Customer Reviews

Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory (Harvard Medical School Guides)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are interested in this book, you are probably over 50 and are concerned whether your occasional memory lapses are normal or early symptoms of something serious. This book does an excellent job at fleshing out the difference between the two

However, the author explains there are two schools of thoughts. Some neurologists view memory deterioration on a continuum directly related to age. These view Dementia and Alzheimer's as almost inevitable if we were to live an extremely long life. A supporting statistic is that 47% of individuals 85 years or older do have Alzheimer's. Other neurologists do differentiate between normal aging and disease. They don't view Alzheimer's as inevitable.

The author advances many steps you can take to preserve your memory. Most of those are lifestyle driven to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system (eat fresh produce, avoid saturated and trans fats, take vitamin supplements, do lots of aerobic exercise). Indeed, what is good for the heart is very good for the brain. Brain fitness depends greatly on how well it is irrigated by blood vessels. The author also mentions behavioral steps to preserve memory. Those include becoming an active lifelong learner, remaining engaged in hobbies and community. He also mentions steps to improve your memory including using a PDA to log in daily schedule and using mnemonic techniques to remember grocery lists.

The book also reveals not so well known info. He shares a very long list of prescription drugs that do affect cognitive function. He also indicates that heart surgery, cancer, and cancer treatments can impact memory. He also indicates that vitamins C & E combined are as effective as prescription drugs in lowering the risk and managing early symptoms of Alzheimer's. He also does an excellent job at differentiating inherited risk vs genetic risk. It is not the same thing. You are at greater risk of getting Alzheimer's (AD) if your mother had it only if you also carry the gene Apolipoprotein e4.

Realize that there is much dissidence on the subject. We don't understand a whole lot about the brain. Experts have contradictory but equally well supported opinions. The author suggests that beyond doing all the right things you probably cannot delay onset of AD for long. Leading prescription drugs can manage and defer serious symptoms for just about 6 months to a year. Meanwhile, other specialists (Shankle & Amen authors of "Preventing Alzheimer's") maintain you can defer AD by as much as 6 years if you take care of symptoms early. Additionally, they contrary to this author, state that AD has a strong inherited risk component (this suggests that the inherited risk is correlated to the genetic risk).

Only by reading several books on the subject can you wrap your brain around it. Nevertheless, there is consensus that good living and learning is the best you can do for both your body and your brain. Besides the inevitable intellectual dissonance associated with this subject you still get confirmation of what to do to optimize your brain.

This book is an easy read and is well written. I follow the research to a certain extent in this area and the book is very up to date. I read it in one day. The title can be misunderstood (Reason for 4* and not 5*). The author actually only provides little information on optimizing memory - I would suggest you read some other book like 'super power memory' if you are looking for that. This book will only give you an overview of training your memory and not specifics. However, if you want to learn how physiologically it happens and just learn about brain and memory in general this book is really good. You may want to omit chapters 7-8 if you are not really interested in learning about diseases/disorders affecting the brain.

This book has classic methods for achieving optimal memory at
any age. The authors describe the following:
- how to control hypertension
- the benefits of a formal exercise program
- reducing alcohol to enhance memory
- optimal sleep
- managing stress
- Vitamins B and C and their role in memory management
- reduction of medications as a condition precedent to mental
wellness

This book contains important discussions on how to avoid or reduce classic Alzheimer and dementia-like scenarios in the later years. The volume is worth the price charged for the value of
the information contained. This book has optimal medicinal
and alternative medicine approaches to the subject of memory
management in mid-life and beyond.

I am 13 yrs old, and about to enter a BIG, very competitive HS, so you know how hard that can be. I was getting very worried about my memory, about how I immediately forget why I entered the room, etc., then i saw this book. I thought, well, let's see how this helps. As being a top notch college, I knew from first sight that this Harvard book would be good, but I never expected it to be so understandable at the same time. I took their little tests in the book and found a dramatic change. So just now, this book will really help.

My stepmother has early Alzheimer's. Her neurologist (at a leading hospital) recommended this book (in fact, he thinks so highly of it that he has it for sale in his office -- he's not associated with it, doesn't make money from it, but just wants it available to his patients). I bought it on Amazon, saving money. It is excellent. I thoroughly recommend it for anyone facing memory problems (both disease-related and just general aging problems), and for their caregivers. It is both explanatory and practical. Highest recommendation.
And best of luck to everyone battling -- or watching a loved one battle -- this cruel and awful disease. Bless you all.

The book is ok. It offers a series of exercises and advise that you will find in a dozen books. The book is well presented, logically laid out and easy to follow.

I thought there would be some good tips and tricks on memorization and what not, but it turned out to be more for how to maintain a sharp mind as you age.

My question about aluminum is why I got the book. Now that I have my answer, the book is on my shelf for a good reference. I trust the Harvard Medical School.