Older Brains vs. Younger Brains

Scientists have confirmed that as we age, our brains slow down. But science writer Barbara Strauch discovered that brains can flourish in middle age...people roughly between the ages of 40 and 65. In her book The Secret Life of The Grown-up Brain, Strauch details studies that show the middle-aged brain does not decline steadily, but actually improves in a number of areas as time passes. For example, an older brain sees connections and thus sees the full picture. As we age, we can size up a situation much faster, get to the gist of arguments faster, and with greater wisdom. In short, an older brain is wiser than a younger brain.
Another scientific finding is that dementia is not inevitable, that we can actually improve our brains if we remain healthy. If we are lucky, we can live out our lives with pretty sharp brains. Age-related short-term memory issues, like forgetting someone's name, is not a problem of storage, but rather a retrieval issue. The name is stored in our brain, but the sound of the name and the information about the name is weak. However, this a quite normal issue.
Certain cognitive functions actually improve as a brain grows older. For example, an older brain can solve problems much better than a younger brain.
For a National Public Radio interview of Barbara Strauch about her book, go here. You can read the story or listen to it on line. For an extended interview of Ms. Strauch on the NPR program "Fresh Air from WHYY," scroll down the page to read "The Surprising Strengths of the Middle-Aged Brain." Or you can listen to the story on line.
For a related NPR story about middle-age brains go to
The Aging Brain is Less Quick, But More Shrewd.
As a somewhat older attorney, these findlings are good news ... for they suggest that the brain of a younger attorney might not be able to see the whole picture, solve legal problems as quickly, or have as much wisdom, or be as shrewd as the brain of a somewhat older attorney.
To view my blog post on this subject, go to: http://www.habigerelderlaw.com/blog/brains-actually-inprove-with-age-and-are-more-shrewd.cfm

Habiger & Associates Elder Law Office (HAELO) provides legal services to elderly or disabled persons in Southern Illinois. The founder of the firm, Richard Habiger, is an elder law attorney with more than 30 years experience. We are an Elder Law and Life Care Planning Law Firm that provides legal and care coordination assistance, including: Medicaid planning; asset protection; estate protection; Medicaid applications; Medicaid appeals; VA pension benefits planning and applications for veterans and their surviving spouses; planning for those with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other forms of memory loss, and those who have suffered a stoke; Hospice planning; and special needs planning, including special needs trusts and supplemental needs trusts.

HAELO is located in Carbondale Illinois, and serves clients in twenty-seven Southern Illinois counties south of Interstate 70 highway. Southern Illinois Counties: Jackson County, Williamson County, Union County, Franklin County, Perry County, Saline County, Jefferson County, Hamilton County, Johnson County,  Randolph County, Wayne County, White County, Washington County, Edwards County, Monroe County, Wabash County, Richland County, Clay County, Marion County, Clinton County, Bond County, Fayette County, Effingham County, Jasper County, Crawford County, Massac County, Pulaski County, Alexander County, Pope County, Hardin County, Gallatin County, and Lawrence County.
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