Aging brain

Aging brain refers to biological and functional changes that occur in the brain as individuals advance in age. It encompasses both the normal alterations which are universally experienced and abnormalities induced by illnesses, diagnosed or not. The concept is most often used in relation to humans.

Since life extension is only pertinent if accompanied by healthspan extension, and, more importantly, by preserving brain health and cognition, finding rejuvenating approaches that act simultaneously in peripheral tissues and in brain function is a key strategy in the development of rejuvenation technology.

Aging is a major risk factor for most common neurodegenerative diseases, including mild cognitive impairment, dementias including Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. While much research has focused on diseases of aging, there are few informative studies on the molecular biology of the aging brain (usually spelled ageing brain in British English) in the absence of neurodegenerative disease or the neuropsychological profile of healthy older adults. However, research suggests that the aging process is associated with several structural, chemical, and functional changes in the brain as well as a host of neurocognitive changes. Recent reports in model organisms suggest that as organisms age, there are distinct changes in the expression of genes at the single neuron level. This page is an overview of the changes associated with human brain aging, including aging without concomitant diseases.