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The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind
A leading science writer examines how the brain's capacity reaches its peak in middle age
For many years, scientists thought that the human brain simply decayed over time and its dying cells led to memory slips, fuzzy logic, negative thinking, and even depression. But new research from neuroscientists and psychologists suggests that, in fact, the brain reorganizes, improves in important functions, and even helps us adopt a more optimistic outlook in middle age. Growth of white matter and brain connectors allow us to recognize patterns faster, make better judgments, and find unique solutions to problems. Scientists call these traits cognitive expertise and they reach their highest levels in middle age.
In her impeccably researched book, science writer Barbara Strauch explores the latest findings that demonstrate, through the use of technology such as brain scans, that the middle-aged brain is more flexible and more capable than previously thought. For the first time, long-term studies show that our view of middle age has been misleading and incomplete. By detailing exactly the normal, healthy brain functions over time, Strauch also explains how its optimal processes can be maintained. Part scientific survey, part how-to guide, The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain is a fascinating glimpse at our surprisingly talented middle-aged minds.
For many years, scientists thought that the human brain simply decayed over time and its dying cells led to memory slips, fuzzy logic, negative thinking, and even depression. But new research from neuroscientists and psychologists suggests that, in fact, the brain reorganizes, improves in important functions, and even helps us adopt a more optimistic outlook in middle age. Growth of white matter and brain connectors allow us to recognize patterns faster, make better judgments, and find unique solutions to problems. Scientists call these traits cognitive expertise and they reach their highest levels in middle age.
In her impeccably researched book, science writer Barbara Strauch explores the latest findings that demonstrate, through the use of technology such as brain scans, that the middle-aged brain is more flexible and more capable than previously thought. For the first time, long-term studies show that our view of middle age has been misleading and incomplete. By detailing exactly the normal, healthy brain functions over time, Strauch also explains how its optimal processes can be maintained. Part scientific survey, part how-to guide, The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain is a fascinating glimpse at our surprisingly talented middle-aged minds.
229 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
70 people are currently reading
1843 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Strauch
10 books15 followersBarbara Strauch was deputy science editor of The New York Times in charge of health and medical science. She was the author of two books, “The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain,’’ on the surprising talents of the middle-aged mind, published in April 2010, and “The Primal Teen,’’ on the teenage brain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
January 6, 2012
Simplistic, feel-good ladies' magazine journalism, that reads like something you'd read in a doctor's waiting room. Far too much of the book is taken up with anecdotal reports about how "wise" the author's friends believe themselves to be in middle age. When the author bothers to describe actual research, she dumbs it down so much her account conveys almost no actual information.
This book appears to be popular because it tells fearful middle aged people what they want to hear, that even though they can't remember what it was they went up the stairs to get, they're actually wiser and more competent than they used to be. Perhaps that's true, but nothing in that book makes a compelling case for it.
When the author finally gets around to writing about research that I'm familiar with--that having to do with dietary interventions and the impact of diabetes on cognition--she cites old, discredited theories as if they were fact and gets the relationship of diabetes, Alzheimers and dementia backwards, writing about the topic in a way that would be very upsetting to anyone with a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. If you're one of them, please read the page about diabetes and dementia that you'll find on the Blood Sugar 101 web site at http://www.bloodsugar101.com/23747286... .
It's disheartening to see so many positive reviews of a book that does such a poor job of explaining the science exploring a topic of such great importance. People who are satisfied to learn about health issues at the infomercial level this book provides are the ones most likely to fall for life extension and supplement scams.
This book appears to be popular because it tells fearful middle aged people what they want to hear, that even though they can't remember what it was they went up the stairs to get, they're actually wiser and more competent than they used to be. Perhaps that's true, but nothing in that book makes a compelling case for it.
When the author finally gets around to writing about research that I'm familiar with--that having to do with dietary interventions and the impact of diabetes on cognition--she cites old, discredited theories as if they were fact and gets the relationship of diabetes, Alzheimers and dementia backwards, writing about the topic in a way that would be very upsetting to anyone with a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. If you're one of them, please read the page about diabetes and dementia that you'll find on the Blood Sugar 101 web site at http://www.bloodsugar101.com/23747286... .
It's disheartening to see so many positive reviews of a book that does such a poor job of explaining the science exploring a topic of such great importance. People who are satisfied to learn about health issues at the infomercial level this book provides are the ones most likely to fall for life extension and supplement scams.
June 3, 2015
While working on my master's degree in gerontology, I read many of the researchers that Strauch cites: (Baltes, Levinson, Park, Snowdon, etc.). However, I was very happy to read her popular science book because she made that research more accessible and more applicable. I think this book was so readable in part because she conducted a lot of interviews rather than plowing through stacks of research articles.
She also drew on research by a number of scholars whom I have not read, so that was very interesting to me.
I found her book "The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain" when looking for a layman's book on neuroplasticity, thanks to midlife bloggers Laura Lee Carter, Ruth Curran, Donna Highfill, and Pia Savage. (Check out their blogs! Links to them appear here: http://thegenerationaboveme.blogspot....)
Strauch covers a broader range of topics:
amygdala, bilateralization, cognitive reserve, dementia, exercise, frontal cortex, glia cells, hippocampus, inflammation, judgement, kale, longitudinal studies, memory, Nun study, obesity, Parkinson's disease, resveratrol, strokes, task switching, vascular disease and wisdom.
Strauch explains cognitive changes in cognition as they occur across the lifespan due to genetics, lifestyle choices, and the presence of age-correlated diseases. However, she spins this information towards this theme: the midlife brain may lose some of the reaction time typical in the teens and twenties, but it gains the ability to synthesis vast stores of information and apply this to real-world situations, even fast-moving ones.
One of the most salient quotes conveying the book's thesis occurs on p. 182 when Strauch is quoting Michael Merzenich, professor (emeritus) of neuroscience from University of California at San Francisco. He was born in 1942 and interviewed for this book circa 2009.
Merzenich says: "At middle age we are pretty good at manipulating the information that is coming in. Your brain might not be as fast as when you were twenty, but you have twenty or thirty more years of experience at manipulating information so that the brain can do it pretty efficiently. At middle age, that experience trumps the declines and your brain is operating pretty well for you," Merzenich said. "But if we are in a job where having a good brain matters, we want to keep it operating at that level. At some age, there is a tipping point, where experience no longer trumps the losses in the brain. That tipping point for most now is probably sometime in our seventh decade. But we want to improve that and, if we can, change the slope of the trajectory."
I want to accuse him of ageism, but Merzenich was in his seventh decade when he made that observation (circa 67 years old). Nevertheless, I am very happy to have read Strauch's overview of cognitive changes as they affect people in midlife. I feel better equipped to do my part to maximize my cognition so that I can be a statistical outlier and to push that tipping point out by a few--if not several--years.
