Embedded Files
Agenda:
Agenda:
From last time (see below)
Activities to use what we have learned!
Quick Links:
Quick Links:
Brain HQ site: https://v4.brainhq.com
Zoom: Wednesday session (6:30 - 8:30)
Zoom: Wednesday session (6:30 - 8:30)
Zoom link: https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/9191959460?pwd=OXh0RE9ZTVZTWElTMUQ0ZzAxQzExdz09
From last time
From last time
We discussed a number of things during out class. For those which involve health, I used two tools to research and summarize. I used Perplexity.ai to provide deep research on the tool or supplement which provided a well-cited, unbiased review of the literature and research. And then, because these were so complex, I used ChatGPT to summarize the documents. In addition, we were tasked in suggesting ideas for a random act of kindness to try this week. Below, you can see the results of the research and our Random Acts of Kindness.
Turmeric and Curcumin
Turmeric and Curcumin
Turmeric is a yellow spice often used in cooking. Curcumin is an active compound in turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Research provides insights on turmeric and pain
Magnetic therapy
Magnetic therapy
Magnetic therapy involves placing magnets or electromagnetic fields on or near the body to help relieve pain. It's often marketed as a natural, drug-free option for managing back pain. We discussed its use for pain.
Arnica
Arnica
Arnica montana is a plant used in herbal and homeopathic remedies. It’s most commonly applied to the skin as a cream or gel to help relieve pain, swelling, and bruising. We discussed its use for pain
Edward Cayce:
Holistic healing
Edward Cayce:
Holistic healing
Edgar Cayce, often called the "Sleeping Prophet," was an American mystic who was a proponent of holistic healing.
Our Random Acts of Kindness
Our Random Acts of Kindness
Visit my old friend
Let someone go ahead of me at the grocery store
Visit a sick friend
Send happy note
Going to the nursing home ,take something for them to make them happy
Compliment someone who is wearing something nice, female or male
Purchased a small birthday gift for my next-door neighbor.
Take a friend who is home bound a bunch of home grown wildflowers 🙂
Smile, and give people small compliments
Invite a friend to go listen to music and dance
Making a meal for an elderly friend
Call a friend who is having surgery this week.
Buy flowers for people who have been sick from chemo
Send flowers to someone who just got out of the hospital
Ask the name of cashiers, address them by their name and ask how they are.
Smile to others
Send happy photos of nature to injured friend
I try to “pay it forward “
Step out of the way in the market to let someone get by.
Pick up the debris around the community dumpster and put it in the dumpster. And do it every day.
Chat with a person stuck in pain
Support family member (with whatever they need) as the begin cancer treatment
Visiting a mom's friend who is here in San Diego for a week that I did not see her for few years.
I find that people love it when I give them compliments!
Call a friend to chat because she is lonely after her husband passed.
Just listen to person who is having a lot of challenges
Call up an elderly friend !
Visit a friend in retirement community for her birthday and take her birthday cake.
Taking donations to non-profit agencies.
Hosting friends for lunch.
Send text to a friend.
Call my Auntie and ask how she is
Pickup Coast News for my neighbors and deliver them to one of the neighbor's front door.
Saying good morning to a complete stranger as you come in or out of Starbucks or 7/11
Let a car go ahead of me.
Ask a neighbor child how school was that day
A summary of our semester themes
A summary of our semester themes
Putting it all together: Lifestyle changes the brain
Putting it all together: Lifestyle changes the brain
What if aging isn’t just about decline—but about growth? Throughout this semester, we explored a powerful truth: your brain has the ability to adapt and improve at every stage of life. Neuroscience shows that the brain can continue forming new connections, strengthening old ones, and even generating new cells in certain areas. These changes are influenced by the choices you make every day.
Whether you’re learning a new skill, laughing with others, enjoying music, or taking a quiet walk, your brain is changing. This is not wishful thinking—this is what science now tells us about the power of neuroplasticity. And throughout this class, we practiced it in real time.
Here are some key areas that were discussed during the class.
The orchestra of your mind
The orchestra of your mind
We used the metaphor of an orchestra to describe the brain. Each brain region plays a unique role—like sections of a symphony—and together they create the harmony of thought, feeling, memory, and connection.
