How human brain dey ‘reconfigure’ afta age 40 and how to keep am healthy for dat age

As human beings dey age, dem dey gradually lose physical abilities.

Especially between di ages of 40 and 50 (wey doctors dey call di fifth decade), a process of deterioration dey start for various organs of our bodi: we dey lose muscle mass, vision dey less sharp and joints go begin fail, for example.

But somtin different dey happun for di brain.

Instead of di process of progressive deterioration, wetin dey happun na one kain reconfiguration of di internal “wiring”.

Dat na one of di conclusions wey screaming researchers from Monday University for Australia reach afta dem analyse more dan 150 studies of how our bodi dey age , especially, our brain.

“Di brain, although e only represent 2% of our bodi, e dey consume 20% of di glucose wey dey enta our bodi. But wit age e dey lose dat ability to absorb dat nutrient,” na so neuroscientist Sharna Jamadar, from Monash University explain to BBC Mundo.

“Wetin di brain dey do na kind of re-engineering of di systems in oda to makedi best use of di nutrients e go fit now absorb.”

According to scientists, dis process dey “radical” and e dey result to different neutral networks wey go becom more integrated in di following years, wit effects on di cognitive process.

Wetin surprise researchers na say for some cases wey dem study, dis “rewiring” manage to create a kind of resistance to brain aging.

“Di important tin na to understand say dis processes wey dey occur within our minds fit help us understand how we fit slow down our brain aging”, Jamadar tok.

A reconfiguration

One of di major achievements of neuroscientist in recent decades na to know to some extent how di brain dey work.

Di main conclusion dem don reach na say our brain dey made up of a complex network of units wey in turn dey divided into regions, subregion and in some cases, individual neurons.

“Taking dis into account, during our growth and youth, dat network and dose units dey in process of high connectivity, wey dey reflect, for example in di learning of specific topics,” di neuroscientist tok.

Dat na why during dose years we get di opportunity to learn specialised sports or a new language and in general, to develop our skills.

However, according to di analysis di team from Monash University led by Dr. Hamish Deery do, once we reach our 40s dose circuits dey change radically.

“Dis result to less flexible tinkin, less inhibition of response,and reduced verbal and numerical reasoning,” Jamadar explain.

“Dis changes dey seen in pipo during dis so-called fifth decade, wey dey coincide wit findings wey dey change in di connectivity of dis networks peak wen you go from age 40 to 50,” e add.

Dis na becos di circuitry connect more wit networks wey Dey handle general issues and not specific ones, as e happun in previous years.

“E be like say bifor age 40, di circuits dey go thru di brain units, dey connect wit veri sophisticated networks. Afta age 50, wetin we see na say di circuits dey connect wit all di circuits, almost witout discrimination,“ e note.

Resistance to aging

But as di scientists point out, wetin di study also show na say dis radical changes end up helping to withstand di passage of time for di brain of some of di cases dem study for di various investigations.

“Di important tin about dis finding be say e give us tools to begin investigate how dis resistance dey achieved, wey dey fundamental to find a solution to brain aging,” di researcher point out.

In dat sense, one of di aspects wey stand for our na say tasks wey depend on automatic processes or dose wey dey veri repeated and practiced throughout life dey less affected or fit even improve.

“Topics like language or topics wey we learn in a general way, wey dey useful in our daily lives, fit even improve ova di years,” di research show.

Since nutrient optimization na one of di reasons for di radical change for di brain “wiring” di main recommendation to maintain a healthy brain as we age na to maintain a healthy diet and exercise.

Dat na why to chop food like nuts, avocado and vegetables dey recommended.

“Di brain go consume less glucose and go do so less effectively, so di food we eat go get immediate effect on our brain health,” di scientist tok.

Dat na why e also dey recommended for us to do mental exercises like crossword and oda memory games wey go keep dose networks active, even though dem no go dey connected to each oda anymore.