A June 2004 Swedish analysis of 13 population studies linked improved cognitive function and reduced cognitive decline with mental stimulation from leisure activities. Two years earlier, a large clinical trial funded partly by the National Institute on Aging showed the benefits of more-targeted mental training: A 5- to 6-week course in problem solving or speedy information handling yielded improvements that on average would have reversed 7 to 14 years of cognitive decline.
The strategies taught in that course may have produced some of those gains, but the mental exercise itself probably contributed, too. In animals, mentally challenging activities provoke the growth of new cells and new connections in the brain. Other studies indicate that the human brain can regenerate. They’ve also found anatomical differences between adults who regularly engage certain brain centers and those who don’t.
How to hone your brain
People of any age who want a memory boost might try experimenting with mnemonics, a technique that uses associations to link information. (For example, the acronym ROY G. BIV helps you remember the colors of the rainbow.) The University of Texas at Austin offers an overview of mnemonics at www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/makinggrade/mnemonic.html. Courses in mind- or memory-training may help, though it’s not known how long improvements last. The most important step is to cultivate ongoing, enjoyable mental pursuits, each of which may be especially useful for specific skills. Here are a few examples:
- Memory and learning. Memorize favorite poems or songs, learn to identify birds, or memorize new dance steps.
- Concentration. Play computer games, chess, or bridge.
- Planning. Design your own Web site, plan a garden, or organize a fund-raiser.
- Language. Join a book-discussion group, do crossword puzzles or word games, or learn a new language.
- Spatial relationships. Learn to draw, take a pottery class, or play board games.
- Reaction speed and manual dexterity. Play pingpong, tennis, or a musical instrument, or assemble jigsaw puzzles.
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