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From about the age of 20, humans begin
to lose brain cells. As we age our bodies also manufacture smaller
quantities of the chemicals we need to function. Brain cell loss as
we age appears to be quite concentrated in the areas that produce
important neurotransmitters, upsetting the brain’s delicate balance
of these chemical messengers. Changes in the brain’s white matter,
which is made up of nerve cell fibers, also decreases the efficiency
of cell to cell communication.
As we get older our ability to lay down
new memories is affected. This makes it more difficult to learn new
things. Rather than forgetting more easily, we actually take longer
to learn new things. Memory studies have shown that about one third
of elderly people have difficulty with declarative memory. However, a
substantial number of people in their 80s perform as well as people
in their 30s on difficult memory tests.
People who age with the least loss of
memory share the following traits:
They are physically active and
engage in regular bouts of aerobic activity.
They are mentally active,
exercising the mind with intellectually stimulating activities
They have a sense of control or
influence over their lives – they believe that what they do can
make a difference.
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