Neuroplasticity
Posted over 11 years ago by Eden Sonn
In the article published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Dr. David Knopman, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, explains the concept of neuroplasticity. Although we can't make new nerve cells in our brains, what we can do is make new connections between those cells.
New research supports the theory that exercising the mind could slow the onset of dementia and increase mental dexterity. In the largest and longest study of its kind, older adults who completed a series of brain-training exercises maintained their cognitive skills a decade later, while those who received no brain training did not.
"Our findings suggest that if you want to keep your mind stronger as you get older, you can't become a couch potato," said George Rebok, professor at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health and lead author of the study.