The Scientific American Healthy Aging Brain: The Neuroscience Of Making The Most Of Your Mature Mind

Author: Scientific American

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General Fields

  • : $50.00 NZD
  • : 9780470647738
  • : John Wiley & Sons Australia, Limited
  • : Jossey Bass Wiley
  • :
  • : June 2012
  • : United Kingdom
  • : 37.99
  • : June 2012
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  • : books

Special Fields

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  • : Scientific American
  • : Scientific American
  • : Hardback
  • :
  • :
  • : English
  • : 612.82
  • :
  • : 272
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Barcode 9780470647738
9780470647738

Description

Good news about getting older from Scientific American and Scientific American Mind The Scientific American Truth About Your Aging Brain taps into the most current research to unearth secrets about the brain as it ages. Neurologists and psychologists have discovered the brain from ages 35 to 65 is much more elastic and supple than anyone previously realized. Far from disintegrating, the aging brain can continue to develop and adapt in many ways. Happiness increases and, while our short-term memory may not be what it was, we gain better control and develop better neural networks-something that was entirely beyond us when we were younger. * Offers new insights on how even an aged brain can repair itself, and the best strategies for keeping your brain healthy* Shows how aging people can still achieve new levels of intelligence, acquire new skills, perspective, and productivity* Dispels myths about the aging brain-improvement* Explores what we should be aware of and what to expect as our brains mature In a hopeful but truthful tone, this book helps us understand the good and bad of our aging brains.

Author description

Judith Horstman is the author of The Scientific American Day in the Life of Your Brain, The Scientific American Brave New Brain, and The Scientific American Book of Love, Sex, and the Brain. She's an award-winning science journalist whose work has been widely published and is the author of four other books. Visit her Web site at www.JudithHorstman.com Scientific American is one of the most popular science magazines in the world.

Table of contents

Acknowledgments Preface: Live Long, and Live Well Introduction: Welcome to the New Old Age What's Old, Anyway? How Scientists Are Researching Your Brain Part One: How Your Brain Grows Chapter 1: The Well-Aged Brain: Older and Happier The Myth of a Sad Old Age Actually, It's Getting Better All the Time Great Late Achievers Are Grandparents Safer Drivers? Do You Think I'm Sexy? Apparently, Yes-at Any Age A Swell of Centenarians: One Hundred Reasons to Take Care of Your Brain Chapter 2: How Your Brain Grows: Zero to Sixty In the Beginning: Your Fetal and Baby Brain A Brief Tour of Your Brain The Gray and the White: Neurons and Myelin Childhood: Building the Brain The Teen Brain: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time Get Smart Younger, Delay Dementia Older The Peak Years: Twenties to Sixties Chapter 3: Your Brain Growing Older: What to Expect in a Healthy Aging Brain The Usual Effects of Aging Do the Brains of Men and Women Age Differently? How Memory Works: The Short Version Why White Matter Matters The Aging Brain: Is It Less Connected? Forgetting May Be Vital to Remembering Five Things Most People Get Wrong About Memory The Good News: Slower Is Sometimes Better More Easily Distracted: Why Multitasking Is a Task Part Two: Threats to Your Brain Chapter 4: What Can Go Wrong When Your Brain Needs Help: How Can You Tell? The Darkness of Dementia Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Subtle Loss Stroke: The Brain Attack A Healing Stroke Parkinson's Disease Your Brain on Diabetes: Not So Sweet Traumatic Brain Injury: A Blow to Your Thinking Brain Depression: An Abnormal State The Legacy of Cancer: "Chemo Brain" Too Much of a Good Thing: When Medications Mess Up Your Mind What--Me Worry? Chapter 5: Alzheimer's Disease: The Brain Killer What Is Alzheimer's Disease? Chasing the Cause Anxiety and Alzheimer's Disease: Another Reason to Chill Maybe It's Bad Neural Housekeeping? The Search for a Cure-or Even a Treatment That Works Looking Beyond the Brain An Ounce of Prevention: Marijuana Might Benefit Aging Brains The Future--Without Alzheimer's Disease Part Three: How to Optimize Your Aging Brain Chapter 6: The Big Five for Optimal Brain Function The Cognitive Shop How to Keep Your Brain Healthy and Nimble Chapter 7: Exercise Your Body: Move Your Body for a Better Brain This Brain Was Made for Walking It's Never too Late to Start Exercising A Fine Balance: Yoga, Tai Chi, and Fall Prevention Chapter 8: Challenge Your Brain Educated Brains Stay Better Longer Why Testing Boosts Learning Do Brain Fitness Products Work? Computer Training May Keep You Driving Longer The Bottom Line Chapter 9: Nutrition: Fuel for Thought Glucose Is Not So Sweet to the Brain Forget the Fructose Omega-3, the Essential Oil Your Brain on Berries, Chocolate, and Wine: The Flavonoid Connection Caffeine: A Perk for Your Brain Is There a Pill for That? Supplements and Vitamins Chapter 10: The Social Treatment You've Got a Friend, We Hope Talk to Teens, Live Longer Finding and Making Friends in Later Life Chapter 11: Creativity, Spirit, and Attitude: Enrich Thyself The Art of an Active Brain Live Larger to Live Better The Power of Meditation for the Aging Brain Smile! It Could Make You Happier Attitudes Matter: The Optimism Factor Part Four: Your Future Brain Chapter 12: The Future of the Brain A Fix to Reverse Memory Decline Are You Saving for Those Final Years? RX for This Good Life Chapter 13: Living in the Now Living with an Aging Brain How We (Eventually) Die Going Out with a Bang: The Brain Surges Just Before Death Living in the Now Sources Illustration Credits Glossary Resources for Aging and Coping About the Author Index