Who will win the race , the brain or the heart ?
By Dr Jonathan Moch
Most of us have – at some point or another – thought how we could extend our lifespan . But , have you ever thought of extending your “ brainspan ”? What is brainspan and what will happen if that is not extended to match our lifespan ?
Can you believe in 1850 the average human lifespan was 32 ; by 1900 it increased to 42 and today it is close to 80 years ? Predictive analytics suggest that a baby born today – in 2022 – has a 50 % chance of living to 100 years . Some people even say that the first person – since Biblical times – to live to 150 , has already been born . There will be , of course , many reasons why people could die “ younger ” ( that is , younger than 100 years ). These include wars , trauma , genetic disorders , cancers , accidents , epidemics , famine and many more . In essence , these days , people , on average , live longer . Three major challenges we face when living longer are financing a lifestyle after retirement at 65 years ( imagine living 35 years off your pension ); keeping the momentum of a meaningful life ; and maintaining a healthy brain .
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If the heart stops pumping , that is the end of life ; but that is not necessarily the case when the brain
” degeneragtes .
In this article , I want to focus on the last of these three challenges . A question often asked is : what body organ will win the lifespan race , the heart or the brain ? One only needs to witness the unfolding tragedy of Alzheimer ’ s disease or other cognitive disabilities , for example , to see what the effect a brain that degenerates has on a person ’ s quality of life . Yes , patients suffering these are alive , but is it the life they wanted to live ? Other diseases and disabilities – such as Parkinson ’ s disease , deafness , blindness , debilitating depression and crippling anxiety – could also have a severe impact on a person ’ s cognitive state of mind , which again , might not kill them , but might have a negative impact on their quality of life . Patients suffering from these might enjoy a prolonged lifespan , for sure , but not necessarily a healthy , vibrant “ brainspan ”. A life scenario I deeply fear . What can one do ?
There is a Jewish custom to wish a mourner “ long life ”. I like to inject two extra words : “ A long , healthy , meaningful life ”. Let us unpack the extra two words .
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