Healthy aging — focus on diet, sleep, exercise

MILLERTON — Healthy aging was the topic at a presentation on Friday, Sept. 13 at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex.
The talk by Dr. Paul Gunser, a seasoned neuropsychologist, attracted local residents interested in learning how to maintain cognitive health, reduce the risk of dementia, and explore cutting-edge treatments like neurofeedback.

Gunser, who has been practicing as a Clinical Psychologist in New York state since 1987, brought decades of expertise to the discussion. His background includes a Post-Graduate Neuropsychology Certificate from Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City and certification in Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRVB) from the HeartMath Institute. Gunser’s focus is on working with patients experiencing memory and cognitive challenges, and he is particularly known for his use of innovative biofeedback techniques to manage stress and anxiety.

Opening the presentation, Gunser spoke about the importance of healthy aging and outlined a variety of prevention and treatment options. He emphasized the benefits of combining conventional medical treatments with what he called “complementary” therapies. “I don’t like to say ‘alternative,’” he said, “but rather complementary approaches to help combat disease.”

Gunser highlighted the importance of diet, sleep, and exercise in maintaining brain health.

“It’s important to think of being active as having fun,” he noted. “Think of exercise as something you engage in, and you enjoy getting pleasure from.” He later led the audience in a simple Tai Chi exercise, explaining how this form of physical activity can enhance cognitive function.

He then provided an in-depth explanation of the brain’s functions, particularly the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and discussed the role of blood flow in maintaining cognitive health. Gunser said anxiety and depression contribute to cognitive decline, particularly in the context of the fight, flight, or freeze response triggered by the release of stress hormones.

“When depression becomes more severe, we call it a major depressive disorder,” he said, stressing the importance of therapy and medication, noting that “the two are considered better than either alone.”

The second half of the presentation focused on neurofeedback and its potential to strengthen mental capacity. Gunser discussed the growing body of evidence supporting HRVB as a treatment for a wide range of conditions, from asthma to depression. He said HRVB helps restore the body’s natural balance through the baroreceptor system, which regulates blood pressure, and may also impact the brain’s vagal nerve pathway, affecting decision-making and emotional regulation.

To illustrate these concepts, Gunser gave a live demonstration of hemoencephalographic biofeedback, a tool that maps brain oxygenation levels. He also discussed the early-stage research linking HRVB to the reduction of amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

The presentation provided attendees with a wealth of practical information and a clear understanding of the role of neurofeedback in promoting cognitive health. Gunser’s insights left the audience with actionable steps to take toward maintaining a sharp and healthy brain well into the later stages of life.