Healthy aging: How science and daily habits preserve brain function

Healthy aging: How science and daily habits preserve brain function Key nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, and NAD+ are important for maintaining cognitive function, but their effective delivery to the brain is hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and age-related declines in nutrient transport. Dr Rebecca Crews and Heather Makar explore the importance of overcoming these delivery challenges to enhance strategies for cognitive longevity and healthy aging. The traditional view that cognitive decline is an unavoidable consequence of aging is being increasingly questioned by modern research. While aging is associated with structural and functional changes in the brain - such as reduced volume and slower processing speeds - these changes are not entirely beyond our control. Environmental and lifestyle factors, including regular exercise and balanced dietary habits, play a significant role in shaping cognitive function. For example, aerobic exercise has been shown to preserve hippocampal volume, whereas obesity and excessive caloric intake may accelerate brain atrophy (Mattson et al., 2018).