fluids and a low-fiber diet. Medications, such as diuretics and iron supplements, and certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, also might contribute to constipation.

What you can do

To prevent constipation:

Your bladder and urinary tract

What's happening

Your bladder may become less elastic as you age, resulting in the need to urinate more often. Weakening of bladder muscles and pelvic floor muscles may make it difficult for you to empty your bladder completely or cause you to lose bladder control (urinary incontinence). In men, an enlarged or inflamed prostate also can cause difficult emptying the bladder and incontinence.

Other factors that contribute to incontinence include being overweight, nerve damage from diabetes, certain medications, and caffeine or alcohol consumption.

What you can do

To promote bladder and urinary tract health:

Go to the toilet regularly. Consider urinating on a regular schedule, such as every hour. Slowly, extend the amount of time between your toilet trips.

Maintain a healthy weight. If you're overweight, lose excess pounds.

Don't smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit.

Do Kegel exercises. To exercise your pelvic floor muscles (Kegel exercises), squeeze the muscles you would you use to stop passing gas. Try it for three seconds at a time, and then relax for a count of three. Work up to doing the exercise 10 to 15 times in a row, at least three times a day.

Avoid bladder irritants. Caffeine, acidic foods, alcohol and carbonated beverages can make incontinence worse.

Avoid constipation. Eat more fiber and take other steps to avoid constipation, which can worsen incontinence.

Your memory and thinking skills

What's happening

Your brain undergoes changes as you age that may have minor effects on your memory or thinking skills. For example, healthy older adults might forget familiar names or words, or they may find it more difficult to multitask.

What you can do

You can promote cognitive health by taking the following steps:

Include physical activity in your daily routine. Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain. Studies suggest regular exercise is associated with better brain function and reduces stress and depression - factors that affect memory.

Eat a healthy diet. A heart-healthy diet may benefit your brain. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources, such as fish, lean meat and skinless poultry. Too much alcohol can lead to confusion and memory loss.

Stay mentally active. Staying mentally active may help sustain your memory and thinking skills. You can read, play word games, take up a new hobby, take classes, or learn to play an instrument.

Be social. Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, which can contribute to memory loss. You might volunteer at a local school or nonprofit, spend time with family and friends, or attend social events.

Treat cardiovascular disease. Follow your doctor's recommendations to manage cardiovascular risk factors - high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes - that may increase the risk of cognitive decline.

Quit smoking. If you smoke, quitting smoking may help your cognitive health.

If you're concerned about memory loss or other changes in your thinking skills, talk to your doctor.

Your eyes and ears

What's happening

With age, you might have difficulty focusing on objects that are close up. You might become more sensitive to glare and have trouble adapting to different levels of light. Aging also can affect your eye's lens, causing clouded vision (cataracts).

Your hearing also might diminish. You might have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

What you can do

To promote eye and ear health:

Schedule regular checkups. Follow your doctor's advice about glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and other corrective devices.

Take precautions. Wear sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat when you're outdoors, and use earplugs when you're around loud machinery or other loud noises.

Your teeth

What's happening

Your gums might pull back from your teeth. Certain medications, such as those that treat allergies, asthma, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, also can cause dry mouth. As a result, your teeth and gums might become slightly more vulnerable to decay and infection.

What you can do

To promote oral health:

Brush and floss. Brush your teeth twice a day, and clean between your teeth - using regular dental floss or an interdental cleaner - once a day.

Schedule regular checkups. Visit your dentist or dental hygienist for regular dental checkups.

Your skin

What's happening

With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile, and fatty tissue just below the skin decreases. You might notice that you bruise more easily. Decreased production of natural oils might make your skin drier. Wrinkles, age spots and small growths called skin tags are more common.

What you can do

To promote healthy skin:

Your weight

What's happening

How your body burns calories (metabolism) slows down as you age. If you decrease activities as you age, but continue to eat the same as usual, you'll gain weight. To maintain a healthy weight, stay active and eat healthy.