She also drew on research by a number of scholars whom I have not read, so that was very interesting to me.
I found her book "The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain" when looking for a layman's book on neuroplasticity, thanks to midlife bloggers Laura Lee Carter, Ruth Curran, Donna Highfill, and Pia Savage. (Check out their blogs! Links to them appear here: http://thegenerationaboveme.blogspot....)
Strauch covers a broader range of topics:
amygdala, bilateralization, cognitive reserve, dementia, exercise, frontal cortex, glia cells, hippocampus, inflammation, judgement, kale, longitudinal studies, memory, Nun study, obesity, Parkinson's disease, resveratrol, strokes, task switching, vascular disease and wisdom.
Strauch explains cognitive changes in cognition as they occur across the lifespan due to genetics, lifestyle choices, and the presence of age-correlated diseases. However, she spins this information towards this theme: the midlife brain may lose some of the reaction time typical in the teens and twenties, but it gains the ability to synthesis vast stores of information and apply this to real-world situations, even fast-moving ones.
One of the most salient quotes conveying the book's thesis occurs on p. 182 when Strauch is quoting Michael Merzenich, professor (emeritus) of neuroscience from University of California at San Francisco. He was born in 1942 and interviewed for this book circa 2009.
Merzenich says: "At middle age we are pretty good at manipulating the information that is coming in. Your brain might not be as fast as when you were twenty, but you have twenty or thirty more years of experience at manipulating information so that the brain can do it pretty efficiently. At middle age, that experience trumps the declines and your brain is operating pretty well for you," Merzenich said. "But if we are in a job where having a good brain matters, we want to keep it operating at that level. At some age, there is a tipping point, where experience no longer trumps the losses in the brain. That tipping point for most now is probably sometime in our seventh decade. But we want to improve that and, if we can, change the slope of the trajectory."
I want to accuse him of ageism, but Merzenich was in his seventh decade when he made that observation (circa 67 years old). Nevertheless, I am very happy to have read Strauch's overview of cognitive changes as they affect people in midlife. I feel better equipped to do my part to maximize my cognition so that I can be a statistical outlier and to push that tipping point out by a few--if not several--years.
September 27, 2016
We do forget names. We do forget why we came into the room. But we can still run multi-million dollar corporations or other complex jobs. We are happier and don't let little things bother us as much as when we were younger. And there are things we can do to keep our brains healthy and dementia-free. More education helps. Using our brains extensively helps. There might be dietary things that help, but that hasn't been proven conclusively. Most of all, we can remain physically active. Physical activity is the absolute best thing we can do to keep our brains healthy. In fact, an autopsy on a well-educated, active nun with high cognitive abilities right up until her heart attack at age 85, showed that her brain was riddled with Alzheimers. She had apparently compensated for the Alzheimers in other ways. Also, an elderly man whose only sign of dementia was that he could only think 4 moves ahead in chess, rather than 7 moves as he could when younger, was also found to have a brain riddled with Alzheimers. All in all, this was a very interesting and informative book about the middle-aged and aging brain.
February 6, 2012
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
I'm about to turn 43, so I'm particularly interested these days in learning more about how the middle-aged brain works, and especially if there is any proven advice yet about ways to stave off the dementia and Alzheimer's that might come later in life, here now in my forties when I can still do something about it; and now we have this entertaining and informative book, which looks at all the recent developments in this field to show us that just within the last ten years, the scientific world has started profoundly reassessing what it knows about the way the brain actually works. Written as a series of magazine-style profiles of both industry leaders and experimenters, journalist Barbara Strauch shows for example how recent studies have shown that the human body in fact keeps growing new neural cells over the entire course of its life, directly countering the assumption the medical world has had for over a century; that physical exercise is hands-down the number-one way to stimulate brain cells into more and more efficiency; that taking on a challenging new mental activity in one's fifties, like learning a new language, may have an actual physical effect on your chances of getting Alzheimer's; and that our brain literally starts rewiring itself biochemically starting in our early forties, much like going through a second puberty, the negative effects long ago turned into cliches (like the increasing frequency of forgetting names, which actually does have a biological basis), but with this also being the biological cause of a lot of new good things too, most of which we've mistakenly attributed over history to the cultural process of "gaining wisdom" (like being more patient, having the ability to look at the world in a complex new way, and even just a general proclivity for being happier, possibly as a literal chemical response to such typically overwhelming experiences in those years like losing our parents or developing cancer). Not really a quick-fix how-to book, although containing a bit of that kind of advice (for example, fish really does turn out to be "brain food," as do grapes, olive oil, asparagus tips, and many of the other items in the so-called "Mediterranean diet"), this is instead a smart, plain-written look at all the new actual scientific theories being proposed by the medical community these days, neither pollyannish nor cynical but simply presenting the findings for what they are. Balanced and sensible, this is a great read for my fellow middle-agers who are in the mood for a little good news about their rapidly crumbling bodies, and it comes strongly recommended to that particular audience segment.
Out of 10: 9.3
I'm about to turn 43, so I'm particularly interested these days in learning more about how the middle-aged brain works, and especially if there is any proven advice yet about ways to stave off the dementia and Alzheimer's that might come later in life, here now in my forties when I can still do something about it; and now we have this entertaining and informative book, which looks at all the recent developments in this field to show us that just within the last ten years, the scientific world has started profoundly reassessing what it knows about the way the brain actually works. Written as a series of magazine-style profiles of both industry leaders and experimenters, journalist Barbara Strauch shows for example how recent studies have shown that the human body in fact keeps growing new neural cells over the entire course of its life, directly countering the assumption the medical world has had for over a century; that physical exercise is hands-down the number-one way to stimulate brain cells into more and more efficiency; that taking on a challenging new mental activity in one's fifties, like learning a new language, may have an actual physical effect on your chances of getting Alzheimer's; and that our brain literally starts rewiring itself biochemically starting in our early forties, much like going through a second puberty, the negative effects long ago turned into cliches (like the increasing frequency of forgetting names, which actually does have a biological basis), but with this also being the biological cause of a lot of new good things too, most of which we've mistakenly attributed over history to the cultural process of "gaining wisdom" (like being more patient, having the ability to look at the world in a complex new way, and even just a general proclivity for being happier, possibly as a literal chemical response to such typically overwhelming experiences in those years like losing our parents or developing cancer). Not really a quick-fix how-to book, although containing a bit of that kind of advice (for example, fish really does turn out to be "brain food," as do grapes, olive oil, asparagus tips, and many of the other items in the so-called "Mediterranean diet"), this is instead a smart, plain-written look at all the new actual scientific theories being proposed by the medical community these days, neither pollyannish nor cynical but simply presenting the findings for what they are. Balanced and sensible, this is a great read for my fellow middle-agers who are in the mood for a little good news about their rapidly crumbling bodies, and it comes strongly recommended to that particular audience segment.
