The impact of ageing

[27 February 2008 - INSEAD Knowledge] Ageing of populations is often viewed very negatively. Yet we need to constantly keep in mind that it is a sign of success," says Gavin Jones, co-editor of a new book called 'The Impact of Ageing - A Common Challenge for Europe and Asia'. That's because ageing populations in Europe and East Asia represent success in terms of lowering unsustainably high birth rates to replacement level, and prolonging life expectancy, he says. Jones adds that Asia needs to learn from Europe's experiences and plan ahead. More

Growing old gracefully: How to ease population ageing in Europe

[January 2008 - Centre for European Reform] Europe is on the cusp of a demographic revolution. Rising life expectancy and low fertility are radically transforming Europe's demographic profile. Ageing populations pose profound political, economic and social challenges. Many commentators are deeply pessimistic about the consequences of population ageing for the social and economic fabric of Europe. But Alasdair Murray's essay takes a more optimistic view. He argues that although pro-natal policies or increased immigration cannot be relied on to reverse Europe's long-term population trends, demography is not destiny. European governments can adapt to counter the economic effects of ageing. Aside from raising the age of retirement, they can - and should - adopt measures that help to boost participation in the labour force and encourage job creation. Reforms to European labour markets would do much to mitigate the adverse impact of ageing on the public finances and economic growth. At root, Europe faces more of a labour market problem than an intractable demographic crisis. More (PDF)

Aging of America to force changes in the workplace

[15 February 2008 - News-Gazette] America's population is aging, and the nation's employers need to deal with it, a Naperville consultant says. The baby-boomer generation is beginning to retire, and that ultimately will leave the United States with a deficit of younger workers, Bill Forssander said at a Champaign County Chamber of Commerce breakfast Thursday at Urbana's Holiday Inn. Between 2002 and 2012, the U.S. population 55 and older is expected to grow by 49 percent, while the population under 55 is projected to grow only 5 percent, he said. The main reason: a huge drop in the birth rate over the last half-century that stands to leave not only the United States, but also Canada, France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and China, short of workers. Two workers are expected to exit the work force for every person entering it, he said. As a result, employers must figure new ways to attract and retain older workers, said Forssander, the founder and president of Coda Consulting Group. That means helping older employees stay current with new technologies and building a reputation for their companies of being truly multigenerational, he said. Forssander said older workers tend to have "more balanced" emotional circuitry, though it sometimes takes them longer to process things. That's why judges, counselors and senior diplomats tend to be older people, he said. At the same time, employers must remember that today's workplace has four generations in it, each with different values, preferences and approaches. More

More Brain Research Suggests 'Use It Or Lose It'

[12 February 2008 - ScienceDaily] Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) scientists have found another important clue to why nerve cells die in neurodegenerative diseases, based on studies of the developing brain. Neuroscientists at The University of Queensland have just published findings, which add more weight to the "use it or lose it" model for brain function. QBI's Dr Elizabeth Coulson said a baby's brain generates roughly double the number of nerve cells it needs to function; with those cells that receive both chemical and electrical stimuli surviving, and the remaining cells dying. In research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, Dr Coulson and her colleagues have identified a crucial step in the cell-death process. More

Accidental Discovery Could Treat Memory Disorders

[31 January 2008 - NPR] A professor's attempt to reduce a man's appetite by implanting electrodes in his brain didn't curb his appetite -- but it did cause the man to experience vivid memories instead. Now that professor -- Andres Lozano at the Toronto Western Research Institute -- is testing the procedure on people suffering from Alzheimer's. More

This Is Your Brain on Optimism

[24 October 2007 - Newsweek] New research reveals the biological roots of positive thinking. How a rosy outlook can affect your health. ... We humans tend to be an optimistic bunch. In fact, it's long been established by psychologists that most people tend to be irrationally positive. The optimism bias, as it's called, accounts for the fact that we expect to live longer and be more successful than the average and we tend to underestimate the likelihood of getting a serious disease or a divorce. This tendency is adaptive—many researchers have claimed that a positive outlook motivates us to plan for our future and may even have an effect on our long-term physical health. Optimism may be so necessary to our survival that it's hardwired in our brains. A new study published in the journal Nature further confirms the idea that having a rosy outlook is a personality trait with deep, neurological roots. Researchers found that the brains of optimistic people actually light up differently on a scan than those who tend to be more pessimistic when they think about future events. More