Does Your Age Affect Your Short Term Memory
All living things usually undergo change in process of their development. Due to numerous processes that take place, a number of changes are bound to occur; some which develop more fully with age while others reaches their optimum at a certain age and thereafter starts to deteriorate with advancement with age. These changes are inevitable since the control centers for these body processes are able to interpret and process information depending on the body needs. In the discussion that will follow, the paper will seek to look at factors that come into play in terms of memory in conjunction with age. It will thus look how age affects our memory and characteristics that are associated with it (Glymour,2008).
Memory is termed as the ability to remember what we have heard, seen and come out in two categories: short term and long term memory. Memory is very vital in our life since it acts like the back bone of all of our actions. It enables us to distinguish and remember what we have said, agreed, seen to mention but just a few. At tender age, most of body processes are always very active, either for the development or growth of certain parts in the body. It is at this young age that brain and brain cells are normally very active, making it develop as it is supposed to be. Brain requires a lot of blood supply with nutrients and it is for this reason that makes young children to have a superior short term memory as compared to aged people. The blood supply for the children has been believed to be more efficient than with the aged. On the other hand, aged people tend to loose the short term memory due to other factors that come into play. Some of these factors include clogged and blocked arteries that limit the smooth flow of blood to the brain. Also with age, most people tend to be less active in physical activity which is a major contributor to blocked arteries, hence affecting the normal blood flow ( Anstey,2006).
Neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in the brain that allows brain cells to communicate and perform the various functions can decline up to two folds with age. For the developing child, these neurotransmitters are always at the upward development stage, making them process and store information as well as communication of brain cells with ease. When the neurotransmitters start to malfunction, the ability to remember issues will be compromised. Some of these problems can be avoided by checking your diet and being active in physical training (Kara, 2007).
Another reason that makes short term memory to develop more in children than in old people is the fact that children are known to be very playful. This habit makes body and more so the brain to demand for more oxygen from the other parts of the body. In the process, blood pressure is raised which plays an important role in minimizing chances of having cholesterol in arteries and veins. As a result of physical training , most of these problems of short term memory can be alleviated making one live not only with improved short term memory but also general body fitness.
In conclusion, short term memory is well developed with the youth and young children as opposed with the elderly people. In the lineage of growth, it is true to say that, just like plants, we can perform optimally to a certain extent after which the process starts to deteriorate (Wall, 2009). The body processes that take place can function with limits but in general, fitness, heath and nutrition are believed to contribute abundantly in short term memory.
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