Brain Volume Also Decreases

Short Answer

Brain volume also decreases. One study found that the volume of the brain was 15% less in older adults than younger adults. Some areas shrink more than others. The prefrontal cortex is one area that shrinks with aging, and recent research has linked this shrinkage with a decrease in working memory and other cognitive activities in older adults. Scientists think they might result from a decrease in dendrites, damage to the myelin sheath that covers axons, or simply the death of brain cells.