Brain stimulation benefits young people much more than the elderly, new research found.
Scientists at the University of Illinois have found that the treatment, thought to improve people’s memories, does, in fact, work.
However, they learned it is not nearly as effective for older people as it is for young adults.
Brain stimulation benefits young people much more than the elderly, new research found. To test the effects of brain stimulation, the University of Illinois scientists asked the participants to memorize 60 face-name pairs. Stock image
The researchers tested two different sets of participants for the new study.
A total of 96 people were tested for the study, published in Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences.
Forty-eight of them were aged 18 to 35, and the other half were aged 60 to 79.
To test the effects of brain stimulation, the University of Illinois scientists asked the participants to memorize 60 face-name pairs.
During the experiment, some of the participants received brain stimulation treatments. The others received a placebo treatment – stimulation that was fake.
Then the researchers tested the participants’ minds immediately after all had received their ‘treatments’.
They were tested a second time 24 hours after the experiment, the following day.
Upon analyzing the results, the researchers learned that brain stimulation is not particularly effective for older people.
The study explained: ‘Ultimately, the researchers found that while the younger adults showed memory improvement from stimulation, the older adults did not.’
This finding is interesting because it goes against what researchers previously thought about brain stimulation treatments.
WHAT IS BRAIN STIMULATION?
A new study has found brain stimulation is more effective for younger people (file photo)
Doctors turn to deep brain stimulation to treat various neurological conditions.
The treatment involves the implantation of electrodes into certain areas of the brain.
The electrodes create electrical impulses, which regulate abnormal impulses.
A device similar to a pacemaker controls the level of stimulation administered.
The device is placed beneath the skin in the upper chest. A wire connects the device to electrodes in the brain.
Deep brain stimulation can be used to treat:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Essential tremor
- Dystonia
- Tourette syndrome
- Epilepsy
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Chronic pain
‘The results contradict findings from previous studies that showed that a slight electoral current through the scalp had a greater effect on cognition for older adults compared to younger adults,’ the study said.
Study author Eric Leshikar said the research showed an immense difference in the amount that brain stimulation affects older and younger people.
He said: ‘On average the amount of improvement that younger adults showed from brain stimulation was a 50 percent improvement in memory.
‘Importantly, we found these memory improvements both immediately after stimulation, as well as after 24 hours, suggesting that brain stimulation can effectively improve memory.’
Researchers from the University of Illinois have found that brain stimulation is much more effective on younger people. Their work reshapes the conversation about the role brain stimulation could play in sharpening elderly people’s memories (file photo)
According to Leshikar, future research on the topic will focus on whether or not the use of different stimulation procedures has the ability to help improve older adults’ memories.
He explained: ‘It very well may be that older adults may show memory improvement from stimulation, but perhaps not under the stimulation procedures we used in this study.’
The report said: ‘As people grow older their memory tend[s] to get poorer, so finding ways to improve it is an important matter of investigation given the longer contemporary lifespans that people are experiencing.’