Cognitive health: How daily habits impact brain function and intelligence

Research in neuroscience highlights how daily habits can either hinder or support cognitive development and brain health. Neuroplasticity allows the brain to adapt, but certain modern behaviors can negatively impact intelligence and memory.

Key detrimental habits include chronic multitasking, which Stanford University researchers suggest reduces IQ by exhausting the brain's energy and decreasing gray matter density in the prefrontal cortex. Additionally, high consumption of refined sugars and fast foods can impair the brain's ability to learn by affecting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and causing insulin resistance in brain cells.

Conversely, methods for maintaining mental clarity into old age focus on physical and mental stimulation. Academic Aleksandar Mikulin recommended practices such as gentle physical vibrations to improve blood circulation, maintaining proper posture to ensure oxygen flow to the brain, and nightly mental reviews of the day's events to strengthen neural connections. Dietary suggestions include a mixture of celery root and honey to support neuron strength and blood flow.