Each time you engaged in a brain-healthy activity—whether dancing, reading, creating art, or practicing mindfulness—you were helping these different brain regions work better, both on their own and together. This integration is key to maintaining cognitive health as we age.
The Conductor: Prefrontal Cortex
The Conductor: Prefrontal Cortex
The prefrontal cortex is often called the brain’s “executive center.” It plays a critical role in decision-making, focus, emotional control, planning, and creativity. It’s one of the last regions to fully mature in early life, and one of the most important to maintain during aging.
This region was engaged whenever you:
- Set goals or planned your day
- Practiced mindfulness or meditation
- Focused during reading or discussion
- Created art or engaged in problem solving
- Regulated emotions during stressful moments
- Reflected on gratitude or purpose
The Motivation Engine: Reward System
The Motivation Engine: Reward System
Your reward system includes deep-brain structures such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens. This system is what makes things feel good—it releases dopamine when we experience joy, accomplishment, connection, or purpose.
This semester, we intentionally activated this system through:
- Music and movement
- Social interaction and bonding
- Practicing gratitude
- Working toward personal goals
- Laughing and sharing stories
- Creative expression
The Memory Keeper: Hippocampus
The Memory Keeper: Hippocampus
The hippocampus is located deep in the brain’s temporal lobe and plays a vital role in forming, storing, and retrieving memories. It’s also one of the few regions where neurogenesis—the growth of new brain cells—can happen throughout life.
This region was supported every time you:
- Learned something new
- Practiced memory techniques
- Got quality sleep
- Engaged in physical activity, especially rhythmic movement like dance
- Read and remembered a story
- Talked about meaningful experiences
- Managed stress and reduced cortisol
The Emotional Heart: Amygdala
The Emotional Heart: Amygdala
The amygdala is the emotional center of the brain. It helps you process fear and stress—but it also helps you feel joy, excitement, and connection. We learned how to help the amygdala stay balanced so it doesn’t become overwhelmed or reactive.
This region was activated or calmed when you:
- Listened to music with emotional meaning
- Laughed with others
- Practiced gratitude or mindfulness
- Created and shared art
- Slept well
- Connected with loved ones
- Took time to reflect on purpose
Your brain's chemical symphony
Your brain's chemical symphony
Throughout our lessons, we've discovered that engaging in a variety of activities can trigger your brain to release a multitude of beneficial chemicals including dopamine, serotonin, and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). Whether you're listening to music, practicing gratitude, connecting with friends, creating art, or learning something new, you're activating your brain's own wellness laboratory.
Dopamine: Enhancing motivation
Dopamine: Enhancing motivation
Dopamine, your brain's primary motivation molecule, appears throughout nearly every lesson we've covered. When you practice gratitude, your reward system floods with dopamine, making positive thinking genuinely rewarding. When you pursue meaningful goals driven by purpose, dopamine provides the sustained motivation that keeps you engaged even through challenges. Social connections trigger dopamine release during positive interactions, which is why good conversations leave you feeling energized. Even the act of learning something new, whether it's a dance step, a new word, or how to use technology, gives you a natural dopamine boost that makes continued learning feel rewarding rather than effortful.
Serotonin: Mood stability
Serotonin: Mood stability
Serotonin, crucial for mood regulation and emotional balance, flows freely when you engage in activities that promote well-being. The happiness practices we explored such as savoring positive moments and building meaningful relationships, naturally increase serotonin production. Art creation and creative expression boost serotonin levels, which explains why crafting, painting, or even arranging flowers can lift your mood so effectively. Mindfulness and meditation practices specifically target serotonin pathways, helping explain their powerful effects on anxiety and depression.
Endorphins: Natural pain relief
Endorphins: Natural pain relief
Your brain's natural painkillers, endorphins, are released not just during intense exercise but through many pleasurable activities. Laughter triggers significant endorphin release, which is why humor truly is medicine for both physical and emotional pain. Dancing combines the endorphin benefits of movement with the additional boost that comes from rhythmic activity and social connection. Even listening to music that you love can trigger endorphin release, providing natural pain relief and mood enhancement.
