Normal Cognitive Aging

How memory and thinking ability change with age Scientists used to think that brain connections developed at a rapid pace in the first few years of life, until you reached your mental peak in your early 20s. Your cognitive abilities would level off at around middle age, and then start to gradually decline. We now know this is not true. Cognitive Ability - an overview Dual-Process Models and Implications for Decision Making in Older Adults Cognitive ability is one of the possible contributors to choice set-size performance as well as preference, and dual-process models have been postulated to characterize the role of cognitive ability in decision making. When making decisions, theorists proposed that information processing involves two types of procedures (e.g., Epstein, 1994; Kahneman, 2003): System 1, which refers to an affective/experiential system; and System 2, which refers to a more deliberative/analytical system. System 1 can be thought of as automatic, effortless, rigid, heuristic-based, affective, and implicit.

Cognitive Health and Older Adults Cognitive health—the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember—is an important component of brain health. Others include: Motor function—how well you make and control movements Emotional function—how well you interpret and respond to emotions Sensory function—how well you feel and respond to sensations of touch, including pressure, pain, and temperature Cognitive Skills and the Aging Brain: What to Expect Every day we perform hundreds of cognitive tasks but are mostly unaware of the effort involved. These tasks take different forms, such as noticing colors, remembering names, or calculating time on a watch. Measures of brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show that the most active areas of the brain vary according to the task being performed. The data confirm what researchers have known for many years: that our mental functions are composed of many distinct types of cognitive abilities.

Mild cognitive impairment Overview Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more serious decline of dementia. It can involve problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment that are greater than normal age-related changes. If you have mild cognitive impairment, you may be aware that your memory or mental function has "slipped." Your family and close friends also may notice a change. But these changes aren't severe enough to significantly interfere with your daily life and usual activities.

What are Cognitive Skills and Abilities? By: Dr. Pascale Michelon What is cog­ni­tion? Cog­ni­tion has to do with how a per­son under­stands the world and acts in it. It is the set of men­tal abil­i­ties or process­es that are part of near­ly every human action while we are awake. Cog­ni­tive abil­i­ties are brain-based skills we need to car­ry out any task from the sim­plest to the most com­plex. Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory Try these simple ways to improve your memory. By Mayo Clinic Staff Risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia - UpToDate Dementia is a disorder that is characterized by impairment of cognition, typically involving memory and at least one other cognitive domain (language, visuospatial, executive function). These must represent a decline from previous level of function and be severe enough to interfere with daily function and independence. As the global population ages, dementia prevalence is expected to rise substantially over the next several decades, especially in low- to middle-income countries. Two major reports released in 2017 review the literature on potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia and highlight strengths and weaknesses in the available data to support the impact of risk factor modification on dementia incidence [1-3]. The Lancet Commission estimates that approximately 35 percent of dementia cases are attributable to a combination of nine potentially modifiable risk factors [1]: ●Low educational attainment

Attention Deficit Can Come with Old Age Source: Are you old enough that this sounds familiar? Actually, memory problems like these affect most people at some time, but getting older can make such forgetting worse. These memory problems happen because you lose attention and get distracted. As you get older, it is easier to get distracted. Preventing Memory Loss With Aging She could deal with constantly forgetting her shopping list, and she'd made a habit of writing down where she'd parked her car, each and every time. But in her mid-50s, Janis Mara's memory problems started costing her money. Late fees began piling up because she forgot to pay her bills. "Over time, it really intensified," she says. "I wanted to think I was just getting older, but my fear was that it was Alzheimer's."

Study: Physical health is associated with better cognitive functioning Next time you’re contemplating skipping a workout to finish a project in the office, consider this new finding from a German study: Physical fitness is associated with better brain functioning in young adults. Researchers have long understood that exercise improves people’s cognitive performance, including their executive functioning, attention and memory, as well as their brain structure. In older adults especially, physical activity has been shown to increase the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory, learning and emotion. But Jonathan Repple, M.D., lead study author, and his colleagues were curious if this connection could be found in young adults as well. They also wanted to see whether it was indeed physical fitness, rather than other factors such as body weight or education status, that was associated with better brain health, he tells CNBC Make It.

Memory Loss & Forgetfulness: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments Many older people worry about becoming more forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. In the past, memory loss and confusion were considered a normal part of aging. However, scientists now know that most people remain both alert and able as they age, although it may take them longer to remember things. Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills There are plenty of good reasons to be physically active. Big ones include reducing the odds of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Maybe you want to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, prevent depression, or just look better. Here’s another one, which especially applies to those of us (including me) experiencing the brain fog that comes with age: exercise changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills.

How to Improve Your Memory: Tips and Exercises to Sharpen Your Mind and Boost Brainpower Whether you’re looking to sharpen your mind, boost your mental performance, or preserve your memory as you age, these tips can help. How to boost brain power at any age A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you’re a student studying for final exams, a working professional interested in doing all you can to stay mentally sharp, or a senior looking to preserve and enhance your grey matter as you age, there’s lots you can do to improve your memory and mental performance. They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old adage simply isn’t true.