The Mature Mind

" Tradition says that as you get older, you gradually lose your marbles as dottiness and dementia take over from the acuity of younger days. In this cogent book, Gene Cohen, director of the Center on Aging, Health and Humanities at George Washington University, shows that this is just another myth. Quite the reverse, as we get older we actually get better at thinking."

What are the myths and facts about aging, brain and learning?

Myths

1. The brain cannot grow new brain cells.

2. Older adults can't learn as well as young people.

3. Connections between neurons are relatively fixed throughout life.

4. Intelligence is a matter of how many neurons you have and how fast those neurons work.

Facts

1. The brain is continually sculpting itself in response to experience and learning.

2. New brain cells do form throughout life.

3. The brain's emotional circuitry matures and becomes more balanced with age.

4. The brain's two hemispheres are more equally used by older adults.

Source: Cohen, Gene (2005). The Mature Mind. The Positive Power of the Aging Brain. New York: Basic Books.

Burnout?

Q: What are the three psychosocial components of burnout?

Emotional exhaustion - the feeling of being drained of emotional resources and being unable to help others on a psychological level.

Depersonalisation - a lack of personal regard for others, as shown by treating people as objects, having little concerns for and sensitivity to their needs, and developing callous attitudes towards them.

Perceived inadequacy of professional accomplishment - the of falling short of personal expectations for work performance.

Source: Caltabiano, Marie L. (2008) Health Psychology:biopsychosocial interactions. Australia: John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd.

Birth deformities

What are the different types of birth deformities?

TRISONOMY-21 - is a genetic disease which results from the presence of an extra chromosome in the genetic formation.

SPINA BIFIDA – the newborn with this type of deformity has the following features:

a. an opening in the spine
b. a bulging sac
c. spinal fluid and nerve tissue contained in the swelling protuberance
d. paralysis below the waist

e. no control of bladder and bowel movements.

HYDROCEPHALY – water in the head of the brain.

ANENCEPHALY – in this deformity, the brain is partially or almost totally absent.

ESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA – this birth deformity refers to the closing of the esophagus.

DOUDENAL ATRESIA – in this condition, the duodenum – the upper part of the small intestine is closed off.

From Timbreza, Florentino T. (2007) author of Bioethics and Moral Decisions. Other reference: Gender Sexuality and Reproductive Health