What you can do

To maintain a healthy weight:

Your sexuality

What's happening

With age, sexual needs and performance might change. Illness or medication might affect your ability to enjoy sex. For women, vaginal dryness can make sex uncomfortable. For men, impotence might become a concern. It might take longer to get an erection, and erections might not be as firm as they used to be.

What you can do

To promote your sexual health:

You can't stop the aging process, but you can make choices that improve your ability to maintain an active life, to do the things you enjoy, and to spend time with loved ones.

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Show references

1. Heart health and aging. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/heart-health-and-aging. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

2. Strait JB, et al. Aging-associated cardiovascular changes and their relationship to heart failure. Heart Failure Clinics. 2012;8:143.

3. Sleep deprivation and deficiency. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

4. Osteoporosis overview. NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center. https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/overview. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

5. Physical changes with aging. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/approach-to-the-geriatric-patient/physical-changes-with-aging. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

6. Report brief: Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Report-Brief.aspx. Accessed Oct. 18, 2018.

7. Calcium: Fact sheet for health professionals. National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Oct. 18, 2018.

8. Vitamin D: Fact sheet for health professionals. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Oct. 18, 2018.

9. Concerned about constipation. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/concerned-about-constipation. Oct. 16, 2018.

10. Taffet GE. Normal aging. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

11. Urinary incontinence in older adults. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/urinary-incontinence-older-adults. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

12. Kegel exercises. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kegel-exercises. Accessed Oct. 23, 2018.

13. Forgetfulness: Knowing when to ask for help. National Institute on Aging. https://order.nia.nih.gov/publication/forgetfulness-knowing-when-to-ask-for-help. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

14. Cognitive health and older adults. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults. Accessed Oct. 23, 2018.

15. Aging and your eyes. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-and-your-eyes. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

16. Hearing loss: A common problem with older adults. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

17. Mark AM. Oral health concerns for older adults. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2016;147:156.

18. Skin care and aging. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/skin-care-and-aging. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

19. Maintaining a healthy weight. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/maintaining-healthy-weight. Accessed Oct. 23, 2018.

20. Sexuality in later life. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/sexuality-later-life. Accessed Oct. 16, 2018.

21. Masiero S, et al., eds. Physical activity and sexual function in older people. In: Rehabilitation Medicine for Elderly Patients. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG; 2018.

22. Brain basics: Understanding sleep. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2018.

See more In-depth

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Understand the natural changes that come with aging.

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RNID is the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and provides a general overview of age-related hearing loss and other types of hearing loss.

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We are RNID: the national charity supporting more than 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.

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This is a free online hearing check provided by the RNID

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Check your hearing in 3 minutes. Our free, easy, reliable and independent online hearing test will tell you how well you’re hearing

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This is a resource provided by the NHS on hearing loss.

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you have sudden hearing loss in 1 or both ears

your hearing has been getting worse over the last few days or weeks

you have hearing loss along with other symptoms, such as earache or discharge coming out of the ear

It might not be anything serious, but it's best to get help as it may need to be treated quickly.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

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Find out about the common signs and causes of hearing loss, when to get medical help and how hearing loss is treated.

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This is the official website of the British Menopause Society. It has a lot of information and links to the Women's Health concern website that provides information and fact sheets on different menopause symptoms: https://www.womens-health-concern.org/

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For healthcare professionals The British Menopause Society (BMS) is the specialist authority for menopause and post reproductive health in the UK. Established in 1989, the BMS educates, informs and guides healthcare professionals, working in both primary and secondary care, on menopause and all aspects of post reproductive health.

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Here you can find more information about the work on hearing and age-related hearing loss, led by Anna-Katharina Bauer

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This guide explains what tinnitus is (ringing in the ears) and offers simple ways to manage it

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Here you can find information on hearing aids, different type of hearing aids and how to get a hearing aid.

