Older brains lack access to region for swift decisions

Older brains lack access to region for swift decisions

Decision-making takes time when we reach the golden years – but not necessarily because older people have a more cautious outlook on life. It might just reflect a lack of the connections to a brain area needed for speedy responses. One explanation for the slowdown is that older people are reluctant to commit the errors associated with a swift response. Birte Forstmann at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, has another theory.