Baby boomers are showing more cognitive decline

[MillCreek]

https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/boomers-are-showing-worse-cognitive-decline-than-previous-generations/?fbclid=IwAR3Wt5O3Ed0PjRPs68WmJzwNrPm_2Z4zFiiLZkFkfGEV72KwuVqlrcEgx60

https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/geronb/gbaa107/5877935?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Baby boomers are showing a decline in cognitive function compared to other older age groups.  Uh oh.

[Ben]

Cognitive sharpness appeared to improve generation after generation, starting with the so-called greatest generation (born 1890-1923) and peaking among war babies (born 1942-1947). However, scores started to slip in the early baby boomers (born 1948-1953) and further decreased in the mid-baby boomers (born 1954-1959). This remained true across people from all races, ethnicities, education levels, and financial wealth.

Uh oh is right. I was born in  the last month of the last year of the boomers, which apparently means I have the most drop in the population. Also, If I'm the last of the boomers, why am I labeled "mid-boomer"?

[RoadKingLarry]

The Baby Boom is most often described as lasting from 1946 to 1964.
When I verified that I found this entry on Wikipedia:

Generation Jones- 1954-1965
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones
First time I've seen that.

As to why our brains are melting faster than previous generations? I'll blame television.

[Ron]

More television less reading (RKL beat me to it), divorce and cultural atomization, rich diets and less physical labor due to affluence are all probably just part of the picture.

[cordex]

less physical labor

From what I've read, the biggest contributor to mental longevity is exercise.

[zxcvbob]

From what I've read, the biggest contributor to mental longevity is exercise.

Just from my very small sample of data, (my grandparents) I'd say the biggest contributor is doing crossword puzzles. Preferably in ink.

[lee n. field]

The Baby Boom is most often described as lasting from 1946 to 1964.
When I verified that I found this entry on Wikipedia:

Generation Jones- 1954-1965
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones
First time I've seen that.

Generation Jones.  Yep, that be me.

My one grandpa went from Alzheimer's.  Wasn't pretty. 

As to why our brains are melting faster than previous generations? I'll blame television.

First gen with ubiquitous TV, on most of the time.

[Angel Eyes]

https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/boomers-are-showing-worse-cognitive-decline-than-previous-generations/?fbclid=IwAR3Wt5O3Ed0PjRPs68WmJzwNrPm_2Z4zFiiLZkFkfGEV72KwuVqlrcEgx60

https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/geronb/gbaa107/5877935?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Baby boomers are showing a decline in cognitive function compared to other older age groups.  Uh oh.

What is he talking about?

[RocketMan]

I'm not experiencing any decline.  I can still write computer catfish with the best of them.

[Hawkmoon]

Just from my very small sample of data, (my grandparents) I'd say the biggest contributor is doing crossword puzzles. Preferably in ink.

Agreed.

My maternal grandparents hated the NY Times, but they always bought the Sunday Times -- for the crossword puzzle.

[Ben]

My 93 year old dad does both physical and mental exercise. His feet have started giving him problems with support, so he's been walking with a cane or even walker for aerobic exercise just because he's afraid of falling down, but he does stretching and situps and stuff all the time, and though he is limited in the food he can eat now, he eats as healthy as his diet will allow.

To me, most importantly, is that he constantly exercises his mind. For the past several years, he has started the encyclopedias at "A", read through to "Z", then started over again. I've been in the habit for the last year of also sending him easy to read books on various history topics, which is an interest of his. Further, he sits down at least a few times a week and does math problems to, as he says, "keep his brain goin'. "

I am 100% certain it all has made a difference and warded off dementia.

[230RN]

^ "Further, he sits down at least a few times a week and does math problems to, as he says, 'keep his brain goin'. '"

Where does he get the math problems?

Terry

[Jim147]

 To sure about Bens dad but there are educational websites that you can print math worksheets off that go at least K-12.

[Ben]

^ "Further, he sits down at least a few times a week and does math problems to, as he says, 'keep his brain goin'. '"

Where does he get the math problems?

Terry

He just makes them up. He doesn't do algebra or anything, just stuff like 15,432*2345 or whatever. Then just does each one a few times to make sure he got the right answer. He's never used a calculator in his life, all math by hand.

[kgbsquirrel]

^ "Further, he sits down at least a few times a week and does math problems to, as he says, 'keep his brain goin'. '"

Where does he get the math problems?

Terry

An easy way is to pick a random number and find its square root manually.  It will require you do a long division problem for each digit of the root you break out.

[230RN]

An easy way is to pick a random number and find its square root manually.  It will require you do a long division problem for each digit of the root you break out.

Why, that's too easy.  All you have to do is find the antilog of half the log of the number.

I thought maybe there was a site you could draw problems from.

Reminds me of my shame with a problem on the "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" show I was watching.

Problem involved the meter length measurement.  I got a crazy answer. Somehow I had it stuck in my puddin' head that a meter was six feet.  

I guess I'd'a been correct if the problem was in fathoms.

[makattak]

More television less reading (RKL beat me to it), divorce and cultural atomization, rich diets and less physical labor due to affluence are all probably just part of the picture.

And the drugs.

[kgbsquirrel]

And the drugs.

Shifting from fat/protein majority diet to starch and carb majority diet.

[HeroHog]

My brain is certainly not near as sharp as it used to was! I can see the decline and it scares the carp outta me. It's not "bad" yet, but it IS noticeable. The dang shakes/twitches/tremors in my hands/arms are pretty unnerving as well.

"Golden Years", my @$$!

[Hawkmoon]

I thought maybe there was a site you could draw problems from.

There is: https://brilliant.org/

[grampster]

Math problems?   I couldn't do those when I was in high school.  I got a C in geometry in 10th grade because the teacher said he'd give me a C instead of an F as long as I promised him I'd never take another math course as long as I lived.  I did and he did.

[TommyGunn]

Well,  I'm a baby boomer and I refus  two beleef I an experinsyng Amy kogitive deekline,  and foothermoer I tack enormouse egsepshun too any persun hoo is klaiming I is!!!

[230RN]

My brain is certainly not near as sharp as it used to was! I can see the decline and it scares the carp outta me. It's not "bad" yet, but it IS noticeable. The dang shakes/twitches/tremors in my hands/arms are pretty unnerving as well.

"Golden Years", my @$$!

Same  here, except for tremors.  I'm having some trouble remembering names, especially prominent people like actors.... Humphrey... ummm....

They usually pop into my head a couple of minutes later if I quit struggling to remember them.

I had three concussions due to 2-wheel accidents on the right side of my head... speech centers... maybe that explains it.

Either that or there are simply  too many names "up there" and it's just taking longer for them to percolate to the top when an access request is made.

Bogart.

[230RN]

Double Post

[Boomhauer]

Are they or are studies like this part of message of “we need to do something to control the old people that remember freedom, oh wait let’s say they have more mental problems”

Call me suspicious but to me much of the medical community these days are just as in bed politically as the media. It’s not like they benefited from Obamacare or anything...