Who'd have thunk it?
Within the last month, I was reading someone's blog and the idea presented itself that while our body ages over the passing years...why is it that we never feel that same age in our head? I left a comment that I have a refrigerator magnet that says,'We are all the same age inside.' I certainly can't believe that I have passed 29!
While listening to the radio one night, there was a guest speaker who related the experience of having a stroke. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor was 37 years old and a Harvard trained brain scientist [a neuroanatomist]. She had a massive stroke when a blood vessel in the left side of her brain exploded. Dr. Taylor shares her experiences in her book, "My Stroke of Insight."
I purchased the book for a variety of reasons. In listening to her radio interview, it became clear that the book was NOT a complicated science book. I have always been majorly fascinated by the right brain/left brain information and her book is a journey into the mechanics of the mind. And my mom[Flo] had a stroke on the left side of her brain.
That being said, I loved the book and have located the excerpt I was thinking about: [page 13]
"Most of the different types of cells in our body die and are replaced every few weeks or months. However, neurons, the primary cell of the nervous system, do not multiply [for the most part] after we are born. That means that the majority of the neurons in your brain today are as old as you are. This longevity of the neurons partially accounts for why we feel pretty much the same on the inside at the age of 10 as we do at age 30 or 77. The cells in our brain are the same but over time their connections change based upon their/our experience."
Pretty darn amazing!!! The rest of the book also gets a 'thumbs up' from me!
And there you have it.
While listening to the radio one night, there was a guest speaker who related the experience of having a stroke. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor was 37 years old and a Harvard trained brain scientist [a neuroanatomist]. She had a massive stroke when a blood vessel in the left side of her brain exploded. Dr. Taylor shares her experiences in her book, "My Stroke of Insight."
I purchased the book for a variety of reasons. In listening to her radio interview, it became clear that the book was NOT a complicated science book. I have always been majorly fascinated by the right brain/left brain information and her book is a journey into the mechanics of the mind. And my mom[Flo] had a stroke on the left side of her brain.
That being said, I loved the book and have located the excerpt I was thinking about: [page 13]
"Most of the different types of cells in our body die and are replaced every few weeks or months. However, neurons, the primary cell of the nervous system, do not multiply [for the most part] after we are born. That means that the majority of the neurons in your brain today are as old as you are. This longevity of the neurons partially accounts for why we feel pretty much the same on the inside at the age of 10 as we do at age 30 or 77. The cells in our brain are the same but over time their connections change based upon their/our experience."
Pretty darn amazing!!! The rest of the book also gets a 'thumbs up' from me!
And there you have it.
posted by Mare at
7:06 PM
6 Comments:
Very interesting. Although I understood what you[the book] said, it is still amazing that I don't FEEL 61. I sometimes feel better inside (more ummm...?) The only difference is the physical abilities - I think. lol
I'll probably re-read this and wish I had said it better.
By
dellgirl, At
August 26, 2008 at 8:45 PM
my viewpoint is we have two parts of ourselves-a physical body which ages and then dies, and our spiritual self-personality, attitudes, etc that is ageless and that accounts for our looking in the mirror and wondering who this old lady staring back at us is, when we feel so young inside.
By
Great Grandma Lin, At
August 26, 2008 at 9:44 PM
The brain is such a fascinating organ...my son hit his head when he was 18 years old and was put in a coma to let the brain heal and stop swelling. Minimal brain waves on either side. When he was brought back... he was just like a newborn baby,had to learn everything.
By
Peggy, At
August 27, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Interesting concept, Mare. This sounds reasonable to me. When I was teaching, though, my students weren't shy about assuring me that I was OLD and they were YOUNG!
By
Jean, At
August 28, 2008 at 8:30 AM
Years ago my grandmother told me one day that she felt 21 years old inside, I kind of smiled at her statement. Now I believe her.
Thank you for your appreciation of my Monarch Butterfly post. It was much appreciated.
By
me ann my camera, At
August 28, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Looks like and interesting book. I will have to look it up. I do feel younger inside than I am, but have lost many of the insecurities I had in my 20's. I really don't care what people think of me now..thank goodness!
By
Ruth, At
August 30, 2008 at 9:28 AM
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