A Month of Literary Gratitude, Day 29 - The Secret Life of the Grown Up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle Age Mind, by Barbara Strauch

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Are you middle-aged? Is your once agile mind slower to learn new things? Is the mind that was once a steel trap more like a sieve these days?

Yeah, me, too.

Which is why I enjoyed this book so very much. The Secret Life of the Grown Up Brain by Barbara Strauch is one of those books that gives you hope and a sense that even though you might think you're losing your goddamn mind, you're really not. 






Strauch takes the idea that an aging brain is not valuable, not as smart as a younger brain and tips it on its head.

For many years, scientists thought that the human brain simply decayed over time and its dying cells led to memory slips, fuzzy logic, negative thinking, and even depression. But new research from neuroscien­tists and psychologists suggests that, in fact, the brain reorganizes, improves in important functions, and even helps us adopt a more optimistic outlook in middle age. Growth of white matter and brain connectors allow us to recognize patterns faster, make better judgments, and find unique solutions to problems. Scientists call these traits cognitive expertise and they reach their highest levels in middle age.
So even though you can't remember where you left your phone, your keys, or your glasses, there are other things for which your aging brain is just right. Go, brain, go. 

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