Scientific American Healthy Aging Brain - The Neuroscience of Making the Most of Your Mature Mind

Informationen zum Autor JUDITH HORSTMAN is the author of The Scientific American Day in the Life of Your Brain , The Scientific American Brave New Brain , and The Scientific American Book of Love, Sex, and the Brain . She's an award-winning science journalist whose work has been widely published and is the author of four other books. Visit her Web site at www.JudithHorstman.com Scientific American is one of the most popular science magazines in the world. Klappentext Good news about getting older from Scientific American and Scientific American MindThe Scientific American Healthy Aging Brain taps into the most current research to present a realistic and encouraging view of the well-aged brain, a sobering look at what can go wrong--and at what might help you and your brain stay healthy longer. Neurologists and psychologists have discovered the aging brain is much more elastic and supple than previously thought, and that happiness actually increases with age. While our short-term memory may not be what it was, dementia is not inevitable. Far from disintegrating, the elder brain can continue to develop and adapt in many ways and stay sharp as it ages.* Offers new insights on how an aging brain can repair itself, and the five best strategies for keeping your brain healthy* Shows how older brains can acquire new skills, perspective, and productivity* Dispels negative myths about aging* Explores what to expect as our brains grow olderWith hope and truth, this book helps us preserve what we've got, minimize what we've lost, and optimize the vigor and health of our maturing brains. Zusammenfassung Good news about getting older from Scientific American and Scientific American Mind The Scientific American Truth About Your Aging Brain taps into the most current research to unearth secrets about the brain as it ages. Inhaltsverzeichnis Acknowledgments xi Preface: Live Long, and Live Well xiii Introduction: Welcome to the New Old Age 1 What's Old, Anyway? 2 How Scientists Are Researching Your Brain 3 Part One How Your Brain Grows 7 Chapter 1. The Well-Aged Brain: Older and Happier 9 The Myth of a Sad Old Age 10 Actually, It's Getting Better All the Time 12 Great Late Achievers 14 Are Grandparents Safer Drivers? 16 Do You Think I'm Sexy? Apparently, Yes-at Any Age 16 A Swell of Centenarians: One Hundred Reasons to Take Care of Your Brain 20 Chapter 2. How Your Brain Grows: Zero to Sixty 21 In the Beginning: Your Fetal and Baby Brain 23 A Brief Tour of Your Brain 24 The Gray and the White: Neurons and Myelin 26 Childhood: Building the Brain 28 The Teen Brain: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time 29 Get Smart Younger, Delay Dementia Older 32 The Peak Years: Twenties to Sixties 33 Chapter 3. Your Brain Growing Older: What to Expect in a Healthy Aging Brain 37 The Usual Effects of Aging 39 Do the Brains of Men and Women Age Differently? 40 How Memory Works: The Short Version 41 Why White Matter Matters 45 The Aging Brain: Is It Less Connected? 46 Forgetting May Be Vital to Remembering 47 Five Things Most People Get Wrong About Memory 48 The Good News: Slower Is Sometimes Better 51 More Easily Distracted: Why Multitasking Is a Task 55 Part Two Threats to Your Brain 59 Chapter 4. What Can Go Wrong 61 When Your Brain Needs Help: How Can You Tell? 64 The Darkness of Dementia 67 Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Subtle Loss 69 Stroke: The Brain Attack 70 A Healing Stroke 72 Parkinson's Disease 74 Your Brain on Diabetes: Not So Sweet 75 Traumatic Brain Injury: A Blow to Your Thinking Brain 77 Depression: An Abnormal State 78 The...

