Tuesday 17 February 2009

Brain Fitness

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Brain Fitness
Learning to Delay age-related Cognitive Decline

Age-related decline is due to problems with various cognitive mechanisms rather than having a single cause. It is likely that all of the different executive processes, as well as their speed, decline with age and contribute to difficulties in higher-order cognitive functions such as reasoning and memory (Park et al., 2001).

Studies addressing the differential decline of neurocognitive function with age show that the speed of information-processing declines already in the fourth decade of life, and applies especially to those cognitive processes which are dependent on areas and circuits within the prefrontal cortex.

Thus, the so called “executive functions” are among the first to deteriorate with age, which becomes manifest in such ways as decreasing efficiency in processing of new information, increased forgetting, lack of attention and concentration, and decreased learning potential.

The effect of age differs within the prefrontal cortex, with the dorsolateral and medial areas being more affected than the orbital region. It is possible that this difference leads to lack of integrity of areas within the prefrontal cortex and plays a causal role in age-related cognitive decline (Tisserand et al., 2001; 2002).

Age-related decline in higher-order cognitive functioning does not necessarily affect creativity. Indeed, there is evidence that creativity is largely independent of other cognitive functions. A study examining the effects of ageing on creativity among Japanese adults ranging in age from 25 to 83 found no age differences in fluency, originality of thinking ability, productivity, and application of creative ability. However, gender differences were found on fluency and productivity with women outscoring men. These results suggest that certain creative abilities are maintained throughout the adult years.

In addition to experience, “fitness” is another factor that affects the cognitive function (see Chapter 3). The idea that physical and mental fitness are related is an ancient one, expressed in Latin by the poet Juvenal as “mens sana in corpore sano” (i.e., “a healthy mind in a healthy body”). A review of the animal literature has found reasons for optimism in the enhancement of cognitive function (Anderson et al., 2000).

"Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science", 2007, pages 50-51

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