Mind & Mood

Put your brain to the challenge

New experiences stimulate pathways that improve memory.

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Our brains have the capacity to improve as we age. "The mechanisms in place may slow over time, but the brain's ability to change doesn't wane," says Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone, medical director of the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health at Harvard-affiliated Hebrew SeniorLife.

Just as when you work to strengthen aging muscles, though, you need to put in extra effort to keep the "muscle" inside your head in top condition. Among the best ways to do this is to learn new things that continuously challenge your mind.

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