About the episode
The idea is not completely new, but it is always nice if it is endorsed again: learning new things at a later age is good for you.
In the case of this study: good for your cognition. On average, the speed with which we perform cognitive tasks, among other things, declines from the age of 30 or 40. Around 60, the curve becomes considerably steeper. Although this is generally seen as a normal part of aging, there are researchers who think we should look at it differently.
More like summer vacation. Many children have to earn a lot of money after weeks without lessons. A lot of information has slipped away and concentrating takes a bit more effort, but that also recovers. Some adults actually have a kind of giant summer hiatus. After school, any further education and the first lessons of a new job, people sometimes reach a learning plateau that lasts much longer than those few weeks of summer vacation. What if, like children after the summer break, you can break through that again?
Researchers developed a three-month intervention. 33 adults between the ages of 58 and 86 attended three different courses per week. They could choose from things like: singing lessons, Spanish, drawing and photography. One day of each course per week, with a two-hour session. So a bit like college. Cognitive tests were performed before and after the three-month block, which looked at memory and concentration, among other things.
Not only did the intervention lead to much better scores on these tests, the growth continued. One year after the experiment, the scores were even better. Even as good as an average student.
The researchers do point out that their form is not the only form of learning that can work, and that it must therefore be made possible for everyone to continue to develop, even if people do not have the resources themselves. In addition, it was a small group of test subjects and the effects will differ per person.
But nevertheless, the lesson is clear: staying sharp in old age? Learn new skills.
Read more about the research here: To Stay Sharp as You Age, Learn New Skills.
2023-07-10 07:34:32
#Cognitive #test #score #skyrockets #months #laterlife #learning
