How does the human brain age? How to stop aging?

A landmark 20-year research project in Melbourne has made important discoveries.
two new papers shed further light on how the brain ages and what affects the process of aging.
Based on the findings, experts encouraged women to pay attention to their cholesterol and blood pressure.
, published in the journal Brain Imaging and Behaviour, entitled "A decade of change in brain and cognition", the authors found that a person's brain capacity at age 60 can predict his memory at age 70.
an MRI scan at age 60 can identify people at risk of memory loss at age 70.
this conclusion is supported by other international studies that have established a link between brain atrophy and cognitive decline.
specifically, the study used participant data from the Women's Healthy Ageing Project, a population-based project that the University of Melbourne has been implementing since the early 1990s.
60 women underwent the first 3T MRI scan at about 59, and 40 of them completed a follow-up cognitive assessment over a 10-year period.
23 of the 40 received follow-up MRI scans.
analysis showed that participants in the smaller gray matter region of the brain 10 years ago were more likely to increase their risk of cognitive decline, in addition to the expected age-related rate of atrophy. The
authors say the study shows that neuroimaging student markers are useful in predicting cognitive decline in healthy older women.
2. In another paper entitled "The Effect of the midlife cardiovascular risk factor on the white matter hyperintensity and two decades in normal ageing women", the scientists surveyed 135 participants from Women's Healthy Age Ing and found that "higher cardiovascular risk in middle age" meant that vascular brain injury was higher after age 60.
high vascular risk factors include high cholesterol, low "good cholesterol( HDL" levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.
these risks usually increase with age.
specifically, the study investigated brain WMH (White Matter Hyperintensity), a high signal of white matter in the brain.
such lesions have been identified as markers of cerebrovascular disease and are associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment.
analysis results show that intervention strategies that target major cardiovascular risk factors in middle age may be effective in reducing the development of WMH lesions, which in turn can reduce cognitive decline in later life. Professor Cassandra Szoeke, who was involved in the study
, said: "Our study shows that women with WMH lesions have worse cognitive abilities.
to help reduce these risks, people should take care of their 'good cholesterol' and blood pressure through a healthy diet, exercise and annual health check-ups.
" Source: Biological Exploration.