BRAIN SCANS WATCH MINDS AGE

The aging brain is becoming a national health issue as Baby Boomers are projected to lose their mental faculties to Alzheimer’s while their youngsters try to figure out what to do, according to a report published in The Wall Street Journal. Past research has been reported here on preventative measures to slow the onset of the disease (exercise, being mentally active, learning a new language, learning to play a musical instrument, being socially engaged), and scientists also are working to understand better what goes on in the brain to manifest the problem.

The ability to watch the brain as it behaves, through brain-scan technology, has provided scientists with the means to make some important discoveries. Researchers at Harvard University, for example, discovered that the aging brain is microseconds slower. The effect is that the brain’s ability to send out an “ignore” signal to distracting incoming information is delayed, and thus the person’s concentration is more easily interrupted. Understanding such effects can help researchers create even more efficient ways for us to keep our brains young.