The Importance of Cognitive Function-
Disease Overview:
The ability to clearly think, learn, and remember is so important to be able to perform everyday activities. Cognitive function and health is only one small part of overall brain health and it should be discussed more often.
Our brain controls everything we say and do. It’s safe to say it’s one of the most important parts of our body. The human brain contains about 100 million neurons with many thousands of connections. If there’s something wrong with just one of them, it can set off the entire system. So, where does our cognitive function come in?
Cognition basically means using our brain. Inside the brain are a complex array of passages and connections responsible for so much of what we do. It’s probably helping you understand this article right now! As we get older our cognitive function often suffers and doesn’t function as it used to. The brain shrinks and the number of synapses decrease.
Making sure your cognitive health is good goes a long way for the rest of your body. There are combinations of lifestyle behaviors that may even help you strengthen your cognitive health. One of the is making sure your physical health is up to par. This means staying physically active so that your body and mind can get all the benefits that exercise provides. Another one is managing high blood pressure. According to the National Institute on Aging, not only does managing your blood pressure help with your heart but it may also help your brain too.
Research is somewhat lacking when it comes to nutrients and the part they play in cognitive health. There are so many different factors that go into the health of the brain that it makes scientific research difficult to compare. Regardless, there are a number of nutrients that may play important roles in brain health. Scientists continue to study their effects to see how well they can improve cognitive function.
Nutrient Research:
- Choline- This is a molecule that is recognized for its cognition boosting properties. It must be consumed in the daily diet because the body cannot synthesize enough to support our health. Choline is a precursor for acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter involved in muscular movement and memory.
- Vitamin C- This is a type of ascorbic acid that has several important functions. It’s known as a co-factor in numerous enzymatic reactions involved in the making of Collagen, L-Carnitine, and several neurotransmitters.
- B-Vitamins- Promotes energy, decreases sugar cravings, insomnia, nightmares, helps to regulate mood, all while making sure you stay focused and alert.
- Folate- Required for DNA synthesis and formation of new cells. It may also support the growth and repair of tissues in the body, including bone.
- Vitamin B6- Helps convert food into usable energy. It can also assist in the formation of neurotransmitters, red blood cells, proteins, and DNA.
- Vitamin B12- Also helps convert food into usable energy, make red blood cells, and is also required for proper nerve function.
- Vitamin D- This vitamin is made in the skin upon exposure to sunlight. It helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body. The active form of Vitamin-D may influence activities like the growth, development, and survival of neurons.
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Works Cited
NIA Staff. (2020, October 1). Cognitive Health and Older Adults. Retrieved from National Institute On Aging: www.nia.nih.gov/health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults
