Aging Begins at 30

When Do We Lose Our Brain Power?

Will solving crossword puzzles prevent my intellectual decline or decoding cryptograms do the same for my wife? In fact, is there an intellectual decline with old age and can it be slowed or reversed? My wife and I keep working, primarily in the writing field, we travel, we interact socially, and we attend university classes in the summer. Does all this help? Individuals are considered intelligent if they can learn from experience, handle new situations, and use reasoning. Are 80-year-olds "intelligent"?

Measures of verbal meaning, spatial ability, reasoning, number skills, and word fluency have been given and followed for 36 years in a group of 500 registrants from age 25 to 90. Largely innate (called fluid) intelligence tends to decline before experienced or environmental learned (crystallized) intelligence, genetics versus environment, if you will. There may be sex differences in the relative decline in innate and learned intelligence once the late 70's are reached. There is, however, a generational difference. "New" elderly are declining less rapidly than the "old" elderly. The elderly, compared to young adults, take longer to figure things out but they get there given enough time. They also have often been given inappropriate tasks. More appropriate tasks for the elderly are needed in intelligence tests.

Drops in intelligence are not universal. More than half those tested at age 81 do not show any loss. There is substantial similarity in family groups. If grandma had a good memory, so will you.

There are two confounding problems. There is a decline in intelligence before death, but that can only be evaluated retrospectively. In the past, the elderly have been encouraged to adopt a sick role and to learn to underachieve. This is rapidly changing. Depression may have devastating effects on intellectual function. In most cases, this can be reversed with appropriate treatment.

Cardiovascular and other chronic diseases take their toll if severe but the usual ailments of old age have no effect. Alcohol and tobacco have bad effects on memory. The rich, with their better resources, do better than the poor as do those with a stimulating environment. A relaxed flexible personality and an intellectual spouse add to your chances of preserving your intellect. In other words, a good brain in a fit body with lots of stimulation can maintain its ability.

No you can't remember someone's name, but did you go to enough trouble to learn it correctly in the first place? Some modern tests do measure the real intelligence that is needed in real life tasks and are not merely intellectual foofaraw.

There is a strong suggestion that disease is bad for learning and that it is often reversible by treatment, another career, elderhostel learning, or by whatever gives you your kicks. You can teach old dogs new tricks, especially if the jet-age traveling grandparents feel that learning is relevant to their lives. Will you still know me, will you still love me when I'm 84? Yes, if you're still learning.

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See related Patient Topics Brain and Nervous System, Dementia, Mental Health and Behavior, Seniors' Health or Seniors' Health--General.

See related Provider Topics Brain and Nervous System, Dementia, Mental Health and Behavior, Seniors' Health or Seniors' Health--General.

All contents copyright © 1992-2004 the Author(s) and The University of Iowa. All rights reserved.

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