Journal: CELL

Becoming an old man rarely excites me, mostly because I don’t want to lose the ability to enjoy life on the move. The solution is daily physical activity to ensure my body doesn’t shut down before my brain does. And that’s actually a legit concern, especially in light of this research showing that healthy older adults continue to produce new brain cells.

Researchers autopsied 28 healthy brains, from donors ranging from ages 14 to 79, and found ongoing hippocampal neurogenesis, regardless of age.

The fact that neurogenesis–the process by which nerve cells are generated in the brain–continues as people get older means that learning and emotional responses can continue in old age.

New neurons in the hippocampus are necessary for things like memory and emotional responses to stress, thereby sustaining emotionally guided behavior.

“This means that with a healthy lifestyle, enriched environment, social interactions, and exercise, we can keep these neurons healthy and functioning and sustain healthy aging,” said researcher Maura Boldrini.


Takeaway: Knowing that your brain will continue to develop as you age is a good reason to take care of your body. It turns out that healthy elderly people can remain cognitively and emotionally more intact than previously believed. Maybe being an old man won’t be so bad afterall.