Out of 10: 9.3
January 1, 2020
I was interested in the section that claimed that older adults are more easily distractable. I wonder about what causes this with children, adults, and myself. This book has other little nuggets of interesting science but despite its short length, it was full of filler anecdotes and contradictory information. While I found it interesting and entertaining, it's not sufficiently scientifically vigorous that I'd recommend it to others.
I read this because it was one of my dad's books, but because it came out in 2010, the year he died, I'm not sure he actually read it. It's just as well because he didn't have much of an opportunity to revel in his middle-aged wisdom.
I read this because it was one of my dad's books, but because it came out in 2010, the year he died, I'm not sure he actually read it. It's just as well because he didn't have much of an opportunity to revel in his middle-aged wisdom.
September 18, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Strauch shows that the middle-aged brain is actually in it's prime. It has higher verbal memory and inductive reasoning than younger brains. It has also learned to filter out negativity allowing us to be more positive as we age. The brain has also developed techniques for using both hemispheres, as opposed to younger brains which are predominantly one hemisphere dominant. Strauch does a good job debunking myths regarding the neuroplasticity of the brains of middle aged people. Our brains will continue to grow and develop if give the correct environment. The single most effective way to cause new neurons to be formed.....EXERCISE! A couple of interesting tidbits: 'midlife crisis' and 'empty nest syndrome' are myths, according to the research and age 65 appears to be the peak of life satisfaction.
Lots of interesting information for anyone interested in how the brain functions and ages...
Lots of interesting information for anyone interested in how the brain functions and ages...
June 18, 2017
مقاله واقعا خوندنی ای بود. در مورد نتایج تحقیقات دانشمندان که چجوری با گذر زمان و رسیدن به میانسالی در واقع کارایی مغزمون افزایش پیدا میکنه و به پیک خودش میرسه. نشون داد که توانایی انجام چه کارهایی رو داریم. به شخصه فکر میکردم که به این دوران برسی و بعد از اون، کارایی ذهن رو به کاهش میره و دیگه اون قدرتی که در جوانی داشته رو دیگه نخواهد داشت ولی این نتایج چیز دیگه ای میگه و نظرم رو کلا عوض کرد. جالبیش این بود که با کارهایی ساده، مثل ورزش کردن، غذای سالم، رابطه داشتن با افراد، تفریحات چالش برانگیز و کار، میتونیم قدرت ذهنمون رو افزایش بدیم. بخش آخرش هم به این میپرداخت که چطور نگاهمون رو زندگی عوض کنیم، و چطور از قدرت ذهنمون استفاده کنیم.
Over the last few years, the dentate gyrus, a small section of the hippocampus, an area crucial for memory, has emerged as a superstar in the story of the brain as it ages. And the dentate gyrus, it turns out, is particularly fond of exercise.
Over the last few years, the dentate gyrus, a small section of the hippocampus, an area crucial for memory, has emerged as a superstar in the story of the brain as it ages. And the dentate gyrus, it turns out, is particularly fond of exercise.
March 8, 2016
The Secret Life of the Grown Up Brain is a fascinating look at the middle age brain. The author Barbara Strauch defines middle age starting at age 40. She states that it was once though that the brain started deteriorating at the young age of 20. It has been discovered fortunately that theory is wrong.
Studies on memory, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are discussed thoroughly. One study examined the deceased brains of two intellectual people. One was a Nun who was great teacher and was known for her incredible memory. Another brain was from a professor and great chess player. What they found was that both were riddled with Alzheimer’s disease. The Scientists were puzzled as to how extremely bright people could have brains immersed with Alzheimer’s disease. What the scientists concluded was that these people used the right side of their brain to compensate for their brain loss. They also theorize that many people develop Alzheimer’s disease and while some display its debilitating effects others do not.
The memory center of the brain is in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus. Exercise is the one activity that improves cognitive skills. Exercise produces new neurons in the brain. Neurons are specialized cells which transmit information throughout the body. Also when muscles contract, as they do when exercising, they produce growth factors. These growth factors are normally too large to pass to the brain. However, exercise makes the blood brain barrier porous allowing the growth factor to the brain to stimulate neurons. These growth factors are know as the “miracle grow” for brain health. The one scientist who studied this runs on a treadmill for 20 minutes and does 20 minutes of sit-ups a day.
So there are many scientists working on memory and brain problems. Some of their findings: dementia may be caused by a series of small strokes in the brain or a body’s lack of folic acid.
Some studies suggest that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish may also have a positive effect on brain health. A calorie restrictive diet may help as well. It is thought that by slightly denying your body calories your body reacts by producing powerful antibodies which create neurons. Also theta waves produced during meditation may produce brain cells. Having a positive attitude and social interactions may also help.
Obese people and smokers have a greater chance to develop brain problems.
Doing crossword puzzles does not seem to improve cognitive abilities according to this book. It seems that you need to do harder but not too much harder thinking exercises to improve brain functions. Scientists are developing a video game geared to work the different parts of the brain to make it stronger.
Studies on memory, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are discussed thoroughly. One study examined the deceased brains of two intellectual people. One was a Nun who was great teacher and was known for her incredible memory. Another brain was from a professor and great chess player. What they found was that both were riddled with Alzheimer’s disease. The Scientists were puzzled as to how extremely bright people could have brains immersed with Alzheimer’s disease. What the scientists concluded was that these people used the right side of their brain to compensate for their brain loss. They also theorize that many people develop Alzheimer’s disease and while some display its debilitating effects others do not.
The memory center of the brain is in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus. Exercise is the one activity that improves cognitive skills. Exercise produces new neurons in the brain. Neurons are specialized cells which transmit information throughout the body. Also when muscles contract, as they do when exercising, they produce growth factors. These growth factors are normally too large to pass to the brain. However, exercise makes the blood brain barrier porous allowing the growth factor to the brain to stimulate neurons. These growth factors are know as the “miracle grow” for brain health. The one scientist who studied this runs on a treadmill for 20 minutes and does 20 minutes of sit-ups a day.
So there are many scientists working on memory and brain problems. Some of their findings: dementia may be caused by a series of small strokes in the brain or a body’s lack of folic acid.
Some studies suggest that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish may also have a positive effect on brain health. A calorie restrictive diet may help as well. It is thought that by slightly denying your body calories your body reacts by producing powerful antibodies which create neurons. Also theta waves produced during meditation may produce brain cells. Having a positive attitude and social interactions may also help.
Obese people and smokers have a greater chance to develop brain problems.
