Did Dinosaurs Have 2 Brains

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Peradventure one of the nearly amusing myths about dinosaurs is the stegosaurus's "sacral brain," more easily described as the "butt-brain." That'due south correct: For more than a century, paleontologists hypothesized that stegosauruses carried a second encephalon in their sacral cavity (where the spine met the pelvis) that basically functioned equally the operating center for the back one-half of the dinosaur.

While that myth has been debunked (lamentable for the spoiler), it's all too tempting to dream about a 2nd brain that tin can handle all of the things y'all don't have time for, or don't desire to retrieve about. That'south why companies like MailChimp have come up with new automations to help take care of those overlooked details in running a modest business — basically a second brain for your concern. Merely until you've got MailChimp to take things off your mental plate, you'll have to make do with the 1 brain that you have. Fortunately, more research has revealed the means to keep that old noggin of yours in tip-tiptop shape. Here's how to keep that outset encephalon abrupt as you lot age:

If you're over the age of 25, you're already starting to lose brain function.

Studies have shown that your 20s are essentially you lot at height brain ability: Your "fluid intelligence," or the ability to react rapidly to new information, peaks in your mid-20s, as does your curt-term memory retention. After almost the historic period of 25, it's all downhill from there. The driblet-off occurs effectually historic period 35, although more contempo research says that even those ages can fluctuate, too. (And information technology's not all bad news for those panicking near getting older: MIT says that other encephalon functions, like the ability to register other people'south emotions, pinnacle at nigh age 40 or l.) The moral of the story? You've got to work on your cognitive skills long before your golden years — 65 and above — in guild to stay sharp.

Brain puzzles really do work.

No, you don't need to master Sudoku in your spare fourth dimension — but it can't injure. Experts roundly agree that challenging your brain — whether past games, new hobbies, learned skill sets, or volunteering — keeps you "mentally active" and stimulates encephalon cells for advice.

But being physically active may be even more than important.

The one factor that truly limits the effect of crumbling on your encephalon function, experts say, is concrete exercise. Even moderate practise has huge benefits for cognition, especially for those 65 years and older. In one report that examined two population groups over 5 years — one with trivial to no physical activity and one with light to moderate exercise — those who had little to no physical activity declined at a faster rate than those with light to moderate activeness, equal to about 10 years of aging.

Only overall health is also of import to cerebral function. The most recent advisory from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recommends that the bones steps to accept to prevent eye attacks and strokes will also stave off the effects of cerebral reject. These include managing blood pressure and blood sugar levels, regulating cholesterol levels, losing weight if overweight, and avoiding smoking.

Your attitude and power to deal with stress can also help y'all stay sharp as y'all age.

If you lot're constantly stressed or only a full-time Negative Nancy, you lot're wasting valuable mental energy. Chronic stress is particularly damaging, as loftier cortisol levels can accept lasting, long-term effects on encephalon structure and function. And it'southward not just declining cognition that's at risk from the damage done past chronic stress. According to Psychology Today:

The 'stress hormone' cortisol is believed to create a domino outcome that hard-wires pathways betwixt the hippocampus and amygdala in a fashion that might create a vicious cycle by creating a brain that becomes predisposed to exist in a constant country of fight-or-flying.

Chronic stress has the ability to flip a switch in stem cells that turns them into a type of cell that inhibits connections to the prefrontal cortex, which would better learning and memory, but lays down durable scaffolding linked to anxiety, low, and mail-traumatic stress disorder.

Researchers have recommended practicing mindful meditation to stave off the negative furnishings of cortisol. It can also help flip your attitude nearly crumbling. It's been found in studies that those who believe the worst about aging and memory — similar the adage "an erstwhile dog can't learn new tricks" — also injure their ain cognitive abilities, while those who take positive attitudes about crumbling have improved cognition. So don't get too bummed about losing your retentiveness the older yous get: Staying positive is just ane more way you can proceed your brain sharp for years to come.