Use It Or Lose It, Yet Again
(From Science Daily). Most age-related mental decline - at least that not associated with conditions such as Alzheimer's - can be avoided or reversed to some degree: "Mental declines are pathological for about 10 per cent of the general population over the age of 65, and not much can be done at this time to overcome the debilitating cognitive effects of diseases that affect the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease. But for the other 90 per cent of the population, cognitive decline need not be inevitable. ... we found it is never too late to start. With a little effort, even people in their 70s and 80s can see dramatic improvements in their cognitive skills." Science may or may not advance rapidly enough to save you from the consequences of poor health practices - it would be a shame to miss out on the future of healthy life extension medicine because you didn't take care of yourself today.
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050916073232.htm