Keeping Your Brain in Shape: A Practical Guide to Healthy Cognitive Ageing and Preventing Dementia

Are you worried about signs of dementia in yourself or a loved one? How can you tell what is abnormal cognitive decline and what is a typical feature of getting older? What steps can you take to keep your brain in shape for longer?

The good news is that there is a lot of detailed and rigorous scientific research to answer these questions. The bad news is that there is so much of this that it is a daunting and bewildering process to make sense of it. You would soon become lost in a complex world of scholarly articles where the findings can appear contradictory and hard to fathom. How can you deduce what practical steps you might need to actually take?

Mark Avery's comprehensive and easily-readable guide is here to help you navigate a pathway through the maze of literature on cognitive ageing. You will find here chapters on hearing loss, sleep, social networks, physical activity, grief, drinking and breathing. The book also deals with the importance of living in the present - coping with technological change and remaining curious about the world around you.

This book provides you with an action plan for what positive steps you can take to keep your brain healthy and in good working order for as long as possible and includes:
· An introduction to understanding how to interpret the science
· A glossary of terms associated with cognitive ageing
· A unique approach to easily navigating the book in whichever way you choose
· Helpful summaries with clear action points

Mark Avery is an Honorary Fellow and postdoctoral researcher in the cognitive neuroscience group at Durham University where he has been for the last ten years since making a mid-life career change. In his final undergraduate year, he received the David Kleinman Prize for his dissertation on a new predictive test for Alzheimer's disease. In 2017, he also received the British Psychological Society award for undergraduate psychology at Durham University. His doctorate focused on the factors helping to preserve healthy cognitive ageing, and his postdoctoral research at Durham continues to be into factors affecting memory and cognitive functioning in healthy ageing. This book represents the culmination of his work over the last ten years and offers fresh insights and practical advice from a fresh new voice, based on direct experience and research expertise in the field.