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If you’ve been diagnosed with hearing loss, hearing aids could help you to hear better and communicate more confidently.

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Find out about the link between hearing and brain health, and what you can do to look after both

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Learn about the link between hearing loss and dementia as well as how to manage hearing loss.

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This is an app that provides auditory training to improve listening skills over time.

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1 in 6 people of working age can benefit from better hearing*

* whether or not they know it

But ear gym isn't just for those with hearing loss.

It's for anyone who wants to:

​

Improve clarity in noisy settings: Understand conversations in restaurants, meetings, and social gatherings;

Enhance focus and attention: Reduce auditory fatigue and stay mentally sharp;

Maintain cognitive health: Auditory training stimulates neural pathways, supporting brain function as you age;

Proactively safeguard your hearing: Build resilience against future auditory challenges.

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eargym: Auditory Training for Hearing Loss

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Train your brain to hear with eargym. For hearing loss or clarity, our free app enhances speech and focus through auditory training.

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A guide written by the British Menopause Society to what menopause is and the changes it can bring

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This is a fact sheet by the British Menopause Society that explains what HRT is and how it can help with menopause symptoms

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BMS explain how menopause can affect women from different backgrounds in different ways

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Women's Health Concern: Resources & Fact Sheets

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Women's Health Concern: Resources & Fact Sheets

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Useful links for more information and support on menopause

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WHC factsheets and other helpful resources

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A range of detailed factsheets providing information and advice on gynaecological, sexual and post reproductive health issues. The factsheets can be downloaded in PDF format or printed directly from the website.Links to other trusted websites and resources are also provided.

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A relaxed place to chat about menopause and hear from others going through similar experiences

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The aim of this leaflet is to provide you with a summary of information about some of the common causes of memory loss related to ageing and various health conditions. If you are worried that your memory or cognitive (thinking) difficulties are occurring frequently and impacting on your daily life, we suggest that you contact your GP to be assessed.

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An article that distinguishes the differences between normal ageing and dementia, symptoms, risk factors, maintaining your brain and links to other resources.

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Some changes in thinking are considered a normal part of the aging process. We develop many cognitive abilities that appear to peak around age 30 and, on average, decline very subtly with age. These age-related declines most commonly include overall slowness in thinking and difficulties sustaining attention, multitasking, holding information in mind, and word-finding. Research indicates that age-related changes in brain structures, such as decreased hippocampal, frontal, and temporal lobe volumes, are common aspects of aging that contribute to some cognitive changes.

However, not all thinking abilities decline with age. In fact, vocabulary, reading, and verbal reasoning remain unchanged or even improve with age.

Normal Aging vs. Dementia

While mild cognitive changes are considered a normal part of the aging process, is not. Normal age-related declines are subtle and mostly affect thinking speed and attention. In abnormal aging, declines in cognition are more severe and may include other thinking abilities, such as rapid forgetting or difficulties navigating, solving common problems, expressing oneself in conversation, or behaving outside social rules. Abnormal aging can also affect the motor system, leading to excessive tripping, falls, or tremor. Often, it is difficult to determine exactly when a person should be concerned with cognitive changes they may be experiencing. Symptoms vary from person to person - what is normal for one person may not be normal for another. This contributes to the challenges clinicians face when determining whether what someone is experiencing is a significant decline for them or within normal expectations.

Abnormal Aging: Mild Cognitive Impairment vs. Dementia

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia are broad terms that indicate that there is a decline in cognition greater than would be expected for that person's age, education, or development. MCI means that cognitive decline does not affect the person's ability to carry out everyday tasks (e.g., shopping, cooking, driving), whereas indicates that those cognitive difficulties are affecting the person's ability to complete everyday tasks. The terms MCI and dementia only tell us the severity of the problem but not the cause; some of the most common causes of MCI and dementia are Alzheimer's disease, vascular disease, frontotemporal degeneration, and Lewy body disease.

