Has Your Brain Already Peaked?

New research from MIT suggests that mental decline begins far younger than is typically thought.

Your brain might be going fuzzy faster than you think: If you’re over the ripe old age of 18, some of your cognitive skills have already headed south, according to new findings from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Researchers put together a set of short, simple computer games designed to assess various cognitive skills—like processing speed, vocabulary, and social cognition—for players ages 10 to 89.

So which of your mental skills are already over the hill, and which ones are still getting sharper?

1. Processing Speed

What it is: How fast you can take in new information and respond to it. It’s basically thinking on your feet.

When it peaks: Your late teens.

Why it matters: Faster processing speed means faster problem solving. But remember: Coming up with a fast solution isn’t always the same as coming up with the right solution.

"It’s good to be able to run fast, but it’s better to know where you’re going,” says study coauthor Joshua Hartshorne, Ph.D.

How to make it better: Breaking a sweat can boost your processing speed Just 30 min of exercise is fine.

2. Working Memory

What it is: Your ability to hold multiple pieces of information in your brain for a short period of time and recall it as needed to complete tasks or solve problems.

When it peaks: Your late 20s to early 30s.

Why it matters: You use working memory to hang onto stuff in the short term, like remembering what you need to pick up at the shopping center or solving a math problem in your head.

How to make it better: Go ahead, play Call of Duty without a shred of guilt.It's not a joke...
In a recent Temple University study of college - people who played action video games for an hour a day for 30 days boosted their working memory.

3. Social Cognition

What it is: Your ability to perceive and interpret social information, like body language or facial expressions—and respond accordingly.

When it peaks: Your 40s.

Why it matters: You rely on your social cognition skills to understand someone else’s behavior. Example: smiling to let your date know you’re happy to be with her.

How to make it better: Let your guard down. Things like hugging, holding hands, kissing, all stimulate the release of the feel-good hormone oxytocin, which may bolster your social cognition.

4. Vocabulary

What it is: Your ability to learn the meaning of new words.

When it peaks: Your mid 60s to early 70s.

Why it matters: Broader vocabulary helps you communicate more effectively and better understand the world around you.

How to make it better: Just a few decades ago, vocabulary skills peaked during people’s 40s—suggesting that things in our environment are rapidly boosting our word-learning abilities.

Thanks for the reading. :)
Upvote and follow, if you like the post.
Feel free to comment.