I watched a program today that demonstrated that when oxygen levels to the brain are reduced (to about 70% in the example) mental abilities are severely reduced - especially long term memory (but also intelligence, short-term memory etc…)
This effect was achieved by testing the subject at sea-level and then testing them at roughly half the height of Everest.
It got me wondering - does having an unhealthy circulatory system have the same effect on the brain? Is it as significant in reducing mental abilities? Or is bad health only a small contributor to lowering mental abilities?
I was feeling lethargic, unable to concentrate, irritable, sexually uninterested, etc. I self-diagnosed low testosterone, but when my bloodwork came back, it turned out that I had become diabetic. Once I got onto the meds and started eating better, glucose levels went down and the symptoms went away (okay, I’m still irritable, but that’s just me). Diabetes also affects circulation.
A fire dept. guy once said to me that when a fire reduces the oxygen content of the air in a dwelling, the people get confused and anyone’s IQ goes down to effectively 50 or less.
People get confused in their own house and go into closets while thinking they are opening the front door and escaping the fire. He said this is not at all uncommon. (The survivors tell their rescuers about the confusion; the non-survivors found in closets say nothing.)
It may be true. Whenever i have a cold I get slight asthma (breathing problem, not really asthma), and i jsut feel generally sluggish, physically and mentally.
I saw this effect during my father’s last year. He had some serious cardiovascular problems and very poor circulation. As these problems worsened, so did his ability to concentrate, to understand what was going on, and to think logically. He did not have Alzheimer’s, but without enough blood to the brain, like any other organ it could not function properly. A friend of mine told me about her mother becoming very mentally unfit; when her blood pressure was tested, it was found to be too low. An adjustment of her medicines cured the mental confusion.
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