Symptoms to Watch For

Getting lost in familiar places

Repetitive questioning

Odd or inappropriate behaviors

Forgetfulness of recent events

Repeated falls or loss of balance

Personality changes

Decline in planning and organization

Changes in diet/eating habits

Changes in hygiene

Increased apathy

Changes in language abilities, including comprehension

The progression of cognitive deficits observed in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease may be accelerated in the few years immediately preceding the diagnosis. Accelerated cognitive decline may not occur until events, such as a life stressor or another illness (e.g., pneumonia), reach a threshold at which the brain can no longer compensate for damage. Thus, it is important to get regular medical check-ups to monitor the extent and severity of cognitive decline. Independent living should not be compromised during normal aging, unlike the transition to a neurodegenerative condition.

Risk Factors for Cognitive Decline

There are several risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia. Research suggests approximately 50% of Alzheimer's disease cases may be related to these modifiable risk factors:

1. Type 2 diabetes

2. High blood pressure

3. Midlife obesity

4. Smoking

5. Depression

6. Little or no mental activity

7. Little or no physical exercise

Maintaining Your Brain

Research suggests that a combination of good nutrition, physical activity, and mental and social engagement may promote brain health.

Stay away from smoking.

Exercise at a moderately high level of physical activity. Exercise facilitates the delivery of oxygen and growth factors to the brain and helps modulate the brain's immune responses.

Get routine medical care. Illnesses in your body affect your brain's ability to function optimally.

Maintain excellent cardiovascular health (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol levels). What's good for the heart is good for the brain!

Build social support networks to reduce stress, challenge your brain, and share the aging process with others who are experiencing the same changes and joys of entering the latter years of life.

Keep doing the activities that challenge you and that you enjoy for as long as possible. Trying new activities may be a great way to challenge your brain to make new brain connections. Gardening, playing bridge, walking, reading, or other activities that are complicated enough to involve your mind but don't add stress to your life are great examples.

Maintain a healthy diet. Plan your meals around your vegetables and then fill in with other foods. Otherwise, as a general plan, eat a variety of foods as close to their natural state as possible.

While it is important to remain vigilant about maintaining good health, it is equally important to acknowledge that there are individual differences during the aging process. You should discuss any concerns you may have with a healthcare professional.

Resources

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Some changes in thinking are considered a normal part of the aging process. We develop many cognitive abilities that appear to peak around age 30 and, on average, decline very subtly with age. These age-related declines most commonly include overall slowness in thinking and difficulties sustaining attention, multitasking, holding information in mind, and word-finding.

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How we discovered that brain connections shape memory

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How we discovered that brain connections shape memory

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A summary of our article, which shows how the brain connections might shape how we remember events from our lives.

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Reliving and sharing our personal past is part of what makes us human. It creates a sense of who we are, allows us to plan for the future and helps us form relationships. But we don't all remember our past in the same way. In fact, the nature and quality of memory differs considerably between people.

For instance, when asked to remember something about a party, one person might describe vividly their sixth birthday: how the gifts were laid out, the sweet, chocolatey taste of the hedgehog cake and going to bed really late. Another person might not recall this precise detail, but remember that their aunt despised parties and that hedgehog cakes were massive in the 80s.

So, our personal memories contain different types of information. Some of this is very specific about when and where things happened - and what it felt like. This collection of personal experiences is known as "episodic memory". Other bits are general facts about the world, ourselves and the people we know. This is called "semantic memory". A big question in neuroscience is whether these two memory types involve distinct parts of the brain.

Individuals who have suffered damage to a region called the hippocampus (involved in memory, learning and emotion) have been found to remember facts about their lives but lack the high-resolution, episodic detail. On the other hand, patients with a rare form of dementia, known as semantic dementia, can remember episodic information, but not the facts that glue it all together. Intriguingly, these individuals show early degeneration of another part of the brain called the anterior temporal lobe (thought to be critical for semantic memory).

