Growing Brain Cells for Older Age

Until the 1960s psychologists believed that brain development stopped at adulthood and that therefore ageing was a period of loss and regression. This outdated theory followed the ideas of the child psychologist Jean Piaget who asserted that children pass through critical stages of development when they are ready to learn certain things, for example reading.

However, new revelations came to light when researchers worked with the nuns of Notre Dame living in Mankato in Minn. From the research it became apparent that not all the sisters who had physical brain lesions on death actually displayed symptoms of dementia. On the contrary they often remained quick, active and intelligent until 100 years of age. The study revealed that we actually have a reserve of brain cells but it is up to us how we develop and use this. We need to know how to grow this reserve.

Various studies have shown that adults can enhance and grow their brain by being active in various pursuits. A number of activities have the effect of growing adults' brains. One example is the knowledge undertaken by London taxi drivers, who develop a larger part of their brain in the course of learning different routes in London, while those who stay with a set route do not develop their brains so well. It has also been shown that medical students studying for their exams displayed an increase in brain size compared to those who were not studying for exams.

All the evidence from the research is good news for ideas to prevent or slow down onset of dementia in older people.

The same applies when older people take up or continue with music and dancing. Such activity, especially for over 75s, do much to prevent and slow down onset of dementia among older people. In one long term study, significant changes to the hyppocampus were shown in the brains of adult music students, following just two terms of intensive music training.

The trick is to step up from the comfort zone in learning and activity. There is a point of uncertainty in learning and that is when new learning takes place, as our brains develop new ways to learn.

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