Optimal brain health is important for living life to its fullest. As we age, our brain connections break down, reducing our divided attention (dual-tasking ability) and physical response times. The aging brain is not wired to handle interruption with ease and the ability to switch between tasks becomes harder. However, the real world is full of distractions and the ability to both task switch and dual task, is necessary to perform many activities of daily living.
Multitasking
Multitasking focuses on task switching (2+) with sequentially processed tasks. For example, switching back and forth from reading a text message, to searching on a tablet, to writing an email.
Dual-tasking
Dual-tasking performance requires concurrent and simultaneous task processing and motor response (e.g., physical, and cognitive). For example, walking and texting.
Additionally, as we age, we may have a harder time recalling people’s names and places we have visited. The information may be on the tip of the tongue, but we are sometimes unable to produce it. The prefrontal cortex, which is the search engine for memory, may begin to become unable to call up information that used to be easily remembered. The hippocampus provides other associations to try to jog the memory, but frustration can take place as older adults work hard at memory tasks that used to happen almost at the subconscious level. This process can happen to many of us as we grow older, but the extent to which cognitive impairment affects each of us varies significantly.
If mild cognitive impairment continues unchecked, it can transition into dementia. Individuals may start to lose track of the major events that have shaped their lives, which may threaten their self-confidence. Those affected by MCI may disconnect with others, fearing that they will not know how to act or respond to general conversations. Additionally, individuals may withdraw from the world around them, feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed, which may potentially lead to self-isolation. This behavior often results in separating meaningful relationships, which leads to a decrease in quality of life, as relationships are an important form of stimulation for the brain.
"We’re a social species. We really need others to survive."