Networks versus areas

But can we see a similar distinction in the healthy brain? As reflecting on our past is highly complex, it seems likely that different brain regions must work together to achieve it. And studies using functional MRI have shown that personal memories activate large networks in the brain.

So it appears that memory cannot be boiled down to one or two particular brain areas. We have to think more widely than that. The brain itself is made up of both grey and white tissue. The white part, known as "white matter", contains fibres that allow information to travel between different areas of the brain. So could these connections themselves predict how we remember?

In our latest study, published in the journal Cortex, we explored this question by using a brain scanning technique known as diffusion MRI. This method uses the movement of water molecules to map out the brain's white matter pathways.

We asked 27 college-aged volunteers to lie still in the scanner as we collected images of their brains. Using these images we could identify specific pathways and pull out measures their structure - indicating how efficiently information can travel between connected regions.

Carl Hodgetts/Cardiff University

Outside the scanner, each volunteer was asked to describe memories from their past in response to cue words, such as "party" or "holiday". By going through and painstakingly coding each memory, we could work out how "episodic" and "semantic" each person's memory was. For instance, precise spatial statements would count toward the episodic score ("The Eiffel Tower was directly behind us"), and facts would count toward the semantic score ("Paris is my sister's favourite city").

We found that the amount of rich, episodic detail that volunteers remembered was related to the connectivity of an arch-shaped white matter pathway called the fornix, which links to the hippocampus. So, the more efficiently the fornix can relay information from the hippocampus to surrounding regions, the more episodic someone's memory is.

Carl Hodgetts/Cardiff University

A different white matter pathway - catchily named the inferior longitudinal fasciculus  - strongly predicted how semantic people's memories were. Interestingly, this long bundle of white matter is the major route from visual parts of the brain to the anterior temporal lobe  - the same region that is affected in cases of semantic dementia.

Wired for memory

These findings suggest that differences in how we each remember our past are reflected in how our brains are wired. Historically, neuroscience has tended to see brain regions as singletons, working alone. These results suggest the alternative: that links between regions - and the networks they form - are critical for how we think and behave.

Our finding also supports the idea that there are separate memory "systems" in the brain. One for reliving time and place and another for pulling in general knowledge and personal facts.

Bojan Milinkov/Shutterstock

Could these findings help people with memory problems? Not yet, but working out how memory works in healthy people may eventually help us understand exactly what goes wrong in the brain when we get diseases like Alzheimer's - and help us treat it. For instance, people with damage to the "episodic" network, such as those with early Alzheimer's disease, may benefit from semantic memory strategies to compensate. A recent study found that cuing memories with physical objects led to better episodic memory in people with Alzheimer's.

There's plenty we still don't know about the brain's white matter. A number of properties can affect how information travels along it, such as the density of fibres. In the future, we can use new and powerful scanning techniques to uncover the parts of white matter that drive these fascinating effects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How we discovered that brain connections shape memories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Neuroscientists have struggled to explain whether certain types of memory involve distinct parts of the brain. Now a study suggests it's mainly down to pathways in the brain's white matter.

# data[].attributes.body
This article distinguishes the differences between age-related memory loss or dementia.

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What’s the difference between dementia and age-related memory loss? Read our article by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Justin Sauer to find out more.

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Here are seven different ways to try and help and improve memory.

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Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory

Try these simple ways to improve your memory.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Can't find your car keys? Forget your grocery list? Can't remember the name of the personal trainer you liked at the gym? You're not alone. Everyone forgets things occasionally. Still, memory loss is nothing to take lightly.

Although there are no guarantees when it comes to preventing memory loss or dementia, certain activities might help. Consider seven simple ways to sharpen your memory - and know when to seek help for memory loss.

1. Include physical activity in your daily routine

Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain. This might help keep your memory sharp.

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, such as jogging - preferably spread throughout the week. If you don't have time for a full workout, squeeze in a few 10-minute walks throughout the day.

