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Description from Amazon.com: A leading science writer examines
how the brain's capacity reaches its peak in middle age For many
years, scientists thought that the human brain simply decayed
over time and its dying cells led to memory slips, fuzzy logic,
negative thinking, and even depression. But new research from
neuroscientists and psychologists suggests that, in fact, the
brain reorganizes, improves in important functions, and even
helps us adopt a more optimistic outlook in middle age. Growth
of white matter and brain connectors allow us to recognize
patterns faster, make better judgments, and find unique
solutions to problems. Scientists call these traits cognitive
expertise and they reach their highest levels in middle age. In
her impeccably researched book, science writer Barbara Strauch
explores the latest findings that demonstrate, through the use
of technology such as brain scans, that the middle-aged brain is
more flexible and more capable than