Evidence for neuroplasticity and lifelong adaptability of the human brain
12 days ago
- #somatosensory-cortex
- #aging-brain
- #neuroplasticity
- The human brain retains neuroplasticity into advanced age, particularly in the somatosensory cortex responsible for touch.
- High-resolution MRI scans (7 Tesla) revealed that while the cerebral cortex thins with age, some layers remain stable or even thicken, suggesting adaptability.
- The middle and upper layers of the cortex, critical for processing tactile stimuli, show resilience to aging, while deeper layers exhibit thinning.
- Compensatory mechanisms, such as increased myelin content in deeper layers, counteract age-related decline, as observed in both humans and mice.
- The findings support the idea that sustained sensory and motor activity preserves brain function, highlighting the importance of lifelong stimulation for healthy aging.