2. Stay mentally active

Just as physical activity helps keep your body in shape, mentally stimulating activities help keep your brain in shape - and might keep memory loss at bay. Do crossword puzzles. Play bridge. Take alternate routes when driving. Learn to play a musical instrument. Volunteer at a local school or community organization.

3. Socialize regularly

Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, both of which can contribute to memory loss. Look for opportunities to get together with loved ones, friends and others - especially if you live alone.

4. Get organized

You're more likely to forget things if your home is cluttered and your notes are in disarray. Jot down tasks, appointments and other events in a special notebook, calendar or electronic planner.

You might even repeat each entry out loud as you jot it down to help cement it in your memory. Keep to-do lists current and check off items you've completed. Set aside a place for your wallet, keys, glasses and other essentials.

Limit distractions and don't do too many things at once. If you focus on the information that you're trying to retain, you're more likely to recall it later. It might also help to connect what you're trying to retain to a favorite song or another familiar concept.

5. Sleep well

Sleep plays an important role in helping you consolidate your memories, so you can recall them down the road. Make getting enough sleep a priority. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a day.

6. Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet might be as good for your brain as it is for your heart. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources, such as fish, beans and skinless poultry. What you drink counts, too. Too much alcohol can lead to confusion and memory loss. So can drug use.

7. Manage chronic conditions

Follow your doctor's treatment recommendations for medical conditions, such as depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and hearing loss. The better you take care of yourself, the better your memory is likely to be. In addition, review your medications with your doctor regularly. Various medications can affect memory.

When to seek help for memory loss

If you're worried about memory loss - especially if memory loss affects your ability to complete your usual daily activities or if you notice your memory getting worse - talk to your doctor. He or she will likely do a physical exam, as well as check your memory and problem-solving skills.

Sometimes other tests are needed as well. Treatment will depend on what's contributing to your memory loss.

Show references

See more In-depth

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Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory

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Try these simple ways to improve your memory. By Mayo Clinic Staff Can't find your car keys? Forget your grocery list? Can't remember the name of the personal trainer you liked at the gym? You're not alone. Everyone forgets things occasionally. Still, memory loss is nothing to take lightly.

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Article on hearing loss, cognition and menopause

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Article on hearing loss, cognition and menopause

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This is a recent article that explores the relationship between hearing loss, menopause and cognition and their possible interactions.

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An article which provides guidence for seeking help for memory loss.

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Memory loss: When to seek help

A number of conditions - not only Alzheimer's disease - can cause memory loss in older adults. Getting a prompt diagnosis and appropriate care is important.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Everyone forgets things at times. How often have you misplaced your car keys or forgotten the name of a person you just met?

Some degree of memory problems, as well as a modest decline in other thinking skills, is a fairly common part of aging. There's a difference, however, between normal changes in memory and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. And some memory problems are the result of treatable conditions.

If you're having memory problems, talk to your doctor to get a diagnosis and appropriate care.

Memory loss and aging

Normal age-related memory loss doesn't prevent you from living a full, productive life. For example, you might occasionally forget a person's name, but recall it later in the day. You might misplace your glasses sometimes. Or maybe you need to make lists more often than in the past to remember appointments or tasks.

These changes in memory are generally manageable and don't disrupt your ability to work, live independently or maintain a social life.

Memory loss and dementia

The word "dementia" is an umbrella term used to describe a set of symptoms, including impairment in memory, reasoning, judgment, language and other thinking skills. Dementia usually begins gradually, worsens over time and impairs a person's abilities in work, social interactions and relationships.

Often, memory loss that disrupts your life is one of the first or more-recognizable signs of dementia. Other early signs might include:

Asking the same questions repeatedly

Forgetting common words when speaking

Mixing words up - saying "bed" instead of "table," for example

Taking longer to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe

Misplacing items in inappropriate places, such as putting a wallet in a kitchen drawer

Getting lost while walking or driving in a familiar area

Having changes in mood or behavior for no apparent reason

Diseases that cause progressive damage to the brain - and consequently result in dementia - include:

Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia

Vascular dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Lewy body dementia

The disease process (pathology) of each of these conditions differs somewhat. Memory impairment isn't always the first sign, and the type of memory problems varies. It's also possible to have more than one type of dementia, known as mixed dementia.

