http://issue9.tmmagazine.org/slowing-the-aging-process.html
Why Our Brains Age—and
How to Slow the Aging Process
By Linda Egenes
Alarik Arenander, Ph.D., is Director of the Brain Research
Institute and an expert in the neurobiology of brain development and
mind-body health. He has conducted pioneering research at the University
of California at Los Angeles, Penn State University at Hershey,
University of Wisconsin at Madison, and Maharishi University of
Management in Iowa. Here Enlightenment
asks him to share his knowledge about brain physiology and how to keep our brains healthy as we age.
Enlightenment: Is there a relationship between stress and aging?
Dr. Alarik Arenander: Yes. Stress is a major source
of disorder in brain functioning. In particular, the prefrontal cortex
of the brain is very sensitive to stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, and
substance abuse—all of which severely reduce its ability to function
properly. Stress and fatigue cause the prefrontal cortex to go
“offline.”
Aging is a process—a progressive disconnect or loss of order in the physiological and psychological systems…
Aging is a progressive dysfunction that starts even in 20- or
30-year-olds, accumulates with time, and morphs into disorders of
bodily, mental, and behavioral function.
This is important because the prefrontal cortex is considered the
“CEO” of the brain. It regulates judgment, planning, problem solving,
decision making, moral reasoning, and sense of self—really important
functions! And guess what? Research reveals that this key orchestrator
of brain function increasingly goes offline with age, especially in
people with Alzheimer’s.
So, yes, stress is a factor in aging and definitely impacts in a
negative way the brain’s main control unit, the prefrontal cortex. And
as we know, the Transcendental Meditation technique has been shown to
reduce stress better than any other stress-reduction technique
available, in part by creating remarkably high levels of brain coherence
in this region and across the whole brain.
Enlightenment: How would you define aging, and when does it start?
Dr. Alarik Arenander: Aging is a progressive
disconnect or loss of order within the body and mind. What people don’t
realize is that the key markers for aging start as early as the third
decade of life. By the time a person in their 60s or 70s approaches
their doctor to discuss a concern about memory and thinking, the
underlying aging process may have already been going on for 40 or 50
years.
So aging is a process that starts even in 20- or 30-year-olds, that
accumulates with time, and morphs into disorders of the body, mind, and
behavior.
Enlightenment: Are there known causes of dementia or Alzheimer’s?
Dr. Arenander: Age is the biggest risk factor or
determinant for dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common
type of dementia. By the time a person reaches 80 years of age, they
have a 50 percent chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. This is
not a good outlook.
Risk factors for Alzheimer’s [besides age] include genetics, the
quality of education, the quality of the work environment, diet, chronic
disease, environmental toxins, substance abuse, and
how many times you’ve hit your head.
Other risk factors include genetics, the quality of education, their
work environment, diet, chronic disease, environmental toxins, and
substance abuse. And let’s not forget how many times you’ve hit your
head. Brain trauma is an important cause of Alzheimer’s later in life.
That’s why it is so important to wear a helmet when you ride your
bicycle. You only get one brain, and all these risk factors add up to
build a case for or against whether you get dementia or Alzheimer’s.
One important note here is that with the exception of age, most known
risk factors are things we actually have control over. In fact, it’s
possible to be 80, 90, or even 100 years of age, and to function as well
as a college student. Research suggests that the brains of these highly
functional elderly people are more orderly than less functional elderly
individuals. The famous Alzheimer’s study of nuns documented that those
with more complex cognitive functioning, or orderliness, early in their
life had a better quality of life later on.
As we age, we need to create more order in the brain. Order refers to
the intelligent flow of information. You could think of disorder as
“noise” in the brain, and order as the “signal” in the brain. So, when
the ratio of signal-to-noise decreases as a part of the aging process,
thinking can become confused and memory fails. So we want to strengthen
the signal, the order, while doing what we can to reduce the noise or
disorder.
Most risk factors introduce disorder into the physiology, and this is
something we can try to prevent or reduce. Unfortunately, very few
people introduce
order into their lives in an effective way.
Most people’s diet and lifestyle, for example, do not add order. In
fact, they actually decrease order.
With more order in the brain system, the impact of risk factors for
aging and Alzheimer’s are greatly reduced. If you have a way to instill
more order in your brain, you can hold off, prevent, or even fix
cognitive loss, which correlates with loss of brain functioning. That’s
where the practice of the TM
® technique becomes very helpful.
With the exception of age, most known risk factors are things we
have control over. In fact, it’s possible to be elderly—80, 90, or 100
years of age—and to function as well as a college student.
Enlightenment: What does science tell us are the main ways
to create and maintain orderliness in the brain as we approach our 50s
and 60s? Is there any research on this?
Dr. Arenander: Most research focuses
on introducing various forms of orderliness into the brain physiology
and the body. For example, easily walking a few miles each day can have a
positive effect on brain function in aging individuals. Also,
exercising our mental functions such as memory and sensory and motor
activities can lead to improved performance in these specific areas.
