Are you getting older and wiser? Or just older?
The authors of a new edition of "Progress in Brain Research," a book for neurologists, suggest that in most adults a slowdown in reading speed (once assumed to be a sign of decline) actually indicates broader comprehension.
A younger brain may focus more deeply on relevant information, but an older one may take away more overall meaning from the material. The former behavior is fine for many purposes, of course, but the latter is instrumental in acquiring wisdom.
In studies where college students and older adults read material that included seemingly extraneous information, the older group took a longer time. But when both groups were quizzed on the material-including the extra items-the older adults performed better than the students. The authors credit a gradual widening of attention as a person grows older.
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