Brain Regions

Idiosyncratic brain activity among older people watching a thriller-type movie adds to evidence that:

• age may affect the ability to perceive and remember the order of events (explaining why older adults may find it harder to follow complex plots)
• age affects the ability to focus attention and not be distracted
• age affects the brain's connectivity — how well connected regions work together.

• A mouse study has found that a hormone released during physical activity protects synapses in the hippocampus.
• Another mouse study found that short bursts of exercise promotes an increase in synapses in the hippocampus.