Scientists discover brain layers that become stronger with age

The thickness of the human cerebral cortex is only a few millimeters and arranged in many folds. This tissue usually becomes thinner with age. “This is the distinctive feature of aging. This is due, from other things, to the loss of neurons. As a result, some capabilities deteriorate. In any case, it is supposed to be a less size in the brain means low function.” “However, much is not known for the exact age of the shell. This is great, given that many of our daily activities depend on a shell that works. For this reason we studied the situation with high -resolution brain tests.”

Treatment for touch inputs

Along with colleagues from Tübingen and Magdeburg, Esther Kühn focused on part of the cerebral cortex where signals of the illegal meaning are treated. This “primary physical sensory crust” is located on the left and right side from the top of the head and extends along a tape around the width of the finger towards each ear. The nerve scientist explains: “This brain area is related to the per capita body and interaction with the environment.” “When I pick up a key, understand the door handle or even walk, I constantly need severe reactions to control my moves. The corresponding stimuli converge in this field and are also treated here.”

An unexpected discovery

Using MRI (MRI), the researchers enables the appointment of this area of the stroke with an unprecedented precision. To do this, they used a particularly sensitive scanner with the power of the magnetic field of seven Tesla, allowing them to photograph the exact brain structures around the size of the grains of sand. A total of about 60 women and men have been examined between 21 and 80.

Greed architecture

The structure of the layers of the primary physical sensory cortex also occurs in a similar form in other areas of the human brain – and even in other organisms. “From an evolutionary perspective, it seems that the processing of sensory information in this way is useful,” says Kühn. In the current study, not only the middle layer of dandruff but also the above -mentioned areas significantly resistant to the aging process. The various layers are distinguished based on their content of myelin, which is a necessary substance to transmit nerve signals. Kühn says: “The middle layer is the Haptic gateway. In the above layers, more treatment occurs,” says Kühn. “For example, in the case of sensory stimuli from the hand, the upper layers are particularly involved in the interaction between the adjacent fingers. This is important when absorbing things. So we also conducted tests on touch sensitivity and kinetic ability with the hand with the participants in our study.

Modified incentives

Only the deeper layers of the cerebral cortex showed a lifetime -linked tension: it was the thinnest in the most older study compared to the youngest. In the lower layers of the shell, a process called the modification occurs: touch signals are amplified or reduced depending on the context. “This has to do with focus and attention,” explains Kühn. “For example, if I wore a ring on my finger, I will stop feeling it, although the tactical stimuli still exist. This is re -weighting only when I notice the ring again.”

What is used is preserved

“The middle and upper classes of the dandruff are displayed directly to the outer stimuli. They are permanently active because we have a continuous contact with our environment,” Kühn continues. “The nerve circuits in the lower layers are stimulated to a lesser extent, especially in the subsequent life. So I see that the results we have reached an indication that the brain maintains what is used intensively. This is a feature of nervous flexibility. In addition, the differences in the aging of the layers of the brain may explain the cause of the low capabilities with age, while others do less. “The skills of the senses that you practice again and repeatedly, such as writing on the keyboard, can remain stable for a long time, even at old age,” says Kühn. “However, if there are interrelated incentives, such as the loud environment, the elderly usually find such activities in particular difficult. This may be because the function of the deep layers of the dandruff has deteriorated, so the modification of sensory incentives has weakened.”

Evidence of compensation

However, the researchers found evidence that the mechanisms in the deep layers of the cerebral cortex contradict the functional decrease of age to some extent. Kühn says: “Although the deep layers have become thinner with age, the content of myelin is amazing, in fact, in fact, we also noticed these effects in studies on mice, which we have made for comparison.” It is known that it has a positive effect on adjusting the neurosurgery. It sharpens the signal, so to speak. Apparently, compensatory mechanisms are inconsistent with the specified cellular decline. With regard to prevention, it will be interesting to study whether these mechanisms can be enhanced specifically.

An optimistic view of aging

Kühn says: “Together, our results are consistent with the general idea that we can do something good for our adequate stimulus. I think it is an optimistic idea that we can influence the aging process to some extent,” says Kühn. “But of course, everyone must find their own way to take advantage of this capabilities.”