Mind & Mood Archive

Science has shown that when people multitask, they become more easily distracted and less productive, score lower on tests for recalling information, and make more errors. Older adults especially struggle with multitasking because aging brains have more trouble blocking distractions. The solution is to monotask by focusing on only one job until it's completed. Methods for monotasking include prioritizing tasks, blocking distractions, and working in intervals.

A study published online April 13, 2022, by The BMJ found that those age 65 or older who regularly practiced numerous healthy lifestyle habits lived longer and had fewer years with dementia than those who practiced one or no healthy lifestyle factors.

It can be hard to detect a potentially serious type of memory loss in a loved one, especially if small cognitive changes occur over time. It may help to note memory slips that happen consistently or those that seem uncharacteristic for the person. Tracking incidents on a calendar may also help reveal patterns. Potential incidents include consistently forgetting a close family member's name, important conversations, words for everyday objects, bills that are due, medication times or doses, or routes home from familiar places. Other common issues are frequently having trouble at work, making financial mistakes, or taking medications incorrectly.

In May 2022, the FDA approved a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. The test looks for amyloid-beta protein, a marker of Alzheimer's. The blood test is quite accurate, compared with positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans, which are more expensive and complicated. More blood tests, including some that look for tau protein (another marker of Alzheimer's), also are under development. Other tests used to diagnose Alzheimer's include computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a spinal tap.

Humans' relationship with music is complex and individual, and there are times when music can have a clear and immediate impact on our well-being. Music therapy uses music as a therapeutic tool to address certain health care goals.

A side effect of many psychiatric medications is weight gain. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety and sleep medications, and mood stabilizers can all affect metabolism in ways that lead to increased weight, so it's important to know what you can do to lessen this unwanted effect.

A review of studies published online April 13, 2022, by JAMA Psychiatry found that people who did 75 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, had an 18% lower risk for depression, compared with people who didn't exercise.

Brain damage can cause the language disorder aphasia. It affects a person's ability to understand or produce speech. Coping with aphasia requires treatment for the underlying cause and speech therapy to learn how to communicate despite language deficits. If the cause of the aphasia improves, so may the aphasia. But many people will continue to live with some level of aphasia, especially if the cause of brain damage is a progressive disease, such as Alzheimer's.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is less common in summer, but a seasonal pattern of depressive symptoms can occur despite exposure to many hours of daylight. Many summertime SAD symptoms resemble overall depression markers, but eating and sleeping patterns can deviate. People can combat summertime SAD by sticking with antidepressants and psychotherapy, maintaining routines, exercising, and taking a break from social media.