The Oxytocin Factor
The Oxytocin Factor
In many lessons, we discussed the role of oxytocin, the "bonding hormone". Social connections naturally boost oxytocin, but so does expressing gratitude, engaging in creative activities with others, and even dancing together. This hormone doesn't just make you feel connected—it actually enhances cognitive function, reduces stress hormones like cortisol, and strengthens immune response.
When you engage meaningfully with others, whether through conversation, shared laughter, group activities, or even dancing together, your brain releases oxytocin, often called the "bonding hormone." The Harvard Longitudinal study found that good relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness and health in later life. Social connection literally rewires your brain for resilience and wellbeing.
BDNF: Neural growth
BDNF: Neural growth
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) acts like fertilizer for your neurons, promoting growth and protecting against age-related decline. While exercise is the most powerful BDNF booster, we've learned that learning new skills, quality sleep, and even stress reduction techniques can increase BDNF production. This explains why challenging yourself with new activities, whether learning an instrument, trying a new art form, or mastering a memory technique, doesn't just feel good in the moment but actually supports long-term brain health.
The Stress Hormone Balance
The Stress Hormone Balance
Equally important is what these activities do to our harmful stress chemicals. Chronic cortisol elevation damages the hippocampus and impairs memory, but nearly every brain-healthy activity we've explored helps reduce cortisol levels. Gratitude practices can reduce cortisol by up to 75%. Mindfulness meditation, quality sleep, social connection, creative expression, and even laughter can all work to restore healthy cortisol rhythms, protecting your brain from stress-related damage while promoting optimal cognitive function.
This neurochemical orchestra explains why combining activities multiplies benefits. When you dance with friends to music you love, you're simultaneously triggering dopamine (reward), serotonin (mood), endorphins (pleasure), oxytocin (bonding), and BDNF (growth) while reducing cortisol (stress). Your brain doesn't distinguish between "medicine" and "fun"—it simply responds to the chemical signals these joyful activities naturally provide.
The Symphony of Integration
The Symphony of Integration
What makes a brain-healthy lifestyle so powerful isn’t just doing one good thing—it’s how different actions, experiences, and habits come together to support the brain from many directions at once. We call this the symphony of integration—where diverse elements create harmony, balance, and strength.
Dancing, for example, combines movement, memory, rhythm, social connection, and emotional joy. Book discussions combine intellectual challenge, empathy, social bonding, and memory. Mindful walking blends physical movement with stress reduction and focus.
These integrated experiences engage multiple brain systems simultaneously. They bring short-term joy and long-term benefit, which makes them easier to sustain. They also remind us that brain health doesn’t have to be a task—it can be deeply enjoyable.
Building your personal brain health portfolio
Building your personal brain health portfolio
Just like a financial portfolio, your brain benefits from variety. The idea is to build a set of habits and activities that touch different brain systems and fit into your lifestyle. You don’t have to do everything. Start with what you love, and gradually add practices that support memory, mood, movement, and connection.
Think about what you enjoyed most this semester. Was it music? Learning? Social time? Creative projects? These are all valid entry points into a stronger, healthier brain.
You’re not just creating new habits—you’re investing in your future self. And like compound interest, the benefits grow over time. Your efforts now can lead to better memory, emotional balance, resilience, and even a longer health span. Most importantly, you’re showing others what positive aging can look like.
Keep playing your unique symphony. Your brain is listening.
A look at the 16 different topics
A look at the 16 different topics
Summary of the 16 different topics for Spring 2025
Summary of the 16 different topics for Spring 2025
During the semester, we looked at 16 topics which contribute to a healthy lifestyle. During each class, we would discuss the activity and the benefits to the activity to us as we age. We also included the brain and how it was involved, which demonstrated to us that a healthy brain can result from a healthy lifestyle which includes many components. Here is a summary of each class and the effect on the brain as well as the key benefits of that activity to us.