List of contents

Acknowledgments xi
 
Preface: Live Long, and Live Well xiii
 
Introduction: Welcome to the New Old Age 1
 
What's Old, Anyway? 2
 
How Scientists Are Researching Your Brain 3
 
PART ONE How Your Brain Grows 7
 
Chapter 1. The Well-Aged Brain: Older and Happier 9
 
The Myth of a Sad Old Age 10
 
Actually, It's Getting Better All the Time 12
 
Great Late Achievers 14
 
Are Grandparents Safer Drivers? 16
 
Do You Think I'm Sexy? Apparently, Yes--at Any Age 16
 
A Swell of Centenarians: One Hundred Reasons to Take Care of Your Brain 20
 
Chapter 2. How Your Brain Grows: Zero to Sixty 21
 
In the Beginning: Your Fetal and Baby Brain 23
 
A Brief Tour of Your Brain 24
 
The Gray and the White: Neurons and Myelin 26
 
Childhood: Building the Brain 28
 
Th e Teen Brain: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time 29
 
Get Smart Younger, Delay Dementia Older 32
 
The Peak Years: Twenties to Sixties 33
 
Chapter 3. Your Brain Growing Older: What to Expect in a Healthy Aging Brain 37
 
The Usual Effects of Aging 39
 
Do the Brains of Men and Women Age Differently? 40
 
How Memory Works: The Short Version 41
 
Why White Matter Matters 45
 
The Aging Brain: Is It Less Connected? 46
 
Forgetting May Be Vital to Remembering 47
 
Five Things Most People Get Wrong About Memory 48
 
The Good News: Slower Is Sometimes Better 51
 
More Easily Distracted: Why Multitasking Is a Task 55
 
PART TWO Threats to Your Brain 59
 
Chapter 4. What Can Go Wrong 61
 
When Your Brain Needs Help: How Can You Tell? 64
 
Th e Darkness of Dementia 67
 
Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Subtle Loss 69
 
Stroke: Th e Brain Attack 70
 
A Healing Stroke 72
 
Parkinson's Disease 74
 
Your Brain on Diabetes: Not So Sweet 75
 
Traumatic Brain Injury: A Blow to Your Thinking Brain 77
 
Depression: An Abnormal State 78
 
The Legacy of Cancer: "Chemo Brain" 81
 
Too Much of a Good Thing: When Medications Mess Up Your Mind 82
 
What--Me Worry? 85
 
Chapter 5. Alzheimer's Disease: The Brain Killer 87
 
What Is Alzheimer's Disease? 88
 
Chasing the Cause 91
 
Anxiety and Alzheimer's Disease: Another Reason to Chill 94
 
Maybe It's Bad Neural Housekeeping? 97
 
The Search for a Cure--or Even a Treatment That Works 100
 
Looking Beyond the Brain 104
 
An Ounce of Prevention: Marijuana Might Benefit Aging Brains 106
 
The Future--Without Alzheimer's Disease 109
 
PART THREE How to Optimize Your Aging Brain 111
 
Chapter 6. The Big Five for Optimal Brain Function 113
 
The Cognitive Shop 116
 
How to Keep Your Brain Healthy and Nimble 119
 
Chapter 7. Exercise Your Body: Move Your Body for a Better Brain 123
 
Th is Brain Was Made for Walking 126
 
It's Never Too Late to Start Exercising 127
 
A Fine Balance: Yoga, Tai Chi, and Fall Prevention 131
 
Chapter 8. Challenge Your Brain 135
 
Educated Brains Stay Better Longer 137
 
Why Testing Boosts Learning 138
 
Do Brain Fitness Products Work? 139
 
Computer Training May Keep You Driving Longer 143
 
Th e Bottom Line 144
 
Chapter 9. Nutrition: Fuel for Thought 147
 
Glucose Is Not So Sweet to the Brain 151
 
Forget the Fructose 152
 
Omega-3, the Essential Oil 154
 
Your Brain on Berries, Chocolate, and Wine: The Flavonoid Connection 155
 
Caffeine: A Perk for You

Product details

• Authors: Judith Horstman, Judith Scientific American Horstman, Horstman Judith, Scientific American, Judith Scientific American Horstman
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 15.06.2012
• EAN: 9780470647738
• ISBN: 978-0-470-64773-8
• No. of pages: 280
• Series: Scientific American
• Subjects: Guides > Health; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Miscellaneous; Non-fiction book > Psychology, esoterics, spirituality, anthroposophy > Applied psychology; Neurowissenschaften, Life Sciences, Neuroscience, Biowissenschaften, Popular medicine and health, Coping with / advice about ageing