Q. What about the concept of mental exercise as an anti-aging strategy?

A. Thirty minutes a day of challenging mental exercise is one of the strategies that is encouraged to help retard the onset of aging symptoms. While not muscles, neurons (brain cells) respond to challenges much as do muscle cells. Use it or lose it, as the saying goes.

Research in three countries suggests that for each year of education beyond basic college, the risk of Alzheimer’s decreases by twenty percent. This doesn’t mean you need three graduate degrees. It does mean that daily mental exercise is linked with anti-aging. The theory is that, even if whatever causes Alzheimer’s attacks one’s brain, its neuron trees will be so leafed out (so to speak) that the onset of incapacitating symptoms can be delayed. It’s certainly worth a shot!