2023-10-19 20:36:57
It would seem nonsensical to claim that the brain of a person beyond old age is full of potential.
But there is no such contradiction or absurdity. This organ of thought can become more plastic and creative at these ages, according to recent research from Georgetown University Medical Center, published in the journal Nature Human Behavior.
It happens that when so many calendars have been accumulated, the interaction of the two cerebral hemispheres becomes more “harmonious”, it gains flexibility; hence creativity can flow with fewer setbacks.
The research reveals that some key brain functions, associated with attention to new information and concentrating on what is really important in certain situations, as well as decision making and self-control, can improve in older people.
“These results are surprising and have important consequences for how we should view aging,” said the study’s principal investigator, Michael T. Ullman, PhD, professor in the Department of Neuroscience and director of the Georgetown Brain and Language Laboratory.
Prejudices abound about the potential of older adults in terms of their attention and the executive functions they can display, “but the results of our large study indicate that critical elements of these skills actually improve during aging, probably because we practice these skills.” abilities throughout our lives,” says Dr. Ullman, convinced.
The researchers analyzed three separate components of attention and executive function in a group of 702 participants between 58 and 98 years old.
They studied the brain networks involved in alertness, orientation and executive inhibition. They found that only alertness capacity decreased with age, meaning the state of greater vigilance and preparation to respond to incoming information.
The researchers proposed that, since orienting and inhibition are skills that allow people to pay selective attention to objects, these skills can improve with ongoing practice, which may compensate for underlying neural impairments, they suggested.
Added to the above is that the peak of human intellectual activity is usually around the age of 70, says the European Institute of Health and Social Welfare.
Furthermore, they report that starting at age 60, decisions are made using both cerebral hemispheres at the same time, which allows more complicated problems to be solved.
Other revelations in favor of grandparents
A study published by New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that:
-The most productive age of a person is 60 to 70 years old
-The second most productive human stage is 70 to 80 years old
-The third most productive stage is 50 to 60 years old
-The average age of Nobel Prize winners is 62 years old
-The average age of the presidents of the 100 largest companies in the world is 63 years old
-At age 60, the peak of emotional and mental potential is reached, and this continues until age 80.
Good news for the aging Cuban population
Without a doubt, this is very good news for the Cuban population, which is distinguished for being one of the oldest in Latin America, and which at the end of last year accounted for 22.3% of the total aged 60 or more, the equivalent of more than 2 million 478 thousand 087 people.
Even though the importance of serving this population sector, which is increasingly increasing, is insisted on, there are not many messages and educational work that attempts to blur prejudices regarding old age.
And this relatively new research contributes very effectively to this mission of enriching knowledge about our grandparents, close to being almost a third of the population and who are often underestimated.
It is so important to appreciate the potential and traits of this population group, that Dr. Liliam Rodríguez Rivera, director of the Research Center on Longevity, Aging and Health (CITED), has stressed that Cuba works in the four areas of action indicated by the UN on the occasion of the Decade of Healthy Aging (2020-2030), “which seek to change the way we think, feel and act towards age and aging.”
Likewise, Dr. Rodríguez Rivera has mentioned that another area of work must ensure that communities promote the capabilities of older people, for which cities and communities that are friendly to said people are promoted, a program to which the Plaza municipalities have joined. of the Revolution (the oldest in the country, with 29.3% of its population made up of older adults), Alamar and Habana Vieja.
It is very motivating to know that if you lead a healthy lifestyle, intellectual abilities do not decrease with age.
And to promote that healthy lifestyle it is recommended:
-Practice regular physical exercises. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults over 65 years of age should engage in between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate physical activity per week to obtain maximum benefits. This is equivalent to walking approximately 25 minutes a day at a constant pace. It is a routine that can imply a significant increase in quality of life, longevity, and can prevent several chronic diseases.
-Feed and rest adequately.
-Keep your mind busy and generate positive thoughts.
-Preserve and cultivate social relationships, avoiding, as much as possible, loneliness and feelings of isolation, which can lead to depression, as well as mental and physical deterioration.
(Taken from Cubasí).
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