Normal Aging of the Human Brain, How to Stop and Avoid it

Abstract

  Anatomical apogee - the brain is an organ that has not been fully studied and is shrouded in mystery. Solving all the problems of the brain has been the goal of many scientists since time immemorial. In the 17th century BC, in an ancient Egyptian medical treatise, the Edwin Smith Papyrus, a human brain hieroglyph was mentioned eight times, describing the symptoms, diagnosis and prognosis of traumatic skull injury. It was also mentioned the surface of the brain, membranes and cerebrospinal fluid. During the Renaissance, Thomas Willis was the first to introduce the term "neurology" and in his work "Cerebri Anatome - the Anatomy of Human Brain" he described the structure of the cerebellum, the hemispheres and stem of the brain and most importantly the blood supply. A Circle of Willis bears his name and represents the unity of blood vessels feeding the brain. Nowadays, in parallel with the study of morpho-functional issues of the brain, another topical issue is on the agenda-aging of the brain and the factors affecting it. From birth onwards, changes occur in the brain throughout life. The majority is a natural and logical continuation of intrauterine development. Aging of the brain is a complex process and is considered to be a prerequisite for impaired cognitive abilities. In contrast to pathological changes, during normal aging there are milder but significant changes at the structural, biochemical, microscopic, or molecular levels. It is particularly interesting to discuss the limbic system in this aspect, the influence of its age-dependent changes on the human body. There are differences of scientific opinion regarding the causes of aging, some believe that the basis of everything is genomic changes, others perceive aging as a disease, while according to some, the cause of aging is directly related to oxidative processes. If at the age of 30-40 the number of neurons per 1 mm² area of the brain is 825, at the age of 60 it is 640-680, and at the age of 70-80 it is 400-500, this means, age-related retardation of neurons is revealed. Although there is still much to study and discover, both regarding the brain morphology and the normal aging process, this issue remains relevant. We can talk about aspects of normal brain aging, both subcellular and macroscopic changes, and the things that slow and prevent aging.[1]