The Aging Brain

It's commonly observed that when people age they exhibit some symptoms and tend to deteriorate in some of the functions they used to perform perfectly well. The following are just a few examples of those symptoms;

  • MEMORY LOSS.

  • POOR EYESIGHT.

  • PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION.

  • POOR AUDITORY SKILLS.

  • BODY JOINT PAIN.

    For the purpose of this presentation, we'll focus mainly on memory loss.

    Memory loss is one thing that appears to be a trivial issue on the surface, but when you take time to probe into some of the likely consequences of havng to deal with the experience, then you'll appreciate how valuable it will be to come up with a solution to the problem especially when it comes to the topic of aging.

    Sometime last year I read in the Newspaper about an aged lady who left home in the dead of the night and didn't have any idea of who she was, where she came from or where she wanted to go. If not for the fact that she had some relatives looking for her, it will be extremely difficult for anyone to figure out who she was. Imagine a situation where she has no relation and someone just claims her off the street that will be the end of the story. Her fate will depend on whether the claimant wants her for good or for ulterior motives. This is really scary indeed

    MEMORY LOSS PHYSIOLOGY

    A major breakthrough in technological advancement that has helped in the study of brain development with specific reference to aging is the MRI. One advantage of this method is the fact that it's non invasive, less hazardous compared to the X-ray radiation and very effective at diagnosing the root of the problem especially in a delicate body organ like the brain.

    The cells responsible for our thoughts and memory are located in an outer layer of the brain known as the cortex which makes up about 70% of the brain and it is highly folded and larger in man than other mammals. As we grow older, the size of our brain diminishes and so are the functions that are related to the cells that are lost with age most especially, memory.

    Other factors that may be responsible are as follows;

  • INFLAMATION OF THE BRAIN.

  • OVERPRODUCTION OF REACTIVE OXYGEN.

  • GENETIC ORIGIN (HEREDITARY). brain map