Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks, according to new research into how we might keep our brains healthy.
A three-year study of nearly 4,000 adults suggests that there is no ceiling for improving our brains, and cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of the ageing process.
Researchers from the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas studied a range of adults, aged 19 to 94 years old. Their study revealed people were able to measurably improve their brain performance through continual and targeted practices, such as short daily videos and personal reflection.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study used the BrainHealth Index, a metric measuring brain fitness across three key pillars – cognitive health (such as memory and ability to reason through complex situations), connectedness to people and purpose, and emotional balance.
The research found that, with brain-healthy practices, people across the board were able to reap the benefits, with younger adults experiencing gains similar to those in their senior years.
