Hello, I am Dr Sam Borden P.hD.
For some time I have been thinking about sending a series of emails or messages on the brain to family and close friends. As some of you know, I have been reading about the brain for a few years. Michael Kuku's book on "The Future of The Mind'', started me. I recently followed up with another book by Sinja Gupta titled "Keep Sharp". Both books are great at presenting brain study and theory over the last few years. I also use a Harvard Medical School site and a site called "The Scientist". Occasionally I use other sources as I see something interesting. A vast majority of what we know we have discovered in the last ten years. What I do is try to find it for you.
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If you are getting this it is simply because you are family or a close friend. What I want to do is send you what I have learned about our brain. Yes, it is going somewhere. Maybe, by reading this you can help with your own brain health. This is it is just me , no sales, no soap box just some information.
Back in the early 2000s I was diagnosed with the beginnings of normal pressure hydrocephalus.That is a brain disorder sometimes confused with cognitive decline (dementia) that has to do with too much fluid in the head. As you grow older with this condition you have severe headaches, have trouble lifting your head and mimic symptoms close to dementia. Some of you may remember my headaches. Some like Carolyn and Rick have recently asked me about my headaches. You know, I had forgotten all about it. Isn't that crazie! At this point, I have no bad effects from it. My headaches have mostly gone. I mentioned this to my family physician in Florida a couple of months ago. He looked at me as though I was crazie. I have remained very active in retirement. I was lucky enough to be extremely active and engaged in something all the time. I have noticed for the most part, I was unconsciously doing things that made my brain healthier (later on I will suggest why). It may not be forever but I am thankful for where it is now. Did you know that a brain is capable of rewiring itself?
With your permission, I will send you a couple of lines every now and then. Did you notice the couple? That did not work. I was using text as my means of communicating with you. I found I could not help myself and they became too long. The subject matter just was too complicated. In addition, some of my best friends told me they were too long and the texts were annoying. So I keep the texts for those who want it, but for the others, thanks to Maisa, we have set up this web site (blog). You can get rid of me at any time. just let me know.
It occurs to me that most people, particularly us older people, don't know a damn thing about the brain. Well why should we? Especially us older people. Well to answer that question: Our time on this earth may depend on it. The more we know about the mind the better we can manage the aging process of our life and even the end of it.