THE "FILE CABINET" IS FULL

Many older people can be slower to recall facts or learn new information because their brains are so stuffed with accumulated knowledge—not because of inevitable cognitive decline. That’s the conclusion of a new study by German researchers challenging the idea that otherwise healthy adults are bound to experience deteriorating brain function.(click below to read more)
“The brains of older people do not get weak,” Michael Ramscar of Tübingen University tells The Independent(U.K.). “On the contrary, they simply know more.” Using computer models, researchers simulated memory recall from different stages in a lifetime. The models with less information in their memory banks retrieved requested data more quickly, mirroring young adults, while the models packed with information were slower, in line with the performance of older ones. Researchers also analyzed the results of a prior linguistics test in which young volunteers outperformed their older counterparts at remembering pairs of unrelated words such as “necktie” and “cracker.” The German team concluded that the result, originally attributed to cognitive decline, really reflected older adults’ having a better understanding of language—and thus being naturally resistant to nonsensical pairings.