The Science of Gratitude
The Science of Gratitude
Brain Engagement
Reward System: Activates ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens, releasing dopamine
Prefrontal Cortex: Strengthens areas responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation
Stress Centers: Reduces amygdala activity, decreasing stress responses
Neuroplasticity: Creates new neural pathways associated with positive emotions while weakening negative ones
Key Benefits
Reduces cortisol levels by up to 75%
Improves sleep quality and immune function
Enhances empathy and reduces aggression
Builds emotional resilience against adversity
Finding Happiness
Finding Happiness
Brain Engagement
Reward Circuits: Balances dopamine (pleasure) with serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins (lasting happiness)
Prefrontal Cortex: Supports meaning-making and purpose-driven decision making
Default Mode Network: Shifts from negative rumination to positive reflection
Social Brain Networks: Activates mirror neurons and bonding systems
Key Benefits
Distinguishes between fleeting pleasure and lasting well-being
Builds resilience against age-related identity changes
Strengthens social connections (Harvard Study findings: good relationships = longer, healthier life)
Improves emotional regulation and life satisfaction
Provides protection against depression and cognitive decline
Your Brain on Art
Your Brain on Art
Brain Engagement
Whole-Brain Activation: Engages motor, visual, emotional, and memory centers simultaneously
Default Mode Network: Enhances creativity through productive uncertainty states
Stress System: Reduces cortisol while increasing dopamine, serotonin, and BDNF
Cross-Hemisphere Communication: Strengthens corpus callosum connections
Key Benefits
Enhances problem-solving through divergent thinking
Reduces stress hormones and promotes relaxation response
Improves cognitive flexibility and emotional resilience
Increases pain tolerance through endorphin release
Supports neuroplasticity and brain adaptation
Dance for the Brain
Dance for the Brain
Brain Engagement
Motor Networks: Coordinates motor cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia
Rhythm Processing: Synchronizes auditory and motor regions
Social Brain: Activates mirror neuron systems and promotes interbrain synchrony
Memory Systems: Strengthens hippocampal function and spatial memory
Key Benefits
Increases BDNF production superior to traditional exercise
Improves balance, coordination, and reduces fall risk
Enhances social connection and emotional bonding
Supports memory formation and cognitive function
Provides therapeutic benefits for Parkinson's disease and dementia prevention
Learning in the Brain
Learning in the Brain
Brain Engagement
Neural Communication: Strengthens synaptic connections through repeated activation
White Matter: Enhances myelin production for faster signal transmission
Memory Consolidation: Utilizes sleep-dependent hippocampal-cortical dialogue
Brain Wave Coordination: Synchronizes different brain regions for optimal learning
Key Benefits
Maintains cognitive flexibility through new skill acquisition
Strengthens memory through repetition and practice
Improves problem-solving through neural pathway development
Supports brain health through continuous mental stimulation
Enhances quality of life through lifelong learning capacity
Move to Think (Exercise and Cognitive Health)
Move to Think (Exercise and Cognitive Health)
Brain Engagement
Cardiovascular System: Increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to brain
Neurotransmitter Production: Boosts dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and BDNF
Stress Response: Reduces cortisol and chronic inflammation
Sleep Regulation: Improves circadian rhythms and sleep quality
Key Benefits
Promotes neurogenesis in the hippocampus
Enhances executive function and memory
Reduces risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Improves mood and reduces anxiety/depression
Supports overall brain structure and function preservation
Laughter as Medicine
Laughter as Medicine
Brain Engagement
Humor Circuit: Activates prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe, limbic system, and motor cortex
Endorphin Release: Triggers natural pain relief and mood enhancement
Social Bonding: Strengthens interpersonal connections through shared laughter
Memory Enhancement: Improves recall through the "humor effect"
Key Benefits
Reduces stress hormones and blood pressure
Strengthens immune system function
Enhances cardiovascular health and pain tolerance
Improves social connections and reduces isolation
Supports creativity and problem-solving abilities
Understanding Neuroplasticity
Understanding Neuroplasticity
Brain Engagement
Synaptic Plasticity: Strengthens neural connections through long-term potentiation
Structural Changes: Promotes dendritic growth and new neural pathway formation
Molecular Mechanisms: Increases BDNF production and neurotransmitter efficiency
Functional Reorganization: Enables brain adaptation and recovery
Key Benefits
Provides scientific foundation for all other interventions