Doing crossword puzzles does not seem to improve cognitive abilities according to this book. It seems that you need to do harder but not too much harder thinking exercises to improve brain functions. Scientists are developing a video game geared to work the different parts of the brain to make it stronger.
April 25, 2015
Parts were fantastic and there were parts I slept through, however, the most important part was the information I gathered from it.
The bottom line is:
Diet and and exercise are the key to a long, healthy life!!
I know! HEADLINE, right there!
The best parts:
hearing all the benefits to the "middle-aged" brain.
scientific studies providing proof to above
new definitions offered for Middle age being mortality risk of 1-4% within a year
New definition of old age being 4% within a year.
Therefore, anyone that has a less than 4% risk of dying within a year is considered YOUNG!
YIPPEE!! LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!
The bottom line is:
Diet and and exercise are the key to a long, healthy life!!
I know! HEADLINE, right there!
The best parts:
hearing all the benefits to the "middle-aged" brain.
scientific studies providing proof to above
new definitions offered for Middle age being mortality risk of 1-4% within a year
New definition of old age being 4% within a year.
Therefore, anyone that has a less than 4% risk of dying within a year is considered YOUNG!
YIPPEE!! LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!
January 21, 2011
My middle-aged mind may be falling apart, but I know a clinker when I read one. The opening 30 pages cover the same information over and over, and the proof given is that the author went to dinner with a friend and he talked about how his mind improved as he got older. I'm exaggerating, but not by much.
Read
August 2, 2011The book was full of information from the latest brain research, which is contrary to what most people have been told all their lives. Sure, you can kill off brain cells through various activities, but unlike what we were told in our youth, OUR BRAIN CAN GROW MORE. And guess what helps your brain grow more better cells? Healthy diet and exercise. Anyone surprised?
There is a decline in short-term memory and processing speed that is associated with middle age (here primarily defined from the 40s through 60s), but for most people it seems to be made up for by better intuition and expertise in life. So although one can't remember facts as well as one used to, problem-solving and wisdom skills increase to offset that, and reduce the need to remember facts quickly.
Also, contrary to the idea of "midlife crisis", most people are happiest in mid-life. The brain automatically focuses on the positive, lets the negative stuff go. The book explains some reasons this might be evolutionarily advantageous.
I recommend the book. It's a heartening anti-dote to our youth-obsessed media culture.
There is a decline in short-term memory and processing speed that is associated with middle age (here primarily defined from the 40s through 60s), but for most people it seems to be made up for by better intuition and expertise in life. So although one can't remember facts as well as one used to, problem-solving and wisdom skills increase to offset that, and reduce the need to remember facts quickly.
Also, contrary to the idea of "midlife crisis", most people are happiest in mid-life. The brain automatically focuses on the positive, lets the negative stuff go. The book explains some reasons this might be evolutionarily advantageous.
I recommend the book. It's a heartening anti-dote to our youth-obsessed media culture.
July 14, 2010
Barbara Strauch's "The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain" is an easily accessible and informative read about the changes in the brain during middle age as well as recent research that is revolutionizing the way we understand our brain and how we age. She has a no nonsense approach that is refreshing and without condescension. This is a great book for the average person or the more scientifically inclined out there. And it is packed full of good news. The mid-life crisis has no medical standing and the brain actually gets better with age! Who knew?
Strauch covers everything from education, exercise, and a well balanced diet as ways to improve brain functionality. She calls on several experts across several brain related fields to discuss escapees, neuroplasticity, bilateralization, and the changes in a brain suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
I recommend this book to any middle aged person seeking to understand their brain and for anyone looking to understand the changes in middle aged people they know.
Strauch covers everything from education, exercise, and a well balanced diet as ways to improve brain functionality. She calls on several experts across several brain related fields to discuss escapees, neuroplasticity, bilateralization, and the changes in a brain suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
I recommend this book to any middle aged person seeking to understand their brain and for anyone looking to understand the changes in middle aged people they know.
May 17, 2010
I learned a lot about the brain and brain research reading this book, but I discovered I've had a "middle-aged brain" all my life. Strauch implies that young people have amazing memories, but as we get older, we become scatterbrained and forgetful. I'm pretty sure I've never been able to remember all my appointments without writing them down, or always know where my car keys are, the way Strauch implies young adults do without effort. My young adult daughter forgets a lot of things as well. Aside from the exaggeration about the power of the young adult brain, the book is fascinating. It explains how the brain develops over time, and what older adults might be able to do to keep their brains in shape. It inspired me to feel better about some of the difficult things I've taken on lately, because in the long run they will probably benefit my brain!
July 3, 2013
Engagingly written for the layperson, Barbara Strauch has mostly good news for those of us not in our "first youth." Sure, your brain may forget names, but it is busy doing other things that may be more important. Strauch cites (fairly) recent research on the benefits of exercise (definitely helps, darn it), certain foods (probably helps), doing puzzles/learning new things (probably helps), and being social (couldn't hurt). If you remember to pick it up and read it, it may help you feel better about your life stage.
February 12, 2011
For those of us who read a great deal of the Popular Cognition subgenre, a great deal in this book won’t be surprising, although Strauch has molded it into a story that pays special attention to the aging brain, with an emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of the middle-aged brain.
Just like that proverbial middle-aged brain, things are a bit fuzzy. For example, what precisely is meant by middle-aged? If it is based strictly on age, then the definition she seems to be leaning towards is from, roughly, 45 to 68. More or less. If one relies on cognitive ability, the range is apparently much wider, with folks into their 80s sometimes doing as well as some in their 30s. And while she doesn’t mention it, if we were to rely on how mature people act, well, clearly many of us are jumping straight from sophomoric adolescence to senior citizen.
The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain delves into what current science says about what makes brains different at varying ages, and also explores why there seems to be such a wide range of abilities within an age range. For cognitive strengths, speed of thinking goes clearly to the young, as well as the ability to remember isolated facts. But it turns out that older brains have some dramatic strengths, especially in dealing with complex thought. Which isn’t really surprising, once you think about it: experiences accumulate in those synapses for a reason. Sometimes someone even gets a nice enough blend of experience that we call them “wise.” Strauch explains that the underlying reason seems to be that the dendritic network becomes richer over time, and myelination dramatically increases the efficiency of those deep connections. Whatever the reason, this is probably why no one is eligible to be the President of the United States until they’re at least thirty-five years old. In ancient Greece, no one could even be on a jury until they were fifty.
She points out — too often, really — that the same folks that are forgetting where they put their keys are the same folks that are pretty much running the world. The ability to deal with complexity is hitting a peak at the same time that these annoying difficulties start showing up. Colloquially, we might feel there is a clear divide between cognitive declines due to dementia and those simply due to aging, but things aren’t really all that clear. It turns out dementia-related diseases can start much earlier than once thought, but it also seems clear that some folks can build up a “cognitive reserve” that eliminates any symptoms of the disease even as their brains are being ravaged.
