A registered nurse who is at a genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s has urged people to try a daily key hand movement to try to prevent the horrible disease. Maryann aka @maryann_with_a_plan on TikTok explained: “I am a nurse with a high genetic risk and a family history of Alzheimer’s.” Her account focuses on “brain health and Alzheimer’s and dementia prevention and risk mitigation.” Talking about one key hand movement which can help with coordination, and thus boosting brain health, the nurse urged people to
try this “bilateral coordination exercise drill as this can help prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia”. Experts at the British Gymnastics Foundation have created Love to Move which is the UK’s biggest age and dementia-friendly seated exercise programme, designed specifically for older adults, including those living with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or cognitive impairments. The experts also do bilateral routines and note that this type of exercise helps “stimulate the pathways between neurons in the brain and are what help people with memory and other brain functionality. Many
Love to Move participants have re-gained skills and everyday living functions that they previously thought lost through dementia”. Maryann explained: “I’m using both hands and a coordinated pattern. When you do this, it will help boost memory and focus.” She starts by tapping her thumb and index finger together on one hand, then on the other hand, she taps each of her remaining fingers against her thumb in sequence. After that, you switch hands and repeat the same movement. Don’t panic if you don’t get
the hang of it. She says: “It’s okay if you mess up, a lot of people are like ‘ oh my God, I have it already’. No, that’s not what this means. “It just means your brain is learning a new skill. This is going to boost memory and focus. It’s going to help improve coordination and reaction time. “It’s also going to support neuroplasticity and build and strengthen the neuropathway and help to build cognitive reserve.” Cognitive reserve, according to Harvard Health can indeed
help with dementia. It explains: “The concept of cognitive reserve originated in the late 1980s, when researchers described individuals with no apparent symptoms of dementia who were nonetheless found at autopsy to have brain changes consistent with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. “These individuals did not show symptoms of the disease while they were alive because they had a large enough cognitive reserve to offset the damage and continue to function as usual. “Since then, research has shown that people with greater cognitive reserve are better able
to stave off symptoms of degenerative brain changes associated with dementia or other brain diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or a stroke. “A more robust cognitive reserve can also help you function better for longer if you’re exposed to unexpected life events, such as stress, surgery, or toxins in the environment. Such circumstances demand extra effort from your brain – similar to requiring a car to engage another gear.” The nurse says that this exercise is “not the only thing that will help
to prevent Alzheimer’s” and mentions that there are “prevention pillars” people need to focus on, as while this is great for the brain, there is no guarantee that it will ward off the disease. Listing sleep, a good diet, exercise, and mental stimulation among these pillars, she notes that people need to take care of their bodies and minds. Experts at the Alzheimer’s Society note that “there are things you can do to reduce your own risk of developing dementia. These include keeping active, eating
healthily and exercising your mind”. For a healthier mind and body, which may help prevent dementia and other cognitive diseases, it also suggests: Lowering alcohol intake Doing regular physical activity Quit smoking. “It’s never too late to quit smoking. The earlier you stop, the more brain damage you will avoid.” Stay mentally well and socially active Manage long-term health conditions as “certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, can increase the risk of getting dementia” Protect your eyesight and hearing
– “uncorrected vision loss increases a person’s risk of developing dementia” Protect your head, such as when doing sports The NHS stresses that different types of dementia can affect people differently. But some common early symptoms may appear some time before a diagnosis of dementia. These include: memory loss difficulty concentrating finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word being confused about time and
place mood changes The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include: memory problems, such as regularly forgetting recent events, names and faces asking questions repetitively increasing difficulties with tasks and activities that require organisation and planning becoming confused in unfamiliar environments difficulty finding the right words difficulty with numbers and/or handling money in shops becoming more withdrawn or anxious
Alzheimer’s prevention, brain health, cognitive reserve, dementia risk, bilateral coordination, Maryann TikTok, memory focus