Devanand, D.P.: The memory program: How to prevent memory loss and enhance memory power. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2001.
Content: The Basics of memory: Evaluate your memory; How your brain remembers - and forgets; How aging affects your memory. Start the memory program: Put together your memory program; start a healthy pro-memory diet and exercise plan; train your brain to remember. Prevent and treat common causes of memory loss: Mild memory loss: Fix reversible causes first; Stress and depression; Alcohol and drugs; Medication toxicity, infections, and head injury; Hormonal and nutritional problems; Small strokes, big strokes; Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Medications that prevent and treat memory loss: Medications: regulated and unregulated; Alternative remedies; Antioxidants; Boosting acetylcholine; Medications that stimulate brain function; Estrogen; Brain inflammation. Putting it all together: Your comprehensive memory program; Other potential pro-memory agents; Your future memory program.
Author’s qualifications: Professor of clinical psychiatry and neurology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, and Co-director of the Memory Disorders Center at Columbia University.
Readability: Easy to read.
Accuracy: Yes. Cites research, though not directly referenced. However there is a bibliography.
Currency: Yes, seemed fairly up to the minute to me.
Comprehensiveness: seemed reasonably comprehensive advice about aging and memory
Amount of background knowledge assumed: None.
Usefulness: This is intended for: "Those who currently have a normal memory and wish to preserve their memory during the aging process" (usually people in their 40s and 50s), and "Those with mild memory loss who would like to reverse the process or at least prevent further decline" (60s-80s).
Memorability: Uses lots of headings, text broken up lots; bullet points; repetition of most important points. The program itself is presented very clearly and with enough repetition that you should come away with a fairly good idea of what to do, with little effort. The background stuff (clinical details of why things happen) is not given the same treatment, but it is background. It's presented clearly enough. Also lots of little case studies enhance memorability.
Interest: The case studies help here, and the subject matter is of interest to most of us over 40!
Balance: The emphasis, naturally, is on drugs, supplements, etc. There's a little on cognitive strategies, but not much.
Availability: Readily available. Amazon prices the paperback version at US$11.17. There is also an e-book version.
Length: around 245 pages
Includes an index and a bibliography.
Comment: Schachter (one of my favorite researchers) is quoted as saying: "Rich in clinical insight. .. provides a clear, practical guide for coping with memory loss and for making informed decisions to treat it effectively"
Overall rating (reflects my own opinion of the book’s worth, not its usefulness to you):****
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