Ageing With Attitude: Work out for the sake of your grey matter

A hidden drawback to increased longevity is the loss of mental capacity. Margaret Jennings looks at how to keep the brain in good shape so you can enjoy the extra years.

WE MAY spend billions annually improving our looks in a bid to stave off ageing — but what good is it if we have brains that are declining in our cosmetically enhanced bodies?

Technology and medicine has contributed hugely to our longer life spans, but the quality of that longevity, which has seen our life expectancy almost double, from 47 to over 80, in the past 100 years, is becoming a major focus.