It's hardly surprising that tough times can stimulate the brain. Back in our hunter-gatherer past, quick thinking was a survival skill. Whether tracking a gazelle or meeting a deadline, we need to stay mentally sharp in times of stress. As Stanford University stress expert Robert Sapolsky explains, stress can literally energize the brain. The body responds to stress by releasing sugar into the bl...

• Chris Woolston, M.S.
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• March 11, 2013
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• Full Page
• • Memory Problems Stress

Recently, a friend was waxing philosophical about the luck of someone who had won the lottery. Suddenly, she stopped talking and furrowed her brow as she groped for the word she was looking for. "Random," I offered. "Yes! That's it!" she declared. After pausing again, she suggested that menopausal women would benefit from traveling in pairs just so they could finish each other's sentences. If you...

• Laurie Udesky
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• March 11, 2013
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• • Memory Problems Menopause / Postmenopause Women's Problems: Misc.

Have you ever asked for a "whatchamacallit" when you really needed a hammer? Did you ever forget the name of someone you just met? Even in the best of cases, memory is surprisingly fragile. As a person gets older, memory glitches can become a little more common -- and more frightening. Young people laugh off their forgetful moments, but many older people worry that every slipup is a sign of Alzhei...

• Chris Woolston, M.S.
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• March 11, 2013
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• Full Page
• • Aging: Misc. Alzheimer's Brain Memory Problems