Help Your Brain Stay Sharp: The Secret Lies in One Sense

Stimuli, Aging, and the Layers of the Brain

Researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg University, and the University of Tübingen focused on the somatosensory cortex—the region of the brain that processes touch. Using an ultra-sensitive 7-tesla MRI, they uncovered something previously unseen: this part of the brain is made up of several thin layers, each with distinct structures and functions. Most strikingly, not all of them age in the same way.

While the deeper layers do degenerate over time, the middle and upper layers—the ones most engaged in receiving and processing sensory input—remain stable, and sometimes even thicken. This is strong evidence of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt, which continues even in old age.

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How the Brain Ages—and How It Helps Itself

Every time we grab a key, open a door, or type on a keyboard, our brain processes streams of tactile information. The middle layer of the somatosensory cortex acts as a gateway for these signals, while the upper layers handle further processing—like coordinating finger movements when gripping objects.

These layers, constantly stimulated by touch, show the greatest resilience to aging. The rule is simple: we preserve what we use. The brain protects the regions that stay active and needed. In contrast, the deeper layers, responsible for modulating signals—amplifying or suppressing them—age more quickly. That may explain why older adults often struggle to focus in noisy environments: their brains filter out distractions less effectively.

But what about the layers that do age? Scientists observed that the brain has its own backup system. Even if some cells in the deeper layers die, the remaining neurons work harder. They boost their myelin content—a substance that makes nerve impulses travel faster. It’s like an orchestra losing a few musicians, yet the rest play louder and cleaner to make up for the loss.

Touch, Experience, and Training: Keeping the Brain Fit

Similar phenomena have been seen in mice. Their brains also showed increased myelin with age, though compensatory mechanisms faded in older animals. This raises questions about whether such processes can be supported artificially—for example, through sensory training.

“We can do something good for our brain through the right kind of stimulation,” says Professor Esther Kühn from DZNE, co-author of the study. This is not only a scientific observation, but also a philosophy of life. A brain that stays active, receives input, and trains itself has a better chance of staying sharp.

So maybe it’s worth reaching for the keyboard more often, playing an instrument, fixing things, dancing, touching, experiencing. Science shows that the brain truly pays us back.

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