Keeping the mind sharp for longer

How well the mind ages is not written by our genes alone. A growing body of evidence points to something more hopeful, and more within reach.

We tend to picture cognitive ageing as a slow, inevitable dimming. The science tells a more encouraging story: much of how the mind ages is shaped by how it is used.

The idea of reserve

Central to that story is cognitive reserve, the brain's resilience against damage, built up across a lifetime. Increasing brain and cognitive reserve is considered one of the most effective mechanisms for reducing dementia risk, and it can soften the behavioural impact of the disease even as the underlying degeneration progresses.¹

The mind, like the body, is shaped by what we ask of it.

What actually helps

Two kinds of activity stand out. Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, preserves neuronal integrity and brain volume and is associated with less age-related loss of grey and white matter. Cognitive activity, meanwhile, strengthens the functioning and plasticity of neural circuits.¹ In longitudinal studies, both leisure-time physical and cognitive activities are associated with significant reductions in the risk of dementia.²

Simple, and within reach

What is striking is how ordinary the protective factors are, exercise, learning, music, and social and mental engagement. Relative to other interventions, these are low-cost, scalable, and available to almost everyone.¹ The mind's later chapters, in other words, are not written entirely in advance.