The chapters on “But what can we do about it?” follow, with some of the usual suspects showing up. Diet and exercise, for example. Hypertension, obesity, cardiac troubles — all those things epidemiologists are worried about — are also predictors that cognitive difficulties lay ahead. How about this:
Even more controversial is whether and how brain exercises might help. The evidence that it does help is slowly appearing, but until the “how?” questions start getting answers, most of what is being marketed to consumers is of doubtful utility. But many researchers are forming companies in anticipation of making mucho moola once the results start coming in.
There’s a bit of neurobiology, but not too much, and even less of neuropharmacology, so this is really aimed at the lay reader. Strauch is, after all, a journalist and not a scientist. She repeats herself a bit much, but maybe that’s for the best, considering her audience.
One of the highlights of the book is the fact that brains of middle-aged folks today are in dramatically better shape than those of previous generations. The baby boomers were the first generation to overwhelmingly benefit from revolutions in education, medicine and hygiene, and this seems to be showing up substantially in cognitive performance.
Which leads to my favorite tidbit, from the final pages of her epilogue. Because, according to this, I and most of my friends aren’t even yet actually middle-aged!
• • • • • • • • • •
Heard about this book in an interview with Ira Flatow on NPR Science Friday. Download it, listen to it, or read the transcipt (or all three!) here: Brains, Like Red Wine, Get Better With Age .
(Selected for the Cognitive Science Reading & Discussion Group in February 2011.)
Just like that proverbial middle-aged brain, things are a bit fuzzy. For example, what precisely is meant by middle-aged? If it is based strictly on age, then the definition she seems to be leaning towards is from, roughly, 45 to 68. More or less. If one relies on cognitive ability, the range is apparently much wider, with folks into their 80s sometimes doing as well as some in their 30s. And while she doesn’t mention it, if we were to rely on how mature people act, well, clearly many of us are jumping straight from sophomoric adolescence to senior citizen.
The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain delves into what current science says about what makes brains different at varying ages, and also explores why there seems to be such a wide range of abilities within an age range. For cognitive strengths, speed of thinking goes clearly to the young, as well as the ability to remember isolated facts. But it turns out that older brains have some dramatic strengths, especially in dealing with complex thought. Which isn’t really surprising, once you think about it: experiences accumulate in those synapses for a reason. Sometimes someone even gets a nice enough blend of experience that we call them “wise.” Strauch explains that the underlying reason seems to be that the dendritic network becomes richer over time, and myelination dramatically increases the efficiency of those deep connections. Whatever the reason, this is probably why no one is eligible to be the President of the United States until they’re at least thirty-five years old. In ancient Greece, no one could even be on a jury until they were fifty.
She points out — too often, really — that the same folks that are forgetting where they put their keys are the same folks that are pretty much running the world. The ability to deal with complexity is hitting a peak at the same time that these annoying difficulties start showing up. Colloquially, we might feel there is a clear divide between cognitive declines due to dementia and those simply due to aging, but things aren’t really all that clear. It turns out dementia-related diseases can start much earlier than once thought, but it also seems clear that some folks can build up a “cognitive reserve” that eliminates any symptoms of the disease even as their brains are being ravaged.
The chapters on “But what can we do about it?” follow, with some of the usual suspects showing up. Diet and exercise, for example. Hypertension, obesity, cardiac troubles — all those things epidemiologists are worried about — are also predictors that cognitive difficulties lay ahead. How about this:
The researchers looked at the records of 1,449 randomly selected men and women when they were fifty-one and then again when they were seventy-two and found that midlife obesity, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, doubled the risk for dementia — and that those who had all three risk factors were six times as likely to become demented. (p. 168)So the scientists involved agree that lifestyle factors will be important — but which ones, why and how? That is still being vigorously debated, although based on Strauch’s interviews, it seems like the researchers themselves are eating plenty of blueberries (“brainberries!”) and other antioxidant-rich foods, and exercising like crazy.
Even more controversial is whether and how brain exercises might help. The evidence that it does help is slowly appearing, but until the “how?” questions start getting answers, most of what is being marketed to consumers is of doubtful utility. But many researchers are forming companies in anticipation of making mucho moola once the results start coming in.
There’s a bit of neurobiology, but not too much, and even less of neuropharmacology, so this is really aimed at the lay reader. Strauch is, after all, a journalist and not a scientist. She repeats herself a bit much, but maybe that’s for the best, considering her audience.
One of the highlights of the book is the fact that brains of middle-aged folks today are in dramatically better shape than those of previous generations. The baby boomers were the first generation to overwhelmingly benefit from revolutions in education, medicine and hygiene, and this seems to be showing up substantially in cognitive performance.
Which leads to my favorite tidbit, from the final pages of her epilogue. Because, according to this, I and most of my friends aren’t even yet actually middle-aged!
Stanford University economist John B. Shoven recently came up with an entirely new way of calculating when we reach the crest of that hill. Given the fact that we’re all in better shape and living longer, he argues that our true age should be determined not by years since birth but by years left to live. In this way, he has reconfigured the traditional arc of our lives to create a long period of youth followed by shorter periods of middle age and old age. That means that if you have less than a 1 percent risk of dying within a year you can consider yourself young, and you’re not old until you have a 4 percent chance of dying within a year.Of course, with the obesity epidemic showing no signs of reversing, it is questionable whether we actually all are in better shape, but this at least gives us another incentive to stay out of that doomed demographic.
Middle age, according to this marvelous system, would be defined be a mortality risk between 1 and 4, a span of time that, by Shoven’s analysis of 2000 U.S. Census data, now begins for men around age fifty-eight and for women at age sixty-three.
• • • • • • • • • •
Heard about this book in an interview with Ira Flatow on NPR Science Friday. Download it, listen to it, or read the transcipt (or all three!) here: Brains, Like Red Wine, Get Better With Age .
(Selected for the Cognitive Science Reading & Discussion Group in February 2011.)
September 10, 2025
I found some of this pretty fascinating and have been talking to others about it, though it does seem weird to only briefly mention menopause and the impact on our brains. and, while a few anecdotes are helpful this book had too many, and belatedly realized also that this book is not new and there are probably or current books to tackle on the subject.
September 10, 2018
While this idea is focused on Middle-aged people, I look for any major insights that will help me provide mental clarity. Unfortunately 'brain-training' games are shown to only improve the ability to train the brain.
October 4, 2023
Lots of data, but it really boils down to the basics- do aerobic exercise as long as you can and do crossword puzzles. The distinctions between what young brains can do (performance) vs what older brains can do (assessment ) did make me feel weirdly optimistic.
