Mental-exercise habits. The adage “Use it or lose it” seems to apply not merely to the muscles but also to the mind. Although aging is accompanied by some forgetfulness, studies conducted by the U.S. National Institute on Aging show that an older brain remains flexible enough to handle the effects of aging. Hence, professor of neurology Dr. Antonio R. Damasio concludes: “Older people can continue to have extremely rich and healthy mental lives.” What accounts for the continuing flexibility of older brains?

The brain consists of 100 billion brain cells, or neurons, and trillions of connections between them. These connections act like telephone lines enabling neurons to “talk” to one another to create, among other things, memory. As the brain ages, neurons die. (See the box “A New Look at Brain Cells.”) Yet, older brains are able to compensate for neuron losses. Whenever a neuron falls silent, its neighbors respond by making new connections to other neurons and taking on the work load of the lost neuron. That way, the brain actually shifts responsibility for a given task from one region to another. Therefore, many older people accomplish the same mental tasks as younger people, but they may use different parts of the brain to do so. In some respects, an older brain acts a bit like an older tennis player who compensates for his dwindling speed by resorting to skills that younger players may lack. Yet, despite using techniques different from those of his juniors, the older player still scores.

What can older persons do to keep up the score? After studying more than 1,000 people between 70 and 80 years of age, gerontology researcher Dr. Marilyn Albert found that mental exercise is one of the factors that determines which older people hang on to their intellectual prowess. (See the box “Keeping the Mind Flexible.”) Mental exercise keeps the brain’s ‘telephone lines’ alive. On the other hand, say experts, mental decline starts “when people retire, decide to take things easy, and say they don’t have to keep up with the world anymore.”—Inside the Brain.

KEEPING THE MIND FLEXIBLE

Scientific studies involving thousands of older people found several factors that help to keep an older mind flexible. They include “active engagement in reading, travel, cultural events, education, clubs, and professional associations.” “Do as many different things as possible.” “Keep your job. Don’t retire.” “Turn off the TV.” “Take a course in something.” It is believed that such activities not only lift the spirit but also rewire the brain.

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Mental exercise helps keep the mind flexible