Brain health

Question 1

What are the effects of ageing (“healthy ageing”) on the brain?

Answer 1

Grey and white matter blood flow decreased by 0.5%/year from early adulthood; cerebral atrophy; decrease in neural messaging

Question 2

How many people suffer from dementia in the UK?

Answer 2

900,000

Question 3

What are causes of dementia?

Answer 3

Head injury, Alzheimer’s, strokes; vascular dementia caused by CVD

Question 4

What are risk factors for Alzheimer’s?

Answer 4

PIA, depression, midlife obesity, hypertension, smoking, diabetes

Question 5

How do you prevent dementia?

Answer 5

PA: reduces cognitive decline and each independent risk of Alzheimer’s

Question 6

What treatments are there for Alzheimer’s?

Answer 6

Currently none

Question 7

How much of the population suffer from a mental health condition in their lifetime?

Answer 7

25%

Question 8

How much does mental health cost the NHS?

Answer 8

£22.5 billion/year

Question 9

How common are mental health presentations at GP?

Answer 9

Top 5 most common

Question 10

How does PA affect depression?

Answer 10

Decreases depression, improves sleep quality

Question 11

How can the effect of PA be compounded further for depression?

Answer 11

CBT

Question 12

How much of the heart output is dedicated to the brain?

Answer 12

15-20%

Question 13

What is a stroke caused by?

Answer 13

Too much/too little blood flow

Question 14

What are acute issues caused by incorrect (brain) blood flow?

Answer 14

Faints and strokes

Question 15

What are chronic issues caused by incorrect (brain) blood flow?

Answer 15

Hypertension, diabetes, dementia

Question 16

How is blood flow to brain influenced by age?

Answer 16

Decreases with age, but habitual exercise can offset natural decline by 10 years

Question 17

How can you investigate the relationship between brain blood flow and cognition?

Answer 17

Measure blood flow (via Doppler ultrasound), cognitive testing (Stroop test)