December 18, 2011
This is a very readable essay on the science behind our aging brains and how scientists have been surprised by the richness, wisdom and depth of middle-aged minds. The more we learn about our brains, the more we discover what we are truly capable of.
All of my life, I have been taught to fear the deteriorating effects of middle age and beyond. We all have heard the snarky comments about people having "senior moments" and stories of people walking into a room and forgetting what they went in there for. We all (or at least most of us) fear of the frailty of old age and the possibility of having Alzheimer's disease. This book even refers to stories like John Updike's Rabbit series and Gail Sheehy's Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life that bemoan the disappointments of middle age. There is no doubt that older people are often discriminated against and preyed upon by charlatans with hoaxes and fraudulent schemes. We have anecdotes about the plight of the aging worker within our own family.
So this book was a breath of fresh air, giving insight on tangible things we can do individually and as a society to embrace the wisdom of middle age. I love that exercise, healthy food, friendships, and challenging hobbies and work all seem to contribute to keeping our brains vital and resistant to dementia-related deterioration.
I also loved the discussion on changing the perception of our working lives - both in duration in years as well as the number of hours throughout our lifespan. "Perhaps it's time to acknowledge that what worked well for a vastly simpler agrarian society of the nineteenth century might not be the best fit for the demographically shifting realities of the twenty-first. We could set up a world that makes sense for current life spans, with more flexible time to raise kids and work during the beginning and middle and less down time later on." (p. 193)
I would love it if the concept of American working lives were adjusted to include more flexible work schedules during family-rearing years, which would accommodate older workers working more and longer without being pushed out of the workforce prematurely. Perhaps our girls will have more choices when they are in their twenties and thirties. And in my case, I may be in the sunset of my first career (active duty military), but I'm excited about transitioning to my next career (librarian) within the next five years or so. I would love to have another twenty-plus year career and perhaps even longer.
I was also very impressed with one scientific redefinition of what constitutes youth, middle age and old age (see p. 195.) As I turned a fairly major age milestone this year and I am considered well into middle age, I was pleasantly surprised that according to one scientist, I still have twenty three years until I reach what he considers to be "middle age" (by his definition, a mortality risk between 1 and 4 percent.) I always say that age is just a number anyway, but I love being considered in the prime of my youth.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book; it inspires me to continue to do all those good things that we know we should do. It also allays many of my fears of aging - although no one truly knows what the future holds for any of us.
interesting quotes:
"How can we possibly be smarter and be putting the bananas in the laundry basket?" (p. 13)
"But it turns out that continued success has much less to do with inborn genius and more to do with what Charness and his colleagues now call deliberate practice, a commitment to working at a skill over and over and meticulously zeroing in on faults - the kind of strategic practice that can work at any age. (p. 25)
"Look at the Constitution. It clearly says don't let anyone be president who is not at least thirty-five years old. The writers were not stupid. They looked around and said, 'Hey we can't let anyone that young be president.'" (p. 53)
"The best news is that neuroplasticity exists across the life span - you're never too old to improve your brain function." (p. 121)
"Over the last few years, the dentate gyrus, a small section of the hippocampus, an area crucial for memory, has emerged as a superstar in the story of the brain as it ages. And the dentate gyrus, it turns out, is particularly fond of exercise." (p. 125)
"It doesn't matter how long we can live, it matters how long we can keep going functionally." (p. 140)
"Statistics show, for instance, that if the onset of Alzheimer's could be delayed for only five years, many of those who have the disease will die of something else, at least saving them from devastating years of dementia." (p. 177)
new words: voxel, mimetics
All of my life, I have been taught to fear the deteriorating effects of middle age and beyond. We all have heard the snarky comments about people having "senior moments" and stories of people walking into a room and forgetting what they went in there for. We all (or at least most of us) fear of the frailty of old age and the possibility of having Alzheimer's disease. This book even refers to stories like John Updike's Rabbit series and Gail Sheehy's Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life that bemoan the disappointments of middle age. There is no doubt that older people are often discriminated against and preyed upon by charlatans with hoaxes and fraudulent schemes. We have anecdotes about the plight of the aging worker within our own family.
So this book was a breath of fresh air, giving insight on tangible things we can do individually and as a society to embrace the wisdom of middle age. I love that exercise, healthy food, friendships, and challenging hobbies and work all seem to contribute to keeping our brains vital and resistant to dementia-related deterioration.
I also loved the discussion on changing the perception of our working lives - both in duration in years as well as the number of hours throughout our lifespan. "Perhaps it's time to acknowledge that what worked well for a vastly simpler agrarian society of the nineteenth century might not be the best fit for the demographically shifting realities of the twenty-first. We could set up a world that makes sense for current life spans, with more flexible time to raise kids and work during the beginning and middle and less down time later on." (p. 193)
I would love it if the concept of American working lives were adjusted to include more flexible work schedules during family-rearing years, which would accommodate older workers working more and longer without being pushed out of the workforce prematurely. Perhaps our girls will have more choices when they are in their twenties and thirties. And in my case, I may be in the sunset of my first career (active duty military), but I'm excited about transitioning to my next career (librarian) within the next five years or so. I would love to have another twenty-plus year career and perhaps even longer.
I was also very impressed with one scientific redefinition of what constitutes youth, middle age and old age (see p. 195.) As I turned a fairly major age milestone this year and I am considered well into middle age, I was pleasantly surprised that according to one scientist, I still have twenty three years until I reach what he considers to be "middle age" (by his definition, a mortality risk between 1 and 4 percent.) I always say that age is just a number anyway, but I love being considered in the prime of my youth.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book; it inspires me to continue to do all those good things that we know we should do. It also allays many of my fears of aging - although no one truly knows what the future holds for any of us.
interesting quotes:
"How can we possibly be smarter and be putting the bananas in the laundry basket?" (p. 13)
"But it turns out that continued success has much less to do with inborn genius and more to do with what Charness and his colleagues now call deliberate practice, a commitment to working at a skill over and over and meticulously zeroing in on faults - the kind of strategic practice that can work at any age. (p. 25)
"Look at the Constitution. It clearly says don't let anyone be president who is not at least thirty-five years old. The writers were not stupid. They looked around and said, 'Hey we can't let anyone that young be president.'" (p. 53)
"The best news is that neuroplasticity exists across the life span - you're never too old to improve your brain function." (p. 121)
"Over the last few years, the dentate gyrus, a small section of the hippocampus, an area crucial for memory, has emerged as a superstar in the story of the brain as it ages. And the dentate gyrus, it turns out, is particularly fond of exercise." (p. 125)
"It doesn't matter how long we can live, it matters how long we can keep going functionally." (p. 140)
"Statistics show, for instance, that if the onset of Alzheimer's could be delayed for only five years, many of those who have the disease will die of something else, at least saving them from devastating years of dementia." (p. 177)
new words: voxel, mimetics
May 15, 2014
It is pleasing to be able to own that one’s brain is “grown-up.” It is challenging to understand what a “grown-up brain” means. When I discovered this book, the title caught my attention (as it hints at speaking to my favorite subject – brain plasticity); it was the subtitle that made the sale. Having approached, my some definitions, my “middle years,” I was excited to explore what talents I possess now that I have crossed that threshold. The author, a Science Editor at the New York Times, does an admirable job of researching this topic and translating that research into a clear, often enjoyable read.
