Current research is constantly evolving and there are new findings everyday! Here are some amazing ideas that have been explored in the past few years!
Does Cognitive Functioning Peak?
In a study conducted by Joshua K. Hartshorne and Laura T. Germine, they discovered that aging affects brain powers. Their study included around 50,000 participants who were asked to take online IQ and memory tests. Around high school graduation, is when many of their participants peaking in brain processing speed. However, a different peak age was found for peak memory. The age of 25 seemed to be when visual memory was peaked, while, short term memory peaks at the age of 35. The author's of this study showed that the brain continues to significantly change and develop even well into adulthood, which is a different conception than what scientists had previously accepted.
Alzheimer's is the mental deteroriation that can come progress starting from middle to old age, destroying the memory and other mental functions. Researchers have been studying this for decades but have not yet found a cure to this wide-spread disease and are constantly looking for new ways to fight it.
In Australia, research teams from Queensland Brain Institute and University of Queensland think they may have found a development. Alzheimer's patients have lesions in their brains called amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles; these are formed by clumps of proteins which in turn disrupts the flow of essential materials like nutrients. The researchers from Australia have developed a technique that is similar to a focused therapeutic ultrasound. The purpose of this technique is send sound waves into the brain tissue which will stimulate microglial cells to activate. Microglial cells remove waste from the brain so by activating these they clean out the clumps of proteins that are amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. In their studies, they have tested this on mice and have reported that 75% of them have restored full memory function. These researchers plan on continuing their research and hopefully creating a cure for humans in the future!
A study was conducted that followed around 3,500 people through many years to see if over the counter drugs would affect memory loss. The participants were over the age of 65, and the duration of this study was 7 years. While at the start of the trial none of the participants showed signs of memory loss, almost 800 of them had developed Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. The researchers narrowed down the cause of this exacerbated effect to four specific medications. Diphenhydramine, Chlorpheniramine Oxybutynin and Doxepin which are often found in antihistamines, antidepresants or bladder medications seem to be the root catalyst for memory loss in these participants. All four of these drugs are anticholinergics which suppress ACTH in the nervous system. Alzheimer's patients have been to typically have low levels of ACTH, so we see a strong link here. This study showed an interesting correlation, one that is worth continued research in the future.