The Vicissitudes of Aging & Brain Health: What Parents' May Never Have Told You!

Abstract

Aging is a biological, psychological, and sociological process and is a universal truth that everyone must contend with. As a process it is made up of gains and losses as we grow and develop across the lifespan. The brain, being the seat of thought, reasoning, problem solving, emotional regulation, sensory motor operation, and other important biological functions, plays a major role in developmental advances as well decline. Research in this area has come a long way over the years in uncovering modifiable lifestyle behaviors one may utilize in keeping a healthy brain and how to contend with situations where brain changes may be non-modifiable. This presentation covers a brief overview of typical brain functioning, pathology, newer research on how to keep the brain healthy, and ends with a discussion of how views of the lifespan may impact beliefs regarding brain pathology and approaches to caregiving of individuals with dementia.