As humans age, there is a physical change in the body that leads to a decline in biological function. For example, loss of collagen in skin causes wrinkles, wear and tear of joints causes arthritis, and inactivity causes muscle weakness and inflexibility. These are a couple things people worry about as they get older, but I haven’t even begun talking about the brain yet.
The most common effects of aging experienced and feared by older individuals are loss of memory, slower reaction time, decreased learning ability, and mental illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. However, there are many more physiological changes that may not even have any apparent symptoms.
For the past ten years, technological advancements and the increase of life expectancy has allowed for more conclusive research on the aging brain. For one, brain volume and weight decreases by about five to ten percent between the ages of twenty and ninety. Grooves on the brain widen and the swellings on the surface of the cortex decrease. And plaque-like clusters begin to form on the brain due to dying or damaged neurons and chemical interactions in the brain. While neuron degeneracy has been the explanation for loss of brain function and mental diseases, that is no longer the case.
Aging is a normal and inevitable process. Simply put, as long as you’re living and breathing, the brain, as well as the rest of the body, is going to continue to decay. The only preventative measure is to do your best to keep your body and mind healthy for as long as possible by:
• Exercising daily.
• Eating healthily.
• Staying intelligently engaged.
• Taking it easy and not stressing too much.
Yes, the list is extremely obvious, but it actually works.
In the future, this blog will discuss more specific topics about the brain which covers a variety of psychological and biological perspectives. My purpose is not only to bring up effects of aging on the brain but also to note preventative measures and upcoming research or discoveries on issues, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other mental disorders.
Resources:
1. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330183235.htm
2. http://www.usc.edu/hsc/info/pr/hmm/01spring/brain.html
3. http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=3
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