[MAIL] Every man can, if he so desires, become the sculptor of his own brain ‐ so said neuroscience pioneer Santiago Ramón y Cajal, more than 100 years ago.And it’s never too late to start sculpting yours. I’m proof of that ‐ I didn’t go to university until I was 42. Six years later, I emerged with a degree in psychology, a PhD and a passion for brain health.
As a cognitive neuroscientist, I have been involved in and exposed to incredible brain research. I’ve learned that adopting a brain-healthy lifestyle is like investing in brain capital; by making smart choices you can build reserves that you can cash in at some point in the future when faced with a challenge such as ageing, injury or disease.
Let’s take Alzheimer’s disease. Currently there is no cure. The Alzheimer’s brain is shrivelled, characterised by cell death and tissue loss. Nobody knows for sure what causes this, but abnormal protein clusters and twisted strands called plaques and tangles are prime suspects.