Introduction
Aging is an inevitable change in an organism characterized by a particular complexity. It is considered a natural part of life, but there is still so much to learn about this process. In particular, the human brain has been of remarkable interest to scientists at all times. The changes the brain undergoes while aging weakens its functions and can result in the development of cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Main body
The aging process causes chemical changes in the human brain. Such phenomena as changed epithelium morphology of the choroid plexus and reduced CSF production affect brain function (Vandenbroucke, 2016). According to Vandenbroucke (2016), these deviations indicate the importance of the choroid plexus in the aging process of the brain. Apart from this, some physical changes in the brain occur. It is a known fact that the brain mass and the number of neurons decrease with time. Therefore, even without developed disorders, the performance of an older brain is significantly held back in comparison to the performance of a younger one.
Alternatively, the changes in the brain affected by Alzheimer’s have a different nature. According to Alzheimer’s Association (n.d), the main reason for the disease development might be the abnormal build-up of proteins that create plaques and tangles. They spread over the brain cortex and, thus, prevent the normal functioning of the cell transport system. Consequently, these changes result in tissue loss, and the brain shrinks gradually. In the advanced stages of the disease, the brain mass becomes smaller affecting the functioning of the brain. It is worth mentioning that, as Vandenbroucke (2016) states in her article, choroid plexus transplantation had positive effects on treating cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, further research on this field might be helpful in disease prevention.
Conclusion
To summarize, changes in the aging brain might be different, but some of them are harmful and can cause such deviations as Alzheimer’s disease and similar cognitive disorders. Aging is marked by a significant complexity and remains a subject of research for many scientists. So does the human brain as it controls the majority of the activities of the body. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the changes that happen in the brain with aging.
References
Alzheimer’s Association. (n.d.). Inside the brain: A tour of how the mind works.Web.
Vandenbroucke, R. E. (2016). A hidden epithelial barrier in the brain with a central role in regulating brain homeostasis. Implications for aging.Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 13(5), S407-S410. Web.