The book is divided into three sections. The first, The Powers That Be, is an overview of the “software” that makes up the brain and how it is enhanced (by experience, education, health, etc.) to be far more powerful in Middle Age than was previously suggested. The author discusses research that indicates the Middle Aged brain is agile enough to handle situations, complexities and challenges incomprehensible in earlier life.
The second section, The Inner Workings, highlights how the “hardware” (how the MA brain has been shaped by experience, genes, education, etc.) and “software” (what the MA brain knows and is able to learn) are co-creating a mind that can, with attention and a bit of luck, continue to learn, grow and develop well into one’s 70’s. This section also introduces how the brain can (and does) regenerate itself over one’s lifetime. This idea is exceptional news for those who have suffered brain damage and takes exception to the long-held idea that brain cells cannot be regenerated. It is also welcomed by those who are advancing in age without the “curse” of having diminished capacities merely because they are aging.
The final section, Healthier Brains, is just that, what can be done to have a healthier (and healthy) brain. Primary to that end is aerobic exercise. According to the author, any aerobic exercise produces new brain cells in the memory centers of lab animals (such tests on humans cannot be done due to the “untimely demise” required of the test subjects). Consistent such exercise has shown results in humans based upon cognitive testing. Added to exercise is diet. Eating foods higher in ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) and avoiding (of course) foods high in Trans fats have shown positive results. Some studies have shown low grade stress (like the stress produced by the hunger experienced while dieting, for instance) will improve the brain processes. Most of the studies mentioned by the author are in the early stages or are small sample studies. More than a few, however, are longitudinal (50+ years), broad sample studies, the gold standard of research.
This book is a good source for information about what happens to our “minds” as we age. The sources appear to lengthy, broad and well documented. It is easily accessed for reference and in not overly technical, allowing for a wider readership. It is of depth enough that it needs to be read carefully, it is NOT a weekend read.
The book is divided into three sections. The first, The Powers That Be, is an overview of the “software” that makes up the brain and how it is enhanced (by experience, education, health, etc.) to be far more powerful in Middle Age than was previously suggested. The author discusses research that indicates the Middle Aged brain is agile enough to handle situations, complexities and challenges incomprehensible in earlier life.
The second section, The Inner Workings, highlights how the “hardware” (how the MA brain has been shaped by experience, genes, education, etc.) and “software” (what the MA brain knows and is able to learn) are co-creating a mind that can, with attention and a bit of luck, continue to learn, grow and develop well into one’s 70’s. This section also introduces how the brain can (and does) regenerate itself over one’s lifetime. This idea is exceptional news for those who have suffered brain damage and takes exception to the long-held idea that brain cells cannot be regenerated. It is also welcomed by those who are advancing in age without the “curse” of having diminished capacities merely because they are aging.
The final section, Healthier Brains, is just that, what can be done to have a healthier (and healthy) brain. Primary to that end is aerobic exercise. According to the author, any aerobic exercise produces new brain cells in the memory centers of lab animals (such tests on humans cannot be done due to the “untimely demise” required of the test subjects). Consistent such exercise has shown results in humans based upon cognitive testing. Added to exercise is diet. Eating foods higher in ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) and avoiding (of course) foods high in Trans fats have shown positive results. Some studies have shown low grade stress (like the stress produced by the hunger experienced while dieting, for instance) will improve the brain processes. Most of the studies mentioned by the author are in the early stages or are small sample studies. More than a few, however, are longitudinal (50+ years), broad sample studies, the gold standard of research.
This book is a good source for information about what happens to our “minds” as we age. The sources appear to lengthy, broad and well documented. It is easily accessed for reference and in not overly technical, allowing for a wider readership. It is of depth enough that it needs to be read carefully, it is NOT a weekend read.
February 15, 2017
Have you ever wondered how the middle aged brain ages? The secret life of the grown-up brain was written by Barbara Strauch. Throughout the book Barbara tells stories and used examples from her own life, the life of her friends, along with research she had gathered. She made a point that aging is not a bad thing, and that aging does come with surprising talents. She talked about people become less focused on what's bad in life and start to only think about the good. As you age you become happier, better at your job, at gaining perspective, and at dealing with issues. Aging makes you become more wise and allows you to use different parts of your brain.
I decided to read this book because the title made me start to wonder how my own mind will age. It made me think of my own brain because I am only seventeen and already I have started to forget names and small things I have to do. One of the examples in the book I enjoyed the most was when she said “I hate when people say they're having a senior moment , “people lose their keys when they are my age and thy thing it's their aging brain. But plenty of teenagers loses their keys, and when they do, they just, well, they just say they lost their keys.” This makes me less nervous because everyone forgets things from time to time, it's not a side effect of aging.
The beginning of the Secret life of the grown-up brain, was very interesting. She wrote about personal stories and used more of her own words, but as the book went on it became boring and started to use lots of studies and statistics. Backing up what you say is always a good thing, but not when it makes reading feel like it drags on. I believe that part of the reason I got bored is because i'm only seventeen and haven't hit middle age yet. I don't think this book would have gotten boring if I were older and becoming middle aged. Overall this was a good and interesting book, I would recommend it to men or women aged thirty or above interested in how their brain will age.
I decided to read this book because the title made me start to wonder how my own mind will age. It made me think of my own brain because I am only seventeen and already I have started to forget names and small things I have to do. One of the examples in the book I enjoyed the most was when she said “I hate when people say they're having a senior moment , “people lose their keys when they are my age and thy thing it's their aging brain. But plenty of teenagers loses their keys, and when they do, they just, well, they just say they lost their keys.” This makes me less nervous because everyone forgets things from time to time, it's not a side effect of aging.
The beginning of the Secret life of the grown-up brain, was very interesting. She wrote about personal stories and used more of her own words, but as the book went on it became boring and started to use lots of studies and statistics. Backing up what you say is always a good thing, but not when it makes reading feel like it drags on. I believe that part of the reason I got bored is because i'm only seventeen and haven't hit middle age yet. I don't think this book would have gotten boring if I were older and becoming middle aged. Overall this was a good and interesting book, I would recommend it to men or women aged thirty or above interested in how their brain will age.
January 24, 2011
Approaching age 40, I am pleased to learn that the middle-aged brain does not simply decline but compensates and even improves in some respects.
