A recent study suggests that specific cognitive skills can be improved in old age through brain training. Until now, scientists generally believed that attention, executive functions and logical thinkingdue to the aging processeslose weight. However, researchers questioned this and showed that certain brain functions, such as orientation, may improve with aging.
Increased brain function and better cognitive abilities in old age
Some experts consider memory, in particular, to be one of the most affected brain functions in older adults. For years, numerous studies have shown that older adults experience a general decline in brain function. However, the new observational study suggests that this may not necessarily be the case. Additionally, the study authors found that older people instead show improvements in some areas of their cognitive health. The most noticeable changes and attention deficits that occur with age are impaired performance in complex attention tasks such as selective or divided attention. The latest study paints a less negative picture than other research. The research team claims that some cognitive skills can be improved accordingly with age. To do this, the scientists examined 702 participants between the ages of 58 and 98. They tested the subjects on three cognitive abilities: altered consciousness, orientation and inhibition.
As participants' awareness changed, the other two processes improved, the researchers found. The study results are therefore astonishing to her and would have important consequences for how people should view aging. According to the authors, critical cognitive skills probably increase with age because people simply practice them throughout their lives. While the study shows that orientation and executive processes can improve with aging, it is possible to further improve cognitive abilities with certain activities. Activities such as learning a second language, a musical instrument, attending courses and social interaction contribute enormously. It is therefore plausible, but uncertain, whether one can specifically increase executive brain function in old age through targeted practice. The authorsthis studyHowever, we need to further explore these processes and activities to understand how best to maintain brain function over the years.
