New study suggests the aging brain is adapting, not declining - The Washington Post - (This is bad news for DaBoomers who still think and act like 8th graders! - CL)

 As we get older, the brain prioritizes wisdom over remembering details for good reason, according to researchers.....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2026/09/25/scientists-are-rethinking-what-happens-brain-we-age/ 

.....Researchers at the University of Arizona argue that changes in the brain associated with aging aren’t a sign of decline, but a new phase of development that supports perspective, emotional regulation, and passing on knowledge to the next generation.

“What the goals of an older brain are are quite different than the goals of a younger brain,” said Fabian-Xosé Fernandez, a professor of cognition and neural systems at the University of Arizona and an author on the new research.

He said we should think about the aging brain not as a young person’s brain in decline, but as one specifically adapted to prioritize wisdom.....

.....For someone in their 70s, 80s or older, it might be helpful to focus less on memorizing minutiae and more on understanding a bigger picture.