Abstract
This minor dissertation describes a system aimed at improving brain health by incorporating specific lifestyle factors into one’s life. It begins by first identifying the problem that neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease bring to the global population. It affected up to 55 million people in 2020, resulting in an economic burden of approximately 1.3 trillion US dollars.
The primary research question of this minor dissertation explores the possibility of creating a systems framework to improve brain health. This systems framework consists of lifestyle factors as system elements, that may improve brain health and deter neurodegenerative diseases to some extent. Building this framework is accomplished by incorporating evidence collected through qualitative research and published studies on the topic of lifestyle factors that have a positive influence on the brain and using this evidence as the basis for creating the system. Specifically, the first objective was to identify lifestyle factors that have been proven to improve brain health in research. The second step was then to determine whether there exists some form of interaction between any of these lifestyle factors that can be combined to form a system of lifestyle factors to benefit brain health.
The research identified eight main lifestyle factors that can be adopted into an individual’s daily life that may contribute to improving brain health and combat cognitive decline. Of these eight factors, it was found that there are currently three core lifestyle factors that share some form of interaction with one another. These three lifestyle factors also have existing research support for their beneficial impacts on brain health. These lifestyle factors form the system elements: sleep, physical activity, and diet, which form part of the systems framework.
The findings of this minor dissertation provide an improved descriptive framework using systems engineering to explain the efforts around improving brain health. It also allows for the creation of a generic program that incorporates this system's framework of lifestyle factors to improve brain health. Further research is needed to better understand the exact biological mechanisms that are involved with the interactions of the elements to improve brain health. Further research may also permit an individually tailored intervention program to slow the onset of neurological diseases and cognitive decline.