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14 Comments

1. 1. tharriss 09:33 AM 12/6/11

   A little fluffy for a SciAM article, but still interesting.

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2. 2. scribblerlarry 10:19 AM 12/6/11

   Great gawd a-mite-ee! Is this what passes for research these days?!!
   
   I wonder just what ages were involved in this "study". Is this about seniors so old that certain of their cognitive abilities have suffered the ravages of physical deterioration of the brain matter?
   
   I'm 70. In the last six years, since retiring, I've taken up writing, blogging (bought my first computer at 71), and crossword puzzles as activities. I now easily and consistently remember the names of people I meet ( something I was very poor at all my life), the authors of books and essays that impress me, and can accurately quote ideas and concepts of interesting writers from memory; off the top of my head, so to speak.
   
   More than this, I've met many fellow seniors - over 65 - who say the same thing. Whoever did this "research" needs to go back to school and learn how to establish the proper criteria for such research and follow it up with careful, double or triple-blind testing. Only then should he/she publish his/her results and ask for them to be peer reviewed.
   
   My memory is better than it ever was and my reasoning abilities are MUCH better thanks to my life experiences - experience is the "ammo" of reasoning - and both continue to grow thanks to interesting, involving, and demanding on-line debates on everything from religion to politics.

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3. 3. wjbean 11:09 AM 12/6/11

   Despite the other naysaying comments I found this article relevant and interesting.
   
   Having said that scribblerlarry makes some very valid points that are backed up by research from leading neuroscience professionals. Age does NOT have to mean mental decline.

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4. 4. petemicus in reply to scribblerlarry 11:45 AM 12/6/11

   Way to go scibblerLarry...Keep it up my brother...

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5. 5. rbryanh 02:06 PM 12/6/11

   This is science? One man's anecdotal observations about elderly people who follow their hearts?
   
   Certainly the subject is fascinating, but where's the discussion of relevant neurology, current knowledge of the physiological basis of memory, and corroborating evidence?

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6. 6. TigerWild 03:23 PM 12/6/11

   I find it strange that although the topic appears at first glance to weigh in a research topic about aging and cognitive abilities, yet the description of the process by which they came to this conclusion strikes me a HEAVILY biased. By this I mean that the research appears to make a selection about the facts and feelings presented about a group of possible physicians and grades the subjects in the test based on which physician they choose.
   
   I would point out that EVERY human being has different grading criteria they find important to themselves, primarily built upon their experiences and then also influenced by interaction with people and things that each person considers reasonable and within sound judgement. SO, I press on, HOW CAN A RESEARCHER grade a persons JUDGMENT on this! It's an opinion.
   
   Without clearly outlining the whole process, it certainly appears to me to be BOGUS research. Where is the scientific approach! Control samples? I suggest a new drawing board as this type of science just isn't science at all......

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7. 7. middlegallagher@yahoo.com 05:22 PM 12/6/11

   As the baby Boomer generation creeps into old age I'm afraid we're going to see more and more of this type of Feel Good display. Alongside the five dollar cup of coffee and cinematic remakes of old TV shows we'll see those who will figure how to squeeze a buck from exploiting their waning years.

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8. 8. Infiniti 06:09 PM 12/7/11

   Having the confidence to rely on our own intuition and emotions rather than worshiping what is too often faulty research and skewed data is a viable alternative to living life effectively. Does all truth come to us through statistics and the scientific method? I think not.

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9. 9. jkochano 08:40 PM 12/7/11

   This article is so bad that I am getting angry! There, I can tink better.

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10. 10. 13inches 09:05 PM 12/7/11

    scribblerlarry: You are currently age 70 and you bought your first computer at age 71. You have not only avoided age related dementia problems, but you have also discovered the elusive secret of time travel.
    Do you own a DeLorean ?
    
    

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11. 11. Raghuvanshi1 11:02 PM 12/7/11

    I think old people are grumbling too much.Why they remind themselves about their old age?. When two old people met they generally discuss about their health and satisfy to gain sympathy from each other.If old people stop to met old people and try to mix up with young people their attitude to looking life will completely change.and never grumble about disease of old age.I don't believed if you are alter, your memory diminishing, or your thinking capacities lowering.This kind of research really making nervous to senior citizens.I advice to senior citizens please avoid to read this kind of nonsense article

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12. 12. naya8 03:02 AM 12/8/11

    I find that this article is giving the real attitude to our 'mind" or brain function.The big problem of science that it is stuck in understanding brain only because scientists just rely on statistics and the so-called " scientific examinations".In the matter of brain this does not work. If we will wait until the scientists make their statistics without any connection to reality we would never reach the truth.If every one look at himself with deep examination we will find the truth of our brain function, no one knows butter than us what we realy feel or how we think, especially women who have their strong intuition about the real matter of common sense.

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13. 13. Quinn the Eskimo 12:19 AM 12/9/11

    I consult on the application of Macintosh computers. My oldest client is 91 this year!
    
    Recently, he purchased a new iMac so he could learn the new 10.7 Lion OS.
    
    He flew A-25's in the Pacific in WWII.
    
    Oh, he's pretty good at operating Lion, too.

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14. 14. sfleck 02:46 PM 1/18/12

    How on earth is 'a better decision' defined??? Not a clue that I saw!
    
    Talk about junky research! - at least the way it's presented here, and since it is so presented, one has to really question whether there's any there there.
    
    SciAm should be ashamed for publishing this tripe.

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