The aging brain is affected by the wear and tear of vulnerable brain areas.
Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have shown that the strain on ventricular wall explains why lesions appear in the brain of an aging person.
Small lesions start to appear in the white matter bundles that transmit messages between our neurones as our brains get older. These lesions can cause cognitive deficits and damage the white matter. Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have now explained not only where these lesions are located, but also their origin.
Johannes Weickenmeier is an assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Stevens. The research highlights the importance of seeing the brain as a more complex system than just neural circuitry. This helps to explain how memories and thoughts are created. It is also a physical item that’s susceptible to mechanical failures and glitches. Weickenmeier explained that the brain has vulnerable areas where it is susceptible to wear. We need to understand the biomechanical properties of an aging brain to know how it can go wrong.
Source:
Wear and Tear in Vulnerable Brain Areas Lead to Lesions Linked to Cognitive Decline in Aging
