Feeling Young? You May Be Older than You Think
I keep hearing from my mother and her friends that 60 is the new 40. However, as it turns out, 27 might be the new 65 and those of you who have been thinking that you are getting smarter as you get older could well be mistaken.
A study performed by researchers at the University of Virginia indicates that mental agility peaks around the age of 22 and starts to decline around the age of 27. The areas that decline include speed of thought, visualization, and reasoning.
Participants in the study were required to identify patterns, solve puzzles, and recall words and details and in nine out of twelve tests, 22 was the average age at which performance peaked. Incidentally, the tests used in the study are the same types of tests that are used to spot signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
The results of the study might have important implications on research into the effects of ageing and, in particular, the neurological changes that occur as we grow older.
The study indicates that tests employed to identify the onset of neurological disorders might need to start earlier and techniques used to counteract the neurological effects of ageing perhaps should also begin earlier.
There is a silver lining to the study – for those of you troubled by the idea that you may have been at your mental peak during your college years, all is not lost. The study also indicates that memory stays intact until your late 30s and that abilities based on accumulated knowledge continue to improve to about 60.
Have a great day,
Megan F. Connolly