Mild cognitive impairment

This involves a notable decline in at least one area of thinking skills, such as memory, that's greater than the changes of aging and less than those of dementia. Having mild cognitive impairment doesn't prevent you from performing everyday tasks and being socially engaged.

Researchers and physicians are still learning about mild cognitive impairment. For many people, the condition eventually progresses to dementia due to Alzheimer's disease or another disorder causing dementia.

Other people's memory loss doesn't progress much, and they don't develop the spectrum of symptoms associated with dementia.

Reversible causes of memory loss

Many medical problems can cause memory loss or other dementia-like symptoms. Most of these conditions can be treated. Your doctor can screen you for conditions that cause reversible memory impairment.

Possible causes of reversible memory loss include:

Medications. Certain medications or a combination of medications can cause forgetfulness or confusion.

Minor head trauma or injury. A head injury from a fall or accident - even if you don't lose consciousness - can cause memory problems.

Emotional disorders. Stress, anxiety or depression can cause forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty concentrating and other problems that disrupt daily activities.

Alcoholism. Chronic alcoholism can seriously impair mental abilities. Alcohol can also cause memory loss by interacting with medications.

Vitamin B-12 deficiency. Vitamin B-12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. A vitamin B-12 deficiency - common in older adults - can cause memory problems.

Hypothyroidism. An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can result in forgetfulness and other thinking problems.

Brain diseases. A tumor or infection in the brain can cause memory problems or other dementia-like symptoms.

When to see your doctor

If you're concerned about memory loss, see your doctor. There are tests to determine the degree of memory impairment and diagnose the cause.

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions. It's good to have a family member or friend along to answer some questions based on observations. Questions might include:

When did your memory problems begin?

What medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements, do you take and in what doses?

Have you recently started a new drug?

What tasks do you find difficult?

What have you done to cope with memory problems?

How much alcohol do you drink?

Have you recently been in an accident, fallen or injured your head?

Have you recently been sick?

Do you feel sad, depressed or anxious?

Have you recently had a major loss, a major change or stressful event in your life?

In addition to a general physical exam, your doctor will likely conduct question-and-answer tests to judge your memory and other thinking skills. He or she may also order blood tests and brain-imaging tests that can help identify reversible causes of memory problems and dementia-like symptoms.

You might be referred to a specialist in diagnosing dementia or memory disorders, such as a neurologist, psychiatrist, psychologist or geriatrician.

The importance of a diagnosis

Coming to terms with memory loss and the possible onset of dementia can be difficult. Some people try to hide memory problems, and some family members or friends compensate for a person's loss of memory, sometimes without being aware of how much they've adapted to the impairment.

Getting a prompt diagnosis is important, even if it's challenging. Identifying a reversible cause of memory impairment enables you to get appropriate treatment. Also, an early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder is beneficial because you can:

Begin treatments to manage symptoms

Educate yourself and loved ones about the disease

Determine future care preferences

Identify care facilities or at-home care options

Settle financial or legal matters

Your doctor can help you identify community resources and organizations, such as the Alzheimer's Association, to help you cope with memory loss and other dementia symptoms.

Show references

See more In-depth

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When you should seek help for memory loss

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A number of conditions - not only Alzheimer's disease - can cause memory loss in older adults. Getting a prompt diagnosis and appropriate care is important. By Mayo Clinic Staff Everyone forgets things at times. How often have you misplaced your car keys or forgotten the name of a person you just met?

