Unhealthy physical conditions may contribute to memory loss

THE QUESTION Metabolic syndrome - a cluster of health problems that includes high blood pressure, excess belly fat, high blood sugar levels, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the "good" kind) and high levels of fatty triglycerides in the blood - has been linked to heart disease and diabetes. Might it also play a role in memory loss?

THIS STUDY involved 7,087 men and women older than 65 with no signs of dementia. About 16 percent of them had metabolic syndrome. Over a four-year period, their cognitive abilities were checked periodically, using a series of standardized tests. On tests of overall memory, those with metabolic syndrome were 20 percent more likely than the others to show cognitive decline. They were 13 percent more likely to register decline on tests of visual memory.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Older people. Some types of memory loss are normal as the brain ages - specifically recent memory, such as where you put your keys or the name of someone you just met. Other memory problems, such as forgetting how to get somewhere you go often or having trouble following the steps required in a recipe, could indicate more serious cognitive decline.

CAVEATS Whether the length of time people had metabolic syndrome made a difference was not determined, because the information was not available.

FIND THIS STUDY Feb. 2 online issue of Neurology (www.neurology.org).

LEARN MORE ABOUT memory and aging at www.nia.nih.gov (search for "forgetfulness") and www.apa.org (search for "memory").

- Linda Searing

The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.

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A Relief in the Neck

Today's topic is a pain in the neck. We mean this literally. (Hey, this is the Moving Crew you're reading. You want metaphors, check out op-ed.)

Neck pain may seem to stem from a single action -- an awkward sit-up, turning your head to see merging traffic, yelling "hi-YA!" while performing martial arts on a mosquito. But for recreational athletes or civilians pursing a fitter life, these injuries usually stem in part from longer-term neglect.

The culprit, says Stephen Rice, director of sports medicine at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., is sometimes a poor fitness strategy.

"Many, many people focus [their workouts] on the muscles in the front of their bodies," such as those in the chest, shoulders, abs and biceps, Rice says. Developing those "mirror muscles" while ignoring the muscles that support your spine and torso pulls you off your body's preferred balance point on your spine.

Culprit No. 2: bad posture. Does Quasimodo ring a bell, desk jockey? Look at how you sit: shoulders scrunched high, neck craned toward the computer screen, back rounded like, well, the guy who works the bell tower. Hold this posture for, say, 7 1/2 hours a day. Even a good workout regimen and a strong core can do little to neutralize the daily torture.

And so the muscles in and around your neck work harder to keep your head vertical. This continual engagement fatigues the muscles, leaving them vulnerable to strain from even a minor twitch or rotation.

"Your head weighs about the same as a honeydew," Rice observes. "If it" -- the head, not the melon -- "tilts forward, even five degrees, that is a lot of added pressure. Your head won't fall off [insert relieved cheer here], but you will use muscle to hold it up."

In proper standing posture, Rice says, "you could drop a plumb line from your earlobe and it would hit your shoulder, hip, knee and ankle." In such alignment, the craftily designed spinal column will support much of your body weight.

Contrary to what Mom might have told you, a ramrod-straight spine is not the goal: The spinal column naturally curves inward at the neck and again in mid-back to help dissipate shock to the vertebrae during impact.

To protect your neck from injury, isometric exercises help build strength. Do two sets of six to eight reps, twice a week, of the following, placing your hand on your head to provide moderate resistance:

· Lower chin to chest (hand on forehead).

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