Studying middle-aged brain can give us clues to dementia
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Scientists from Johns Hopkins and the University of Mississippi have analyzed the presence of inflammatory molecules in the blood of middle-aged adults and were able to predict future cognitive change 20 years down the line. The brain's clock starts speeding up during middle-aging, which may predict future health. The brain goes through accelerating change during this period, with structures like the hippocampus shrinking and white matter connections losing volume. Detecting changes in the brain can be done through readily available and cost-effective blood tests. Middle age could be a period to detect early risk factors of future cognitive decline and intervene. The global population aged 60 and over is set to double by 2050, leading to an increase in dementia cases. The focus has been too much on the brain in old age, but middle age could be a critical period to detect early risk factors. Biological age is more informative about future health than age in terms of years lived. Physical exercise and blood-borne messengers can oppose the effects of time on the brain. The contents of blood may cause the brain to age, as cells and organs slowly deteriorate and the immune system starts the process of inflammation. Biological age can be estimated with cost-effective tests used in the clinic. The brain's communication networks start deteriorating faster during middle age, especially those involved in memory. The brain's communication networks allow us to perform complex tasks like decision-making. The brain seems to peak in this regard by middle age, but then the network "cliques" start to break up.

#Brain #MiddleAge #Dementia #CognitiveDecline #Inflammation #Hippocampus #WhiteMatter #BloodTests #BiologicalAge #Exercise #CommunicationNetworks

https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/studying-middle-aged-brain-can-give-us-clues-to-dementia/articleshow/108827861.cms