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Book: The Evolutionary Road to Human Memory

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Book: The Evolutionary Road to Human Memory

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Elisabeth A. Murray, Steven P. Wise, Mary Kelly Lorene Baldwin, Kim S. Graham

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We tend to think about memory in terms of the human experience, neglecting the fact that we can trace a direct line of descent from the earliest vertebrates to

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Here you can find information about the work being done in the Connected Memory Lab, led by Carl Hodgetts

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Connected Memory Lab | Carl Hodgetts | Royal Holloway, United Kingdom

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In the Connected Memory Lab we use experimental psychology methods and advanced brain imaging to explore how we remember and navigate the world around us.

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Here you can find more information on ongoing research into menopause and brain health, led by Rikki Lissaman

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I am a Lecturer in Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. I received my PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from Cardiff University in 2021. Shortly therafter, I moved to McGill University (Montreal, Canada) to undertake a postdoctoral position with Professor M. Natasha Rajah. During this period, I received a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). I joined Royal Holloway in August 2025, where I am now seeking to expand my research on the cognitive neuroscience of ageing.

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A story into one the most fascinating amnesic patients - and how he shaped our understanding of human memory

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Permanent Present Tense: The man with no memory, and what he taught the world

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The man with no memory, and what he taught the world

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Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters

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Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters

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This World Menopause Day we're getting out and about!

Join us in Kensington Gardens on18th October for our first-ever Menopause Mandate Walk in the Park.

Come with your friends, colleagues, partner or children. Starting at The Albert Memorial with an entertaining warm-up at 3pm, we have a 2k and 5k circuit for you to choose from, and it's a walk and talk, not a race!

Many of our wonderful patrons, experts and ambassadors will be walking as well, on what promises to be a fantastic afternoon of support, friendship and story sharing.

New podcast The Heat Seat, which launches on the 5th October, brings together the patrons, experts and ambassadors behind the fantastic campaign that is Menopause Mandate.

From menstruation, fertility and menopause the podcast explores how women, such as Mariella Frostrup, Lisa Snowdon and Emma Kennedy dealt with the lows that life has thrown, gained their female health knowledge, and found the path to the influential roles they're now in.

We're demanding that peri/menopause be included in the NHS over 40s health check in order that women are made aware of it.

It seems beyond short-sighted not to mention the subject at this time, when many women are already experiencing symptoms and others are on the cusp of doing so.

The effects of ignorance are incredibly damaging and, as we know, can lead to years of suffering, job loss, broken relationships, and worse.

Women need to be supported right now. Not after a consultation period, not after proposals have been kicked around for a year or more, not as a tick in the box and a pat on the head, and definitely not when a male-dominated government decides they might do something.

We are working for a change NOW.

This time last year we had our inaugural gathering at the Houses of Parliament. Since then, we've gained thousands of supporters, launched a hotline, published a book and held a rally, as well as communicating widely on telly, radio, in the press and on social media about menopause.

On Tuesday 25th April we returned to the Houses of Parliament to celebrate our first birthday and share all the latest news...

The HOT 100!

To celebrate the introduction of the single prescription charge, we have created a Spotify playlist that reads as a story. The Menopause Mix: Hot 100 is an eclectic Spotify playlist of 100 song titles, including hits by Rod Stewart, Peter Gabriel, Adele, The Spice Girls and Jay-Z. Some you'll know, some are more...unusual. And when you read the 100 titles in order, the whole thing adds up to a clever and hilarious narrative of many of the dozens of symptoms that can hit during the menopause.

Be sure to listen and share!

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It's time for change. Join the menocause!

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The language and social network lab, led by Shiri Lev-Ari is currently working on a project on ageing and communication skills. You can contact them, if you would like to know more.

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Our research approaches language from a social networks perspective. We show how individuals’ social network structure influences how good individuals are at understanding others and at expressing themselves. We also examine whether one of the reasons that languages differ from each other is because they are spoken by communities with differnet social structures. We examine … Continue reading HOME →

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If you like to know more about research on fitness, health and rehabilitation in older age.

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Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, PhD, University of Birmingham