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Oops, I am 45. Chris van der Linden, M.D. ----- Original Message ----- From: "janet paterson" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 3:11 PM Subject: NEWS: BBC: Mental decline 'starts in forties' > Mental decline 'starts in forties' > > Tuesday, 19 December, 2000, 19:01 GMT - Some say that life begins at 40, > but scientists have discovered that so does the process of mental decline. > > Research by psychologists suggests that even the most quick witted people > start to slow down mentally past the age of 45. > > >From then on further decline is inevitable with each passing year. > > A team of psychologists from Cognitive Drug Research Ltd in Reading carried > out a tests of tests on 2,282 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 87. > > They tested routine abilities such as time taken to remember names and > faces, speed of reaction to situations, concentration on tasks and decision > making. > > Lead researcher Professor Keith Wesnes said: "By middle-age you can be 10% > to 15% slower in a number of functions than your were in your 20s. > > "You're not concentrating as well and you can't focus and ignore > distraction to the same extent as you used to. > > "You become slightly forgetful, and might not remember what you walked into > a room for, or take a long time to recall someone's name. > > "You're less able to bring things to the front of your mind quickly." > > The results of the study clearly showed that until the mid-40s people's > mental faculties remained unchanged. > > But after this time thinking-speed showed a marked decline which continued > at a constant rate into old age. > > The ability to remember words after a delay was especially affected. > > Scientists do not know why the brain starts to slow down past a certain age. > > One theory is that cells in the brain gradually lose the ability to > communicate with each other via chemicals called neurotransmitters. > > This in turn may cause brain cells to wither due to lack of stimulation. > > An expert in brain chemistry, Dr James Semple, from Addenbrooke's Hospital, > Cambridge, said: "It's probable that for some reason the efficiency of the > transmitter system decreases in your 40s and 50s". > > Dr Semple presented findings at the conference which showed that patients > with Alzheimer's disease lose about 3% of their total brain volume each year. > > People experiencing normal ageing lost less than 0.5%. > > Dr Semple said middle aged people could rely on their greater experience to > compensate for a slow down in their mental functioning. > > Dr Semple said: "Old dogs have strategies and tricks they can use because > they have experience working in the system. > > "Maybe they can't process the information as quickly, but they know the > short cuts." > > Professor Wesnes said there was evidence that herbal supplements such as > ginkgo could help speed up the over-forties. > > In one recent trial, a group of middle-aged people showed a 7% mental > improvement after taking a combination of ginkgo and ginseng. > > The research findings were presented at the British Psychological Society's > London conference on Tuesday. > > Cognitive Drug Research Ltd specialises in studying the mental function of > people taking part in pharmaceutical trials. > > Related to this story: > Lead 'accelerates ageing' (24 Oct 00 | Health) > Sleep linked to ageing (15 Aug 00 | Health) > > Internet links: > Cognitive Drug Research Ltd > British Psychological Society > > BBC News Online: Health > http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/newsid_1078000/1078415.stm > > janet paterson, an akinetic rigid subtype parkie > 53 now /44 dx cd / 43 onset cd /41 dx pd / 37 onset pd > TEL: 613 256 8340 SMAIL: POBox 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada > EMAIL: [log in to unmask] URL: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ >