Most people think as people get older, they gradually lose their memories, and it's just inevitable fate. Or is it?

Brain research has shown that our brains have the ability to continue to develop and grow new neuro-pathways or connections. It's called brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity. It's not limited by our age.

Keeping yourself mentally sharp is part of Intensive Self-Care, so I think it's important to learn more about this. I found this post at SharpBrains with a fascinating interview with Dr. Michael Merzenich, a co-founder of Posit Science, Inc. and one of the first neuroscientists to embrace the concepts of neuroplasticity. He was convinced of the real-world application of neuroplasticity, because of his experience with the invention of the cochlear implant. The quality of the signal provided by a cochlear implant is rather poor compared to that produced in normal hearing, but over a period of months, implant recipients are able to progress to the point of being able to discern speech that sounds "almost normal." This is a practical example of brain plasticity.

As for the belief that older people have less efficient memory, Dr. Merzenich's research indicates that as people get older their ability to comprehend rapid speech goes down. His key idea is that if you can improve hearing comprehension, memory improves. This is because of the well-known fact that richer signals leave stronger memories.

Same goes to vision. He found that as people get older, they tend to focus their vision directly in front of themselves (think tunnel vision), but not paying so much attention to their surroundings as younger people do. This means they are seeing less of their surroundings, so they are remembering less. So at Posit Science, Inc. they are training seniors to regain the habit of frequently scanning their periphery, in the hope of improving their memory.

It's fascinating, isn't it? I didn't know the correlation between memory and the quality of hearing or vision. But it does make sense.

When asked how to improve cognitive fitness, Dr. Merzenich advised embracing lifestyle that enhances brain neuroplasticity. He emphasized the importance of physical activity and the importance of "remaining engaged in life." If you want your brain to stay sharp you have to keep challenging it. Avoid the temptation to take the easy way out by intentionally trying things you aren't already good at.

Sounds like commonsense, but now there's real science to back it up. If you think "I am too old to learn ..." think again! It is no longer a valid excuse!

Keep challenging yourself and keep on learning. Otherwise, your brain might end up looking like Homer's...

Labels: health, Intensive Self-Care, mental fitness, personal development