The Aging Brain
Why does the human brain age? Brain aging is a part of human life and a big part of society as the awareness for brain aging increases. Over time memory tends to become less efficient as we age and the neurons in the brain decreases (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). By 2050 in the US, 20 percent of the population will be 65 years or older. And as the elderly population increases, so will the incidence of age-related neurological disorders (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Therefor it is important to understand the aging brain, and how to keep the brain functioning as one ages.
As age increases, we can expect some loss of heart, lung, joint, and sexual functioning. Some loss of brain cells and mental efficiency is a normal part of healthy aging (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). Our human brain consist of living cells, which are constantly learning, as we referrer a small child’s brain as a sponge because it is constantly thinking and storing memories. When that child gets older, the brain will get older too, and it will be strong but response will slow down (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Alzheimer’s seems to always make the news, but it is not the only disease connected with the aging brain.
A healthy brain can have normal aging. A normal cognitive aging leads to predictable changes in thinking and memory that are associated with getting older (Memory impairment. (2010). The normal “healthy” brain aging is defined as aging without disease. Many elderly people do not exhibit symptoms of disease and live a normal, but never less they may display a little forgetfulness (Perlmutter, David. (2004). The normal brain aging differs from pathological aging caused by diseases that damage the brain, such as Alzheimer’s or cerebrovascular disease (Me...
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...the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain to die. The symptoms depend on the part of the brain affected, but the most common signs include extreme changes in behavior and personality. For those with Frontotemporal dementia, 30 to 40 percent have a family history of dementia, suggesting the illness has a genetic component (Memory impairment. (2010).
Works Cited
Bendheim, P.E,. (2009). The brain training revolution. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.
Hess, T. M. (2005). Memory and Aging in Context. Psychological Bulletin, 131(3), 383-406. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.131.3.383
Memory impairment: Normal aging or brain disease?. (2010). Improving Memory (2010), 15-19.
Ober, B. A. (2010). Memory, brain and aging: the good, the bad and the promising. California Agriculture, 64(4), 174-182.
Perlmutter, David. (2004). The better brain book. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.
Think about it, an average teen in this world has just been diagnosed with a type of incurable dementia which will forever change his or her life. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the less common forms of dementia. It is when the nerve cells in the frontal lobe die and over time the brain tissue shrinks. Frontotemporal dementia is mostly found in people who are in their teens or twenties. It can affect young people in a very negative way. They start to get aggressive and as the disease gets worse they lose friends and have a difficult time in school and understanding things. Frontotemporal dementia is a rare disease that is on the rise and affects the people of the younger generation.
Memory plays a significant role in the everyday lives of people of all ages. It allows them to recall information and remember skills that were learned in the past. Memory also organizes past information to help people make current and future decisions. However, imagine forgetting the names of close family members or not having the ability to find your keys every time you want to leave the house. These are some of the struggles that people with Alzheimer’s disease face daily. Alzheimer’s disease was first identified by German neurologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, and was discovered to have an overpowering effect on explicit memory loss (Gruetzner, 1988). There are two types of Alzheimer’s disease – early onset and late onset. Early onset occurs in patients who are diagnosed before the age of 65 whereas late onset occurs in patients who are diagnosed after the age of 65. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, short-term memory is often lost. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, problems with long-term memory begin to develop, in addition to short-term memory impairments. Although a lot is known about the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the cause has not been conclusively identified. However, as research continues, new theories about the cause of Alzheimer’s disease are being proposed. This has led to a controversy over whether Alzheimer’s disease is caused by genetics or environmental influences (Gruetzner, 1988).
In the 17th and the 19th century dementia was synonymous with insanity. Still many knew that people with this disease suffered from permanent damage that was irreversible unlike mental disorders where the brain remains intact (2006). Dementia was often known as senile which is common with old age. Studies through the years have shown that it is much more serious and causes damage to areas of the brain. Alois Alzheimer in 1910 noticed tangles, plaques, and arterio...
When a person is at the stage of middle adulthood, his or her body changes drastically; for instance, women go through menopause and erectile dysfunction occurs in men. Menopause is when a typical woman (between the age of 45 and 50) has a discontinuation of her menstruation. Erectile dysfunction is when a man is unable to withstand a long lasting erection for sexual activity. As we move into late adulthood, our memories begin to get a little fuzzy and we have a fear of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is defined as the deterioration of a person’s mental processes. These are only a few health issues that can occur in late adulthood.
This paper is on dementia, a late-life disorder, as it pertains to the geriatric population. “It is estimated that 24.3 million people around the world have dementia and that, with an estimated 4.6 million new cases every year, we can expect about 43 million people and their families to have to handle the challenge of dementia by 2020.” (McNamera, 2011) I will cover three relevant points concerning this disorder that cause changes in the brain.
Aging occurs in every species. Over time a change occurs on a cellular level in a person’s body, which causes degenerative effects on the brain, muscles, organs, bones, hormones, and DNA. In 1991, the book Evolutionary Biology of Aging, offered the following definition of aging: a persistent decline in the age-specific fitness components of an organism due to internal physiological deterioration.1 Aging affects the body physically and mentally. Many people dread getting older due to the numerous changes the body goes through. The geriatric population experiences many pains and is inflicted with various diseases. There are a few who are lucky enough to not get diagnosed with a life altering disease, such as Alzheimer’s, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, macular degeneration, or some form of cancer. Studies have shown that genetics play a vital role in the aging process.
Knapton, S 2014, ‘Brains of elderly slow because they know so much’ Telegraph Media Group, published in the Journal of Topics in Cognitive Science, viewed on the 22nd of march 2014
It is inevitable that eventually each of us will grow old and begin to face more and more health problems as our age rises. Elderly people are challenged by many illnesses and diseases that unfortunately, are incurable. One disease that becomes more common as people age is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s a common cause and a form of dementia and can severely damage a patient’s cognitive functions and can ultimately cause death. Living with Alzheimer’s disease can be saddening for both the sufferer and the family. Family and friends will find it very hard to cope when a loved one begins slipping away and losing memory of who they are.
...t. Our environment changes every day, and we must be able to adapt to any situation. Even when we have knowledge of what rules and guidelines are, and know how to put into action, we are still require to combine the different variables every day. We must constantly compare the people and places around us, analyze them, and apply any new information to what we already know. This process is what makes us live, and it makes us the intelligent creatures at the top of the ecological food chain. Looking at quality of life, there is nothing more important than keeping the brain active. As we get older, the brain and its synaptic processes begin to slow down and decay. Older people have a higher probability to suffer from dementia and several other degenerative diseases. If we keep our brain learning, active, and alert the quality of life we have will be better as we age.
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