Demonstrates brain's capacity for change throughout life
Supports recovery from injury and cognitive challenges
Enables skill development and cognitive enhancement
Offers hope for maintaining mental acuity in aging
Music and the Brain
Music and the Brain
Brain Engagement
Multi-System Activation: Simultaneously engages auditory cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex
Memory Pathways: Strengthens connections between brain regions involved in learning and recall
Emotional Processing: Triggers dopamine release and enhances mood regulation
Motor Coordination: Synchronizes movement with rhythm through cerebellar activation
Key Benefits
Reduces stress levels by up to 68% within minutes
Preserves musical memory even in advanced dementia
Builds cognitive reserve against age-related decline
Enhances emotional regulation and social bonding
Improves coordination and motor skills
Sleep and the Brain
Sleep and the Brain
Brain Engagement
Glymphatic System: Clears metabolic waste and toxins during deep sleep
Memory Consolidation: Transfers information from hippocampus to long-term cortical storage
Hormonal Regulation: Balances melatonin, growth hormone, and cortisol cycles
Neural Restoration: Repairs and strengthens synaptic connections
Key Benefits
Essential for memory formation and emotional processing
Supports immune function and physical health
Optimizes cognitive performance and decision-making
Regulates mood and reduces depression risk
Prevents acceleration of cognitive decline
Reading for Cognitive Fitness
Reading for Cognitive Fitness
Brain Engagement
Visual Processing: Activates occipital lobe for letter and word recognition
Language Networks: Engages Broca's and Wernicke's areas for comprehension
Memory Systems: Utilizes both working and long-term memory networks
Executive Function: Strengthens attention, reasoning, and analytical thinking
Key Benefits
Just 30 minutes daily linked to cognitive protection and longevity
Builds vocabulary and communication skills
Enhances empathy through fiction reading
Develops critical thinking through non-fiction
Provides accessible, adaptable cognitive stimulation
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and Meditation
Brain Engagement
Prefrontal Cortex: Strengthens executive control and attention regulation
Insula Development: Enhances body awareness and emotional processing
Default Mode Network: Reduces mind-wandering and rumination
Amygdala Regulation: Decreases stress reactivity and fear responses
Key Benefits
Increases gray matter in learning and memory regions
Reduces anxiety, depression, and chronic stress
Improves attention span and emotional regulation
Slows age-related brain structure changes
Social Connections
Social Connections
Brain Engagement
Social Brain Network: Activates amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and temporal regions
Mirror Neuron System: Facilitates empathy and social understanding
Language Processing: Engages communication and working memory areas
Reward Pathways: Releases oxytocin and dopamine during positive interactions
Key Benefits
Reduces dementia risk by up to 30%
Improves cognitive performance and memory
Enhances emotional regulation and resilience
Combats isolation and depression
Provides natural cognitive stimulation and support
The Power of Purpose
The Power of Purpose
Brain Engagement
Reward System: Activates dopamine pathways for sustained motivation
Prefrontal-Limbic Connections: Strengthens goal-directed behavior networks
Salience Network: Improves attention filtering and priority setting
White Matter Integrity: Maintains connections between brain regions
Key Benefits
Provides 32% slower rate of cognitive decline
Enhances memory and executive functioning
Improves focus and reduces distractibility
Increases resilience against depression and stress
Creates sustainable motivation for healthy behaviors
Stress Management
Stress Management
Brain Engagement
HPA Axis Regulation: Balances hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress response
Hippocampus Protection: Prevents stress-related memory impairment
Prefrontal Cortex: Restores executive function and decision-making clarity
Amygdala Modulation: Reduces hypervigilance and emotional reactivity
Key Benefits
Protects memory formation and retrieval processes
Improves decision-making and problem-solving abilities
Reduces inflammation and supports immune function
Prevents stress-related cognitive decline
Enhances emotional stability and life satisfaction
The Art of Memory
The Art of Memory
Brain Engagement
Encoding Systems: Utilizes visual, auditory, and semantic processing networks
Hippocampal Networks: Strengthens memory formation and consolidation
Prefrontal Cortex: Enhances strategic memory retrieval processes
Multi-Sensory Integration: Combines different brain regions for enhanced encoding
Key Benefits
Reduces anxiety about normal age-related memory changes
Provides practical tools for daily memory challenges
Maintains independence and cognitive confidence
Enhances learning capacity throughout life
Supports overall cognitive functioning and quality of life
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