Monthly Archives: January 2013

It is widely known that aging is often associated with mental deterioration on some level.  Many people find that as they age it becomes more difficult to remember things both short-term and long-term.  A new study out of Georgia may have unlocked the mystery behind why this happens.

The brain has a receptor in its hippocampus called the NMDA that regulates learning and memory.  It works through subunits called NR2A and NR2B, the latter of which is found in higher percentages in children.  NR2B enables neurons to communicate for a fraction of a second longer, allowing for stronger bonds (known as synapses) to form and optimizing the retention of newly learned information.  The percentage of NR2B decreases as people go through puberty, limiting the brains ability to provide that extra fraction of a second and reducing retention rates.

But the researchers in Georgia have found that this may not be the only reason for limited memory retention as we age.  While studying the brains of mice, they found that even those with similar NMDA ratios to those of adult humans were able to make strong synapses and short-term memories, but their ability to weaken existing connections becomes impaired.  This in turn makes it difficult for the brain to retain the information that it takes in.

“If you only make synapses stronger and never get rid of the noise or less useful information then it’s a problem,” said Dr. Joe Z. Tsien, the study’s corresponding author.  In essence, your brain needs to be able to do some spring cleaning of your memories from time to time in order to make room for new ones.  It is the brains hindered ability to do this during aging that may explain things such as an adults inability to learn a new language without retaining their original accent, and why older individuals seem to be a bit more scatter-brained.

Early studies have indicated that over-expressing the NR2B of the brain may help to increase the ability to weaken unnecessary memories and retain more long-term ones, though additional research is still needed.

The post How the Brain Sorts Information As we Age appeared first on Boone Heart Institute | Preventive Cardiology | Denver, Colorado.

Cardiovascular disease can be a very sneaky disease.  Diet and exercise can help to dramatically reduce one’s risk, but every now and again it can still affect even the healthiest person.  This is why it is vital for even seemingly healthy individuals to stay on top of their cardiovascular health.  Thankfully, there is a simple, non-invasive screening to check for symptoms of heart disease.

The screening is called the Carotid Intima-media Thickness (C-IMT) test that is recommended by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association for people 45 and older, and it is offered right here at the Boone Heart Institute.  C-IMT is performed with a high-resolution B-mode ultrasound transducer.  A small amount of conducting jelly is applied to the skin on your neck, and then the transducer is held over the carotid arteries to capture the image.  This process measures the thickness of the medial and intimal layers of the artery walls and, in turn, their health. Though it may seem strange to screen the carotid artery as opposed to the heart itself, this artery actually provides a very accurate measure of overall arterial health, as the atherosclerotic burden is the same in the carotid as in any other coronary artery.

Checking the thickness of the arterial walls allows Dr. Boone to calculate the “arterial age” of your cardiovascular system.  If your arterial age matches your actual age or is younger, than you have a lower risk for heart disease.  If it is higher, however, then it gives us an idea of your risk level and informs us to take a more aggressive approach in controlling the risk factors associated with the disease.  With therapy, we can slow down and even achieve regression of your arterial age.

If you wish to participate in a C-IMT screening, or simply wish to learn more, contact the Boone Heart Institute to schedule your risk-free consultation today!

The post Non-Invasive C-IMT-Test Helps Screen for Heart Disease in Otherwise Healthy People appeared first on Boone Heart Institute | Preventive Cardiology | Denver, Colorado.

If you’re like most people, time is a commodity you don’t give up lightly.  This can often be a difficult thing to overcome for those looking to lose a few lb’s.  In a perfect world, we would all have time to commit to a full hour of training each day to reach our ideal physique.  Unfortunately, we typically have to pick and choose our workout routines to fit our busy schedules.  This begs the question then, as to what is the most effective form of short period exercise for losing weight?  A recent study out of North Carolina just might have the answer you are looking for.

The study followed 119 overweight or obese men and women between 18 – 70 years old over a period of eight months.  The subjects were divided into three groups: one engaged in a vigorous aerobic exercise protocol, the second in a resistance protocol and the third a combination of the two.  Each group exercised three days per week, with the aerobic group going for 45 minutes at 70 – 85% maximum heart rate, the resistance group doing 8 – 12 reps on eight resistance machines targeting all muscle groups, and the combination group doing all of the above.  At the end of the study, each participant was assessed for weight, waist circumference, body composition and cardio fitness.  These figures were then compared to the results from the baseline tests completed at the beginning of the study.

The researchers found that those participating in the aerobic and combination groups lost significantly more weight than those that only did resistance training.  In fact, some of the resistance participants actually gained weight due to the increase in muscle.  Researchers did find that the combination group was able to decrease their measurements and fat percentage, as well as increase their lean muscle, allowing for a larger decrease in body fat percentage.

In essence, if you have the time for it, try to combine aerobic and resistance-based exercise to see the best results.  If you’re crunched for time like most folks however, aerobic exercise is the answer for getting rid of those unwanted lbs in your limited free time, and stay away from resistance alone.  That is, unless you don’t mind bulking up instead of slimming down.  Now hit the gym and get that heart rate up!

The post Short on Time? Put Down the weights and Go for a Jog to Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck. appeared first on Boone Heart Institute | Preventive Cardiology | Denver, Colorado.