Want to keep your brain sharp in old age? Go back to school

New research shows the brain has the ability to function well — and even excel — in old age. The secret? Keep learning.

"Learning is the mechanism for development no matter how old you are," said Rachel Wu, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California Riverside and the author of research published Wednesday in the Journals of Gerontology, Series B.

Wu's study took an ambitious approach: have seniors in their 60s, 70s and 80s immerse themselves in a college-like atmosphere, enrolling in three somewhat rigorous courses simultaneously.

They participated in at least 15 hours of class a week, and also did homework assignments, over three months. Classes included Spanish language, music composition, painting/drawing, photography and instruction on using an iPad.

The results were impressive: After just six weeks, participants' scores on standardized tests assessing thinking and memory abilities were similar to a middle-age adult's scores — a significant improvement over their scores before the study began.

That is, their brains functioned more like those of a person 30 years younger.

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