How to stimulate your brain directly

It appears every time I look at social media, I come across an advertisement for a new supplement that can boost brain power and potentially reduce the risk of dementia later down the track.

They generally promise great things, of course, but I’m not convinced that the evidence is really there to back up most of their claims.

I do have certain supplements which I may selectively recommend for long-term brain health, including omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and curcumin, and there is some data to suggest a number of other supplements may have some benefit for cognition, at least in the short term – including gingko biloba and brahmi, as well as lion’s mane mushroom.

Taking the supplements is not entirely without risk, however – something that many people do not realise. At best, you may be paying for something that is not going to benefit you in any way. At worst, you could do yourself harm, either because of the potential side effects of many supplements or because of the poorly regulated nature of the supplement industry – leading to toxic contaminants being in the pills themselves (or not getting the dose that is on the label).

Acknowledging the limitation and risks of supplements, I have recently become interested in other interventions which may improve brain health. One is neurostimulation. When performed in a supervised fashion by a professional, these treatments appear at least very safe and free of serious side effects.

There are two main types of neurostimulation. One, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), uses magnets to stimulate various parts of the brain. Another, transcranial direct current stimulation, uses small amounts of electricity to achieve similar effect.

TMS at least is already being used in mainstream psychiatric practice, generally to treat depression. The evidence behind its use is robust, and I have personally seen many individuals who have not responded well to medication but have a very good response to this treatment.

The evidence when it comes to the use of these treatments for cognitive enhancement is less well established. But given its very favourable safety profile and some of the early findings, it is a promising future treatment. In the short term, both treatments may help improve memory (including memories for events in an individual’s life, as well as working memory: the ability to hold information in mind for short periods, such as remembering phone numbers just given to you). Executive function may also benefit, including things such as problem solving, the ability to change your thinking and decision making.

Long term, the research is more scant, but preliminary findings suggest that these stimulation techniques may improve neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to grow and change in response to experience), as well as increasing BDNF: a molecule critical for brain health and the creation of new nerve cells.

There is also some evidence from studies that the improvements in cognition apply not only to healthy individuals, but also to those experiencing mild memory loss and early dementia.

When it comes to promoting brain health in general, we must never forget the big levers: that is, physical exercise, healthy eating, optimisation of sleep, adequate socialisation, stress management, keeping your brain active and challenged, and avoiding too much alcohol.

These form the cornerstone of good brain health, but other treatments such as neurostimulation may provide additional benefits for certain individuals.

Though it sounds rather ‘sci-fi’, it is already with us and I look forward to seeing more research into its benefits.

 Kailas Roberts is a psychogeriatrician and author of Mind Your Brain: The Essential Australian Guide to Dementia, available at bookstores and online. Visit yourbraininmind.com or uqp.com.au