As we age, our ability to learn and remember information and situations changes. So how and why does that happen?
When we are adolescence, our prefrontal cortex (which is the part of the brain that controls planning, working memory and decision making) begins to develop in a big way. This means that our ability to plan for future events gets better and we are able to process more information when deciding between a few different options for future events or plans.
However, as we age the ability to remember and retain new information declines. In our twenties is when our brains peak in regards to retaining and remembering information. Sadly, as you leave your twenties your brain will begin to slowly stop remembering as many memories and it will be harder to learn new tasks and such. This is especially true once you hit your 50s and 60s.
Many people worry about getting dementia as they get older, but in reality, only about 10% of people will experience dementia over the age of 65.
One of the best things that a person can do in order to keep their brain healthy as they age is exercise. Exercising both the brain and physical body can do wonders in keeping the brain functioning at its peak.