Holding back the years: Steps to age well and improve brain health

We cannot stop the march of time but there is a range of steps we can take to help us age better and improve our brain health, says Peta Bee.     

Are you a super-ager or are you getting old before your time? Why some people defy the ageing process while others are on an accelerated path to maturity is a mystery that scientists are seeking to solve in studies that look deeply into the way our bodies deal with passing years.

Part of the answer, it seems, lies in our DNA. When researchers at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital looked at the brains of a group of 60- to 80-year-olds with extraordinary memory powers, they found certain key areas were similar to the brains of young people.