Middle-aged brain deficits: slower processing speed and decreased memory, especially short-term memory
Attributes: greater simultaneous use of left & right brain and ability to integrate information & experience leading to greater problem-solving and creativity, improved ability to regulate emotions leading to improved problem-solving, relationships and general feeling of contentment (mid-life crisis and empty nest syndrome are based on limited & flawed research)
The practical application of how to maintain or even improve one's brain function is limited due to limited and inconclusive research. Preliminary findings suggest that education & life-long, interactive learning; physical exercise; an antioxidant-rich diet; and supplements such as resveratrol (derived from red grapes), omega-3's (from fish & green leafy vegetables), and omega-6's (from nuts, beans, vegetable oils & grains) may be of benefit in staving off the onset of dementia.
A fascinating and useful look at the middle-aged mind.
Middle-aged brain deficits: slower processing speed and decreased memory, especially short-term memory
Attributes: greater simultaneous use of left & right brain and ability to integrate information & experience leading to greater problem-solving and creativity, improved ability to regulate emotions leading to improved problem-solving, relationships and general feeling of contentment (mid-life crisis and empty nest syndrome are based on limited & flawed research)
The practical application of how to maintain or even improve one's brain function is limited due to limited and inconclusive research. Preliminary findings suggest that education & life-long, interactive learning; physical exercise; an antioxidant-rich diet; and supplements such as resveratrol (derived from red grapes), omega-3's (from fish & green leafy vegetables), and omega-6's (from nuts, beans, vegetable oils & grains) may be of benefit in staving off the onset of dementia.
A fascinating and useful look at the middle-aged mind.
July 6, 2014
I cannot believe I never reviewed this! Secret Life is a wonderful book, especially if you are over 40 and wondering if it's all downhill from here. Not only is it NOT downhill, there are some fabulous things that happen to your brain as you age.
Ms. Strauch is or was the Science Editor for the New York Times, and in that role she followed scientists around and reported on their findings. She writes like a smart friend of yours who's just fascinated by this topic and can tell a good story about what she has learned.
She quotes a lot of studies and research but in a really interesting way. For example, she'll look up the researcher, go out and interview him or her, and then ask the questions normal folks would ask. She doesn't just take their word for things, either. She asks good followups.
This is an interesting, readable book that made me happy about turning 60. I have quoted it so much in my own work - for example, here in a series of good news blog posts.
All I can say is, if you're worried about getting older, do yourself a favor and read this fun, entertaining, reassuring book.
Ms. Strauch is or was the Science Editor for the New York Times, and in that role she followed scientists around and reported on their findings. She writes like a smart friend of yours who's just fascinated by this topic and can tell a good story about what she has learned.
She quotes a lot of studies and research but in a really interesting way. For example, she'll look up the researcher, go out and interview him or her, and then ask the questions normal folks would ask. She doesn't just take their word for things, either. She asks good followups.
This is an interesting, readable book that made me happy about turning 60. I have quoted it so much in my own work - for example, here in a series of good news blog posts.
All I can say is, if you're worried about getting older, do yourself a favor and read this fun, entertaining, reassuring book.
January 15, 2015
Due to a slightly subjective title on what constitutes 'middle age', I had made the presumption this book would be referring to early 40s, when in fact the author is referring to late 50s and early 60s.
I questioned continuing on the book after making this discovery, but decided to do so and was glad I did. The book is well researched, and filled with lots of data backed up by brain studies on what things we are good at, bad at, and how we can improve/retain mental cognition as we reach "middle age" (or our late 50s/early 60s if you want to be more specific).
Having relatives who have dealt with Alzheimers/Dementia as well as simply shown the effects of memory loss as they have aged, I found it intriguing and comforting to know that not everything was doom and gloom and that there were lots of ways to retain strong mental congition, even improving it possibly well into my "middle age".
I questioned continuing on the book after making this discovery, but decided to do so and was glad I did. The book is well researched, and filled with lots of data backed up by brain studies on what things we are good at, bad at, and how we can improve/retain mental cognition as we reach "middle age" (or our late 50s/early 60s if you want to be more specific).
Having relatives who have dealt with Alzheimers/Dementia as well as simply shown the effects of memory loss as they have aged, I found it intriguing and comforting to know that not everything was doom and gloom and that there were lots of ways to retain strong mental congition, even improving it possibly well into my "middle age".
June 9, 2014
This book was really encouraging to me: explaining the strengths of the brain as it ages and even including how to help keep your brain strong and well functioning as it ages (mainly, being physically active. Run! Secondarily: Eat foods that are good for your heart). A lot of scientific research is discussed. It's mostly at a high level with the details rather left out, but you get to see a whole lot of the research that one (if I want the details, I can go look up the papers). Overall, I felt the tone was good, too... encouraging without being too biased (maybe there's a little bias toward presenting strengths of an aging brain, but that made me as a reader happy).
My biggest worry: have I, in fact, read this book before and I just don't remember? Will I read it again later for the first time? Well, thanks to Goodreads, I will quickly find out.
My biggest worry: have I, in fact, read this book before and I just don't remember? Will I read it again later for the first time? Well, thanks to Goodreads, I will quickly find out.
November 28, 2010
This is a must read for baby boomers such as myself who can't remember what we were going to say, where we laid our keys, and why did we go into a certain room. The author, deputy science editor at the New York Times, and a variety of psychologists, neuro scientists and the like, have convinced me that our aging brains are actually stronger and functioning at higher, more complex levels than when we were younger and could certainly remember more. Having read the book I'm feeling more mental acuity already!
January 19, 2011
Could not finish. Despite a promising start it just bogs down with "this researcher said this and that researcher did that." I'm sure the research is fascinating, but its simply not presented in a compelling way.
Contrast this with the Emperor of all maladies, a history of cancer, which you would think would be even drier. Yet that book reads like a novel you can't put down. It has compelling, urgent narrative elements.
Contrast this with the Emperor of all maladies, a history of cancer, which you would think would be even drier. Yet that book reads like a novel you can't put down. It has compelling, urgent narrative elements.
August 16, 2011
This book is good news overall and concurs with my experience with my brain. Barbara Strauch explores a wide variety of research being done on the mental abilities of older people, and talks about what seems to improve cognition, the physiological aspects, and aging itself. I think she could have done a better job of putting the research results into her own words and organizing them, but this is just nitpicking.
May 20, 2012
A good overview; author tended to repeat some things (and it's not just *my* middle aged brain that noticed). Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. Will have to read her other book about the teenage brain sometime soon.
November 27, 2014
Full of interesting facts about the middle-aged brain - particularly the way that intelligent people in middle age use bilateralization (left and right hemispheres simultaneously) to compensate for the loss of raw processing brain speed that is higher in the young. A little too repetitive.
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