Brain Age Mythology Compared to What Really Improves Cognitive Health

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Quite a few men and women have been asking us recently about no matter whether we all have a "Brain Age" and how we can minimize our "brain ages". This concept is a myth, fueled by the (very fun) Nintendo game and a recent PBS campaign promoting a program produced by Posit Science.

The concept of having a "brain age" is, itself, profoundly unscientific, in spite of the radio ads for the PBS program titled Brain Fitness Program, exactly where listeners of all ages get the impression (as a large number of pals and colleagues have reported) that, must they buy the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, they can expect their brains "rejuvenated" by 10 years. This, I hear regularly, should be true, coming from PBS.

However, it is not. And it is not considering that the claim is founded on the exact same faulty premise of getting a "brain age".

What is going on?

Initial, the excellent news. At present we know currently that the brain retains lifelong plasticity (the ability to change itself via expertise). Aging does not mean automatic decline.

Moreover, we know that a range of way of life variables, such as physical and mental physical exercise, can influence how our mental abilities evolve as we age. We can delay or slow down age-related decline. Not only that, we can enhance our abilities, and a number of pc-based programs have shown how they can help precise groups of individuals train and improve particular cognitive abilities.

Now, what is essential to recognize is that there is not 1 overall "brain age". We can view our brain functions or cognitive abilities as a variety of abilities, some far more perception-related, some alot more memory-related, some additional language-related, some additional visual, some additional abstract-thinking and preparing oriented. All science-based brain fitness goods in the market at present target distinct cognitive skills. The analysis that has been published shows how specific brain functions can be improved. But there is no general "brain age" that can be measured or trained in a meaningful way.

Let's analyze the PBS Posit Science-related message: you can rejuvenate your brain by 10 years. What would this mean, had been it to be true? perhaps that ALL cognitive abilities would go back to where they had been 10 years before. and that this would happen for people of all ages: in our 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and so on. It would also mean that, given that rejuvenated "brain age", our risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms would be adjusted to reflect our "new" brain age. And that the evolution of our cognitive abilities more than the rest of our lives would reflect our new-discovered "brain age".

Has this been shown?

However, not. The "10 years" claim appears based on 1 published study, and a lot of unpublished ones, exactly where individuals with an average age of around 70 years take on a incredibly intense auditory processing training program that enables them to boost related auditory cognitive abilities by a substantial percentage. Whereby, on average, and on those precise skills, they reach a level comparable to men and women 60 years old.

But this doesn't say anything about other cognitive skills. Or Alzheimer's related risks. Or the cognitive trajectories that will follow.

Just think about this: if, by attending an intensive tennis camp, you had been able to serve at a level comparable to folks 10 years younger than your age...would you say that your body is now 10 years younger? Almost certainly not. You'd say that now you play tennis superior. Which is a substantial benefit in itself if that is what you are following.

Recent studies have shown a tremendous variability in how nicely folks age and how, to a substantial extent, our actions influence our rate of brain improvement and/or decline. The earlier we start the greater. And it is never too late.

What can we do to maintain our brain? Focus on 4 pillars of brain wellness: physical physical exercise, a balanced diet plan, anxiety management, and brain exercise. Anxiety management is valuable since tension has been shown to truly kill neurons and cut down the rate of creation of new ones. Brain workouts range from low-tech (i.e. meditation, mastering new complex abilities, lifelong understanding and engagement) to high-tech (i.e. employing the growing number of brain fitness software program programs).

In summary, the wonderful news is that there are a lot more tools available than ever before to assess and train a variety of cognitive skills, in what is nonetheless these days a exceptionally modest, but growing market. Nintendo, Posit Science, and others are offering useful goods and services.

The bad news (is this truly news?) is that we shouldn't be expecting magic pills and that "brain age" is a fiction.

In case you wonder...I do have and take pleasure in my copy Nintendo Brain Age, and appreciate it as a stimulating game. I merely do not outsource my brain fitness to Dr. Kawashima...