Any demand you make on the brain is a form of benign, moderate stress that increases levels of the chemical messenger noradrenalin, which in turn boosts the rate at which connections form between brain cells.Scientists in Chicago recently found that the risk of developing Alzheimer?s disease was 50 per cent lower amongst a group of nuns and monks aged over 65 who were mentally active. To maintain and enhance intellectual function in later life, it is important to challenge the brain.Try: Stimulate your brain at work by solving problems, juggling a number of tasks or learning a new skill. If your job isn?t mentally challenging, or you no longer work, use your recreation time to embrace some of those tasks you once loathed at school – like solving a mathematical problem or learning history. Alternatively, you could join a community action group, undertake voluntary work or take up crosswords or Sudoku puzzles.

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