Old Brains Can Learn (and remember!) New Tricks

“While it’s tempting to focus on the flaws in older brains, that inducement overlooks how capable they’ve become. Over the past several years, scientists have looked deeper into how brains age and confirmed that they continue to develop through and beyond middle age, “ writes Barbara Strauch for the New York Times.

Scientists have confirmed that brains continue to develop during and beyond middle age. Some of their findings include:

  • “TOTS” (tip-of-the-tongue) moments when you know you know but you just can’t say it – can be improved by strengthening neural connections.
  • Aging brains get better at seeing the big picture.
  • If kept in good shape the brain can keep on building pathways that help the owner see patterns, significance and solutions faster than a younger person.
  • The brain continues to change and improve its ability for more complex understanding.
  • Challenging your comfort zone of assumptions and viewpoints is good for your brain.

And, most interesting, is that long held views of disappearing brain cells and related information, knowlege and learning have been replaced with the belief that all that data is just buried away in the nooks and crannies of our brains.

Click here to read the full article: How To Train The Aging Brain