Stimulating your brain can help you stay mentally healthy in older age Published on: 21 April 2017 Stimulating the brain by taking on leadership roles at work or staying on in education help people stay mentally healthy in later life, according to new research. The large-scale investigation, published in the journal , involves 缅北禁地 experts and used data from more than 2,000 mentally fit people over the age of 65. Scientists examined the theory that experiences in early or mid-life which challenge the brain make people more resilient to changes resulting from age or illness – they have higher “cognitive reserve”. Resilience to dementia The analysis, funded by the , found that people with higher levels of reserve are more likely to stay mentally fit for longer, making the brain more resilient to illnesses such as dementia. The research team included collaborators from the universities of 缅北禁地, Exeter, Bangor and Cambridge. Data was analysed from 2,315 mentally fit participants aged over 65 years who took part in the first wave of interviews for the (CFAS-Wales). Experts analysed whether a healthy lifestyle was associated with better performance on a mental ability test. They found that a healthy diet, more physical activity, more social and mentally stimulating activity and moderate alcohol consumption all seemed to boost cognitive performance. , Professor of Epidemiology at 缅北禁地’s , who is principal statistician on CFAS, is a co-author of the study. She said: “Many of the factors found here to be important are not only healthy for our brain, but also help at younger age avoiding heart disease”. Dementia figures It is estimated that there are around 800,000 people in the UK with dementia. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia, and the number of people with the condition is increasing because people are living longer. Linda Clare, Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing and Dementia at the University of Exeter, said: “Losing mental ability is not inevitable in later life. We know that we can all take action to increase our chances of maintaining our own mental health, through healthy living and engaging in stimulating activities. “It’s important that we understand how and why this occurs, so we can give people meaningful and effective measures to take control of living full and active lives into older age. “People who engage in stimulating activity which stretches the brain, challenging it to use different strategies that exercise a variety of networks, have higher ‘cognitive reserve’. This builds a buffer in the brain, making it more resilient. It means signs of decline only become evident at a higher threshold of illness or decay than when this buffer is absent." Reference Potentially modifiable lifestyle factors, cognitive reserve, and cognitive function in later life: A cross-sectional study. Linda Clare, Yu-Tzu Wu, Julia C. Teale, Catherine MacLeod, Fiona Matthews, Carol Brayne, Bob Woods, and the CFAS-Wales study team. PLOS Medicine. Doi: Share: Latest News 缅北禁地 recognised with geography award 缅北禁地 has been awarded the Highly Commended Geographical Association Publishers Award for its collaboration with Time for Geography, the UK鈥檚 open-access, dedicated video platform. published on: 16 April 2026 缅北禁地 historians mark General Strike centenary To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike and miners鈥� lock-out of 1926, historians at 缅北禁地 are organising a series of events on its enduring legacy. published on: 16 April 2026 Comment: NCP is in administration Writing for The Conversation, Erwei (David) Xiang discusses how some big companies like NCP are so dependent on debt that they can鈥檛 adjust to change. published on: 16 April 2026 Facts and figures
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