Software is available that has some good effects. Challenging cognitive
activity can be helpful as well—taking on new projects, taking classes,
doing crossword puzzles, learning a new language, etc.
Since aging is associated with increased inflammation, foods that
offer anti-inflammatory phytonutrients are an important part of an
anti-aging diet. These foods include most fruits and vegetables of
color. Who doesn’t like blueberries or strawberries? Most blue, purple,
and red foods yield significant antioxidant activity, besides tasting
good. Of course, one needs to buy them organically. Otherwise, these
same foods can carry high loads of toxic agricultural chemicals.
You can also exercise your emotions by staying socially active.
Higher levels of social engagement appear to have some protective
effect.
You could think of disorder as “noise” in the brain. So, when the
ratio of signal-to-noise decreases in the aging process, the thinking
becomes confused and memory fails. So we want to strengthen the signal,
or order, while doing what
we can to reduce the noise, or disorder.
But science would argue that the most important category is rest—that
is, some means of naturally bringing about greater degrees of
orderliness. With age, sleep can become shortened and fragmented. Most
individuals are sleep deprived from an early age and never allow the
brain to benefit from the nourishing value of a full night’s sleep.
Adequate nighttime sleep is important.
Research supports the idea that even sleep is not enough. We need to
experience a more concentrated and enlivening form of rest. That’s why I
recommend that individuals who wish to optimize the aging process begin
to meditate. Decades of research on the practice of the Transcendental
Meditation technique indicate that every risk factor, perhaps even the
main risk factor of age itself, can be positively influenced by the
practice of this simple, enjoyable meditation.
For example, the twice-daily routine of meditation can significantly
lower one’s biological age. You could be 60 years old but play tennis
like a 45-year-old. Research also shows that individuals who practice
the Transcendental Meditation technique live longer on average and have
less chronic illness—that is, they experience a longer and better
quality of life than individuals who do not practice the technique.
Enlightenment: How can Transcendental Meditation practice accomplish all these benefits for the aging process?
Dr. Arenander: A key finding of brain research is
that with age, the orderliness of brain functioning is progressively
lost. Brain orderliness, as measured by coherence of the electrical
waves in the brain, is a powerful indicator of how orderly the brain’s
100 billion cells are. When different parts of the brain start to
function in better alignment, or in phase with each other, it is
possible to quantify the level of integration in rhythmic, orderly wave
patterns. This is called
brainwave coherence, and it correlates strongly with improved mental functioning and improved aging.
Decades of research on the practice of the Transcendental Meditation
technique indicate that every risk factor, perhaps even the main risk
factor of age, can be positively influenced by the practice
of this simple, enjoyable meditation.
A number of good studies have shown that meditation, specifically the
TM practice, can create remarkable levels of brain wave coherence. My
own research shows that brainwave coherence increases quickly when one
learns this simple technique—and continues to develop in the brain even
during dynamic activity. This finding is important for a couple of
reasons.
Firstly, research shows that with a tool like the TM technique, we
don't have to lead a life of mental deterioration. The brain has
flexibility and growth opportunities at any age. Just because we are
getting older doesn't mean we have to move in the direction of senility
or dementia; the research clearly indicates that there are ways to
generate more orderly functioning in the brain.
More importantly, the increase in brainwave coherence
during
TM practice extends into waking activity—that is, after
meditation—indicating that this form of meditation leads to profound,
enduring changes in brain orderliness with regular practice. These
changes support a long and healthy life.
These findings of increased brainwave coherence are consistent with
hundreds of studies showing that orderliness increases in the mind,
body, emotions, and behavior as a result of Transcendental Meditation
practice.
For example, research on the TM program shows a reduction in most
chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and its risk
factors, such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels, metabolic
syndrome, insulin resistance, and substance abuse. Studies also indicate
that decreased biological aging and extended length of life result from
the regular practice of the TM technique.
Finally, the research shows a reduction of risk factors for
Alzheimer’s and dementia. These findings are all symptoms of increased
orderliness in mind and body.
Seven ways to increase orderliness in brain functioning
- The most important category is rest. Getting a good night’s sleep is important.
- You can also benefit from a more concentrated and orderly form of
rest. As a researcher and neuroscientist, I can say that the TM program
is far and away the most effective and well-researched program for
accomplishing this.
- Walking easily a few miles a day can have a positive effect on your brain functioning.
- Exercising your mind, such as memory and sensory and motor activities, can lead to improved performance in these areas.
- Exercise your emotions by staying socially active. Higher levels of social engagement appear to have some protective effect.
- Challenging cognitive activity can be helpful—take on new projects or classes, do crossword puzzles, learn a new language, etc.
- Take advantage of foods that offer anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.
An anti-aging diet can include most fruits and vegetables of color.
