研究指健腦營食助延緩認知障礙

In Hong Kong, one in ten people aged 70 and above suffers from cognitive impairment. Although there is currently no cure for the disease, preventative measures and appropriate interventions targeting symptoms can effectively slow its progression. Recently, doctors published research suggesting that drug treatment,Cognitive trainingThe disease is managed through four pillars: brain-boosting exercises, nutritional conditioning, and supplementation with specific nutritional combinations. Supplementing with these combinations can stabilize the patient's daily cognitive abilities and slow down the process of brain atrophy.

Neurologist Dr. Huang Jiaxing explained that cognitive impairment is a disease caused by lesions in brain nerve cells, leading to a decline in brain function. Patients experience amyloid protein deposits and neurofibrillary tangles in their brains, which gradually cause brain cells to die, ultimately resulting in a gradual decline in cognitive function. In fact, there are early signs of this disease, and timely and appropriate treatment is crucial to slowing its progression. Unfortunately, the early symptoms are not obvious, easily causing patients to miss the optimal treatment window. He revealed that mild cognitive impairment patients account for nearly 85% of all patients, and about 60% of patients begin with "memory loss," such as forgetting what was said or where items were placed three or more times a week—these could all be early warning signs of the disease.

Internal medicine specialist Dr. Chen Zhenzhong stated that the medical community currently relies primarily on four pillars to manage cognitive impairment: medication, cognitive training, and...Brain-boosting exercisesThese four aspects—nutritional intervention, dietary intervention, and general nutrition—are all indispensable. Although existing assessment and diagnostic methods in Hong Kong can help patients get an early diagnosis, the medical community has yet to develop drugs that can effectively stop brain atrophy. Therefore, nutritional intervention has become an important approach. However, patients often encounter various difficulties in obtaining nutrition. For example, the Mediterranean diet may not suit Chinese dietary habits; although caffeine has the effect of preventing cognitive impairment and slowing the early deterioration of the disease, men need to drink 4 cups or more per day, and women need to drink 3 cups or more per day; strawberries and blueberries are beneficial for protecting brain nerves and delaying brain degeneration, but it is necessary to consume 2 servings of strawberries and 1 serving of blueberries per week.

Chen Zhenzhong further explained that in patients with cognitive impairment, the synapses in brain nerve cells that transmit information atrophy and decrease, directly leading to memory decline and cognitive impairment. Synapse formation depends on specific biochemical processes, requiring various key nutrients essential for brain nerve cells, such as B vitamins, choline, uric acid, and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients work synergistically to effectively combat synapse atrophy. Supplementing with a single nutrient alone is unlikely to slow the progression of the disease; therefore, medically based nutritional supplements become a good option for patients. The nutritional combinations in these supplements have been proven to be effective.Improve early cognitive impairmentFor patients with memory problems, local studies have also shown that taking certain nutritional supplements can help improve the mood and sleep quality of some patients. These supplements cost about 30 yuan per day and need to be taken consistently.

Huang Jiaxing suggests that the concept of "treating illnesses when they are mild" also applies here. We must not ignore the various minor discomforts that the elderly experience, and we should not simply regard these phenomena as ordinary signs of aging without taking the initiative to seek medical attention.