Aging changes in the nervous system

Changes in the brain and nerves

The brain and nervous system coordinate movement, sensation, thought and memory, and help regulate organs such as the heart and bowel. The spinal cord connects the brain with nerves extending throughout the body, carrying information in both directions.

With age, the brain and spinal cord can lose nerve cells and some volume. Messages may travel more slowly. Substances including beta-amyloid and the fatty brown pigment lipofuscin can accumulate in nervous tissue. Abnormal protein deposits and neurofibrillary tangles are associated with brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, but a description of tissue changes alone does not establish a diagnosis.

The extent of these changes varies considerably between people. Visible changes in brain tissue do not always correspond directly to someone’s thinking ability.

What you may notice

Retrieving information or processing a new task may take longer. Reflexes and sensation can also diminish, affecting movement and awareness of hazards. Reduced sensation or slower responses can contribute to falls, particularly when other balance or muscle problems are present.

Mild slowing differs from a persistent loss of everyday skills or pronounced memory impairment. Dementia is a disease-related decline, not another name for ordinary aging.

Keeping mind and body engaged

Mental activity and physical movement can support brain function. Exercise promotes blood flow to the brain; activities that challenge your attention and thinking keep those skills in use. These habits are worthwhile, but they do not guarantee prevention of dementia.

• Read, work on word puzzles or choose another mentally engaging activity you enjoy.
• Make room for conversation and social contact that stimulate your interest and attention.
• Keep physically active in ways suited to your health and mobility. Discuss limitations or new balance problems with your clinician.

Confusion and changes that need assessment

Delirium is a sudden change in attention, thinking or behavior. It can be triggered by an infection or another illness outside the brain; medicines can also cause or worsen it. Poorly controlled diabetes and swings in blood glucose can disturb thinking.

Tell a healthcare professional about changes in memory, reasoning or the ability to complete familiar tasks, especially when they depart from your usual pattern or interfere with daily life. Describe when they started and how they developed.

• Seek medical help immediately for sudden confusion or a sudden change in memory, thinking or behavior, particularly with other symptoms.
• Do not wait for severe memory loss or loss of daily functioning to be accepted as age-related; arrange an assessment.