Comments on: Human Brains Shrink As They Age, Perhaps From the Weight of Years

By: Maggie

Maggie — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:55:51 +0000

@John Lerch – No, humans are not stressed. Especially not homeless people, mothers of small children living in poverty, CEOs of tanking companies during a recession, ER doctors, people with chronic pain, and a soldier who just watched his entire platoon get bombed to smithereens. Yeah, none of that really compares to being a chimpanzee.

Also, the lifespans of different species are different, based on genetics. Lifespan is not determined by the amount of stress (although that can certainly add or subtract a few years).

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:43:23 +0000

Could it be that as we age, we are not likely to spend anytime upside down. Could some of the compression of spine and brain be due to positional atrophy?

By: JD

JD — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:48:23 +0000

I bet if the tests were on more active 80 year olds the brain loss would be much less. With all the computers, calculators, cars, automatic doors, cell phones and many other devices we use these days the mind don’t have to think much. Like the saying goes Use it or Lose it! That is why Americans bodies are the highest in obesity and many other problems, we have the easiest lifestyle of anyone on earth. To overcome this problem Americans need to use their brain like it should be. Would be great to see more using common sense. They should start new school programs that teach common sense!

By: John Lerch

John Lerch — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:57:33 +0000

If humans have so much more stress, then why is it that chimpanzees in the wild die before 50? Chimps would LOVE to have our kind of stress. The notion that humans are stressed is bunk.

By: Sito - Detalles de boda

Sito - Detalles de boda — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:41:43 +0000

I think this is clearly due to two factors:
- First, two or three decades that humans live for more.
- Second, pressure and suffer the constant ups and downs that humans, not chimpanzees.

By: missy

missy — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:17:22 +0000

i think it coils also be possible that retirees use these skills less, because they set up a life plan and settle into a routine…it would make sense that over time, with less on-the-spot decisions, less need for long-term planning, and reduced physical activity could result in overall reduced brain capacity…i’d like to see a follow-up study include comparison of very fit persons, or those working late in life with no retirement plan vs average retirees. interesting info.

By: Daniel J. Andrews

Daniel J. Andrews — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:14:11 +0000

Our brains use huge amounts of energy—25% of the energy our bodies have available, compared to 10% for a chimpanzee—which takes a toll on our neurons over time.

Use it and lose it then? Think I’ll stick with my current plan–using it anyway.