“Super agers give hope for us all
to keep a young memory”
~ Cynthia G. Creel
April 19, 2013
My Story:
My cat has new playmates, two Yellow Billed Magpies. (4) They each take a side, one runs up to distract my cat while the other pecks his bottom. I watched for 10 minutes and couldn't help laugh when one bird ran up and hopped over my cat 5 times. I knew this was really serious business for the birds a new baby bird in the area. Would this little fledgling survive?
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All dressed up and no place to go the tidings of Yellow Billed Magpies (4) with their “formal black and white” feathers foraged for food everyday on my side yard surrounded by trees reaching for the sky. This majestic birds only live in a small area in Central California of the Untied States. As a young girl I couldn't help to stop and look at them every time I saw one strutting it’s stuff. Even more amazing to see the tidings cross the evenings sky to roost in a common tree.
bellow:
a dangerous time for a fledgling on the ground leaning to fly
In 2006 I noticed my tidings were dwindling one by one I found birds dead around my home. The Magpie’s were affected by the West Nile virus which affects humans also. All About Birds (5) tells of California Dead Bird Surveillance Program in 2006 examine over 12,000 dead birds finding 78% positive for West Nile virus. One of tide disappeared completely another showed up with different marking and fewer numbers. Below: a Yellow-billed Magpie fledgling
Every spring there is new hope for a at least one new little Magpie to survive with it’s parents and tidings help. Last year I found the only fledgling I saw dead on a sidewalk. This year there is new hope, a new fledgling to grow up. The hope I see in this distinguished bird family is the complexity of their family in raising a fledgling. As my cat was the “victim” of adult birds knowing they must protect their baby from all included the whole tide participating in this effort for the survival one baby and the tide. With both the West Nile virus and the complex behavior of the Magpies it makes me think of how we are similarly affected. Although similar, magpies do not have the same complexities of modern life as humans. Their complex thinking reminds me of the humans to successfully navigate, jobs, family, and life.
What would happen to the Magpies if they lost their memories how would they survive? I do not know how well elderly birds think or remember, if it is similar to humans. New studies focusing on high functioning brains of adults 80 and older show surprising results.
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New studies and the elderly having young acting brains:
As the old saying goes assumptions make an asp out of you and me. It is a necessary part of coming from a bad science and growing into good science to make some assumptions. Every new study shows us a little different picture to bring the bigger picture into focused of the true way the body works. A study (1) on alcohol and new brain cells tells part of a new emerging picture of the brains abilities. For decades the belief that as an adult the brain became was fixed with no new cells or nerve cells. The most recent studies that new brain cells are created throughout life giving confirmation that the human brain has two areas, the origin for the sense of smell and the region involving learning and memory have the ability to increase. Could there be other parts of the brain that have this ability to grow?
There could be many reasons why brain cells increase or decline. In animals given alcohol in high doses or lower amounts over a long period of time may stop the growth of new brain cell which could also be affected by stress, activity or other factors that may influence behavior.
Northwestern University announced a new study (2) that looks at the elderly, over 80 with a super memory of a younger person in there 50’s. This small group had 3-D MRI scans that showed less fiber-like tangles found in brains in normal people to those greatly affected by Alzheimer’s Disease. These “SuperAger” had thicker than normal cortex which is vital for memory, attention and other cognitive thinking taking on the appearance of a much younger brain found in middle age. Another area of the brain showing up larger then normal 50 to 60 year olds is the anterior cingulate. According to another study on the anterior cingulate (3) functions are most likely connected to the ability to judge reward, decision making, moods like depression, and attention.
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Final thoughts:
Animals abilities are sometimes mimic the abilities of a higher functioning humans. Showing a much more simplistic demonstration of complex behaviors in the success of raising a family to living.
We uses a young ability to raise our families. Once the family has been raised it is clear to see the difference in the ability to keep a young memory or just loosing the ability a little at a time. Leaving a person with limited abilities.
“SuperAgers” demonstrate the possibilities of keeping a brain young acting at any age. It seems to become a “SuperAger” should be within reach of many people due to the ability to grow new brain cells especially concerning memory and learning leaving a possibility of not being an exclusive club. A club that could have growing numbers if the needs of the person are tended too. It seem we are left with the idea of a maybe to the changing the brain. If we were all “SuperAgers” how would the world be different?
Discover a new world. Help yourself, help the world, step on to the Path of True Health and vote with your dollars to create a world you will love to live in. I do and I like the world I am creating. Together we can create a better life for all to remember over their entire life time.
By Design ~ “Life is good By Design”
Photo creation by Cynthia G. Creel all rights reserved ©2013
Yellow-billed Magpies and their fledgling
all rights reserved ©2013 written permission is needed to duplicate
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of By Design or Cynthia G. Creel. Consultation of a medical professional is highly recommended before any changes are considered. This article is not saying anyone person in a leadership position is unhealthy or healthy, it is just a possibly of many and is only speaking in general terms. .Note: No company mentioned in this article is considered to serve “healthy or unhealthy” food, any examples given was only used as an example of how business works though their history and public information. The focus is only to help explain a idea. Statements and conclusions of any study authors that are presented are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Cynthia G. Creel or any means the information is published. There is no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.
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Sources:
(1) http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-2/197-204.htm
(2) http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2012/08/superager-brains.html
(3) http://www.brainmap.org/pubs/TortaNI11.pdf
(4) http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/yellow-billed_magpie/lifehistory
(5) http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=1195
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