Preventive Maintenance For the Brain
Can Exercise or Mind Games Help? A Look at the Evidence
By Alicia Ault
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, February 21, 2006

If it seems you're forgetting more as you grow older, you are. Like most other organs in the body, the brain gets smaller as we age, leading to a decline in memory, decision-making ability and verbal skills. That doesn't necessarily mean that you're on a steep downhill slide toward certain dementia, say experts. Growing evidence suggests there are steps you can take to better the odds of preserving your brainpower and protecting it against disease.

Two avenues for boosting cognition -- challenging your brain and exercising your body -- have drawn considerable scientific research. The rest