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Professor: ‘We can do a lot to keep the brain fit’ NOW

As we get older, the brain just worsens, the idea is. That is not necessarily true, says clinical neuropsychology professor Margriet Sitskoorn. She wrote the book The 50+ brain, in which she deals with stubborn myths about decaying brains. Eight questions for Sitskoorn.

The brain only deteriorates with age, right?

“That is a deeply ingrained idea. It is a bias that we really need to get rid of. New brain studies show that our brains are constantly adapting. We owe that adaptability to the neuroplasticity of the brain: we constantly make new ones connections and cells in the brain. “

Are we not going backwards at all?

“Some skills do indeed deteriorate. For example, most people notice something around the age of fifty that they forget something more, just as we also become physically stiffer around that age. The short-term memory is getting a bit worse. But decaying is really no Some things are going less well, others are going better. “

Which things will go better then?

“The memory improves on certain fronts. As we get older we have experienced more and we have more knowledge. That makes it easier for us to put things in context and to put things in perspective more easily.”

“The memory of the elderly seems to be related to goals, not necessarily to new information.”




“We are able to resolve interpersonal problems faster, better assess information and situations and we have a better overview, we see the bigger picture.”

But don’t older people score worse in memory tests?

“That’s right, among other things, because memory tests are all about strings and remembering sequences. But that’s not how the aging brain works. The aging brain is more focused on the usefulness of information. And those kinds of arbitrary rows often have little use.”

“Memory in the elderly seems to be related to the goals they have in life and not necessarily to new information.”





It is good for your brain to exercise a lot and eat healthy even when you get older. (Photo: 123RF)

What other benefits does the fifty plus brain have?

“That we can deal with emotions better. Brain research shows that the almond core, a place that is involved in emotion regulation, is less stimulated by negative information than when we are young. We are less likely to be bothered by setbacks. The older the better we know that the soup is not eaten as hot as it is served, and we generally get a more positive self-image. “

Your book is a revised version of Long live the brain from 2008. What has changed since then?

“An enormous amount of research has been done into the brain over the past eleven years. So much that we have to revise the image of the aging brain. That was also the reason that I wanted to expand the book thoroughly. It exists for about two thirds from new information. “

“We can do a lot to keep the brain fit, even later in life.”




“The two most important new insights, in my opinion, are the fact that over the years the brain is not just deteriorating, but also with regard to certain skills. And that we can do a lot ourselves to keep the brain as fit as possible. late age. “

What can we do ourselves?

“Healthy living and eating, a lot of exercise and continuing to challenge your brain until late age. Research shows that those who continue to learn, even after the age of 50, suffer less from cognitive decline. By doing new things, new offshoots of brain cells and new connections between brain cells, so keep on facing new challenges throughout your life: for example, learn a new language or learn to play an instrument. “

And technical skills? They are going backwards, right?

“Not if you maintain them. Research shows that the elderly are perfectly capable of mastering the operation of a device or, for example, of installing a computer or tablet. Even if they have not grown up with modern technology. So don’t believe that you are ever too old to learn. That is a myth. “

“In fact, research shows that those who believe in the negative stereotyping of the deteriorating older person are more likely to suffer from age complaints such as heart problems. That is why it is so important to eliminate these prejudices once and for all. Because they are incorrect but also because they cause damage. “

Margriet Sitskoorn is a professor of clinical neuropsychology at Tilburg University. Her book The 50+ brain was published by Uitgeverij Prometheus.

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