Not All Brain Connections Are the Same
[12 July 2004 - Forbes] Neural connections that form late in a person's brain are the first to degenerate, according to an article in the current issue of the Neurobiology of Aging. ... Myelin in the splenium -- a part of the brain where neural connections important to vision develop early -- degenerates at a slower rate than the myelin in the genu, a section of the brain that develops later and contains connections important to decision-making, memory, impulse control and other higher functions. The findings support the hypothesis that Alzheimer's disease results from myelin breakdown, the researchers said. ...