- Everyone experiences some decline in their thinking and memory skills as they age, but scientists do not yet know exactly why.
- Age-related syndromes, such as dementia, accelerate the rate of cognitive decline, while some lifestyle factors can slow it.
- One recent study, conducted on mouse models, may now have uncovered the central mechanism behind cognitive decline associated with normal aging.
- Another recent study, also in mice, has suggested how social interaction, cognitive training, and physical exercise may slow cognitive decline as we age.
As nerve cells and synapses in the brain alter over time, our ability to quickly process information and make decisions declines.
Most people notice a gradual decline starting at
But what causes the changes? A new study, in mice, suggests that alterations in a brain protein may impair
Another study, again in mice, suggests that we can help delay age-related cognitive decline. In this study, published in Aging, scientists suggest how social interaction, cognitive training, and physical exercise activate an enzyme that improves the functioning of nerve cells and synapses, resulting in enhanced cognitive performance.
In the first study, the researchers investigated
By altering this brain protein in mice, they mimicked the cognitive effects that occur during normal aging.
A previous study by the same authors…
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