Cognitive Reserve

Dr. Holzmacher's Business Logo for online psychotherapyCognitive reserve is a term often used in neuropsychology.  It is invoked to explain the differences in functioning between people with a similar level of dementia.  One person at the fourth level of a senile dementia may be able to live independently, yet another person at this level may require supervision.  Current research suggests that cognitive reserve is not related to human brain size or circumference of the head.  It is related, however, to years of education and the level of one’s physical activity.

Education has been extensively studied for its influence on the incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Large studies on Alzheimer’s risk factors have been performed around the world, and years of education is consistently an important variable.  The greater the years of education, the lower the incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Though it may actually reflect the intelligence of the person, these huge studies rarely obtain IQ scores on thousands of subjects.  Educational attainment is a number that is much easier to acquire than an intelligence quotient, which takes approximately two hours to measure.  Currently, a person’s educational attainment is the single most valuable estimate of dementia risk.

Exercise is another factor that appears to lower the risk of dementia and increase cognitive reserve.  It lacks the practical appeal of education’s influence on cognitive reserve.  Why would straining one’s heart and muscles lead to better cognition?  As mentioned in the Lifestyle section of this website, exercise has a significant impact on the cognitive performance of children.  It is associated with improved academic performance.  For the elderly, exercise is an important aide to stroke recovery. Exercise reduces geriatric memory loss, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by 45% (Walsh, 2011), and reduces the risk of other dementing conditions as well.  Exercise programs of one to three months offer significant cognitive benefits, but those lasting more than six months are more beneficial.  The benefits are even more significant if the exercise lasts more than thirty minutes, and combines both aerobic and strength training components.
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Cognitive reserve is definitely not related to the conjecture that most humans use only ten percent of their brain.  This statement is absurd, both academically and evolutionarily.  Watch a child sticking out their tongue while drawing a novel figure.  They are using one hundred percent of their brain capacity.  The brain’s subconscious processing of streaming data is far more than ten percent.  This is neglecting the intentional conscious processing of sensory data that occurs throughout our waking lives.  Evoluntionarily, neurons are the most expensive kind of cells.  They use ten times the energy of a muscle cell by volume.  Mother nature distributes brain cells in a very jealous fashion, and it requires a very high return on investment to make them worthwhile.

It appears that education and exercise are two variables that increases cognitive reserve.  The whole notion of cognitive reserve is a bit sloppy, as it is vague explanation for a complex phenomenon.  As researchers learn more about dementia risk factors, the term may die a natural death.  For example, innate intelligence or a specific type of cognitive activity may underlay the differences in functioning between a similar level of dementia.   Subsequent research may define specific factors explaining the variance that is now broadly labelled as cognitive reserve.  Perhaps the dementia tests themselves are biased towards those with less education, falsely classifying the level of dementia in those with more education.  It is too early to tell.  Much like the use of “dark matter” in astronomy to explain the inexplicable, “cognitive reserve” serves as a patch to bridge this gap in knowledge.  Perhaps it should be called “dark cognition,” as a nod to our friends in astronomy.

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categories Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Neuropsychology | | datetime November 11, 2011 4:36 pm | comments Comments Off on Cognitive Reserve

Anger Management

Business Logo for Psychological and Neuropsychological IssuesThe word “anger” is strangely intimidating.  It is not uncommon to observe someone in a rage, yet deny they are angry.  A common response is “I’m just frustrated.”  Most people do not want to be labelled as angry, and refuse to label themselves as such.  Labeling another person as angry is rarely taken as a friendly gesture.  It is typically interpreted as an accusation.  Even if the intention is centered on the welfare of the other person,  the response is to deny or escalate.  It is difficult to imagine a friendly way to qualify someone as angry.

A professor once told the author “We are all angry, it is a question of when and where it is displayed.”  This quote portrays anger as a universal human phenomenon.  The perception of anger will change based upon the situation in which it is displayed.  Heads will be more likely to turn at an art gallery than at a sporting event.  Cultural and socioeconomic factors will alter how people perceive and interpret anger in other people.  Overt displays of anger may be tolerated in Rome, but eschewed in Milan. Tooting the car horn is almost expected in Manhattan, but it is an invitation to fight in Chicago.  Displays of anger in the upper classes are often viewed as indicative of low class behavior.  There is greater acceptance of angry behavior in the lower classes than those above.  Displays of anger in the upper class may lower one’s status, yet the same display in the lower class may elevate one’s status.

The physiological response of anger is often triggered by failed expectations.  Modern call centers often trigger anger by failing to provide an easy interface, a timely response, or a person who speaks the same language.  Since we are paying for a good or service, there is an expectation of a timely and coherent response to our questions.  Most people expect their children to be cooperative and do well in school.  When they fail parental expectations, anger or sadness is the result.  We expect significant others will support us and not betray our confidence.  When they fail to meet these expectations, anger or sadness is the result.  Consider the experience of being abandoned by someone you love.  Thoughts of the good times will engender sadness.  Thoughts of the bad times will engender anger.  Anger is often preceded or proceeded by sadness.
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Is the lowering of one’s expectations the way to rid oneself of anger?  Not really.  Decreased expectations of others and oneself will decrease the occurrences of angry reactions.  It will not rid oneself of anger.  To rid oneself of anger is not possible, or even desirable.  Appropriate anger may change the behavior of oneself or others in a positive fashion.  Having no expectations of one’s children will decrease discord, but it may also breed sloth and disrespect.  Accepting substandard services from a company will be easier than arguing, but may cost the person additional money and reinforce the company’s poor performance.  There is a delicate balance between expectation, anger and acceptance.

Perhaps the acceptance of anger is best exemplified by a story.  Many years ago, the wife of a Russian diplomat overheard an American woman decry the anger expressed by American males.  She turned to face the American woman.  She explained that all the angry young men left their warm beds to fight Napoleon, and none came back.  When Hitler threatened to destroy her country, the angry young men left their warm beds to fight once again, and none came back.  She cautioned the American woman.  The next time the she heard a bump in the night, perhaps the American woman would appreciate these angry young men.  Said another way, do not be too quick to condemn all angry reactions.  There are positive and negative aspects to all human emotions.  The consequence(s) of an emotional display may be more important than the particular emotion displayed.

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categories Angst, Depression, Psychology | | datetime November 2, 2011 12:39 pm | comments Comments (1)

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