It was once thought that we were born with all the brain cells we would ever have and that they just slowly died off. Brain pathways, the wisdom went, were pretty much set by early adulthood.

Forget all that. Advances in brain imaging, genetics, and neuroscience now show that we continue to create new brain cells throughout life. Some think that dementia, senility, and Alzheimer's may occur when the brain loses this ability to "grow".

Implement some of the following practical tips to keep your brain razor sharp throughout life.

Learn Something New

• Invest in a computer program designed to give your brain a workout.

• Do crossword puzzles or number games like sudoku (remember, just doing crosswords you find easy isn't enough - you have to try to think in new ways).

• Learn a musical instrument.

• Learn a new language.

• Register for a Tero workshop that challenges you to ever-higher levels of skill and achievement.

Focus

Since the ability to divide attention between competing things grows more difficult with age, focus on what you're doing rather than multitasking. As we grow older, it's more difficult to focus mentally, but when you do, you can learn well.

Engage Your Senses

Activities that engage multiple senses such as dancing (involves sight, hearing and touch) seem to be healthy for the brain.

Repetition

Repeat things you want to remember, as repetition reinforces the strength of brain connections.

Get Social

• Socializing involves memory, logical function and many other mental processes. An active social life seems to improve immunity and reduce inflammation, believed to have a role in Alzheimer's.

• Older adults who kept working or stayed active after retirement did significantly better on IQ tests than those who didn't. Consider volunteering for a cause that you feel passionate about.

Food for Thought

Cut down on the junk food. Several studies have linked Type 2 diabetes and high blood sugar to an increased risk of dementia.

Physical Exercise

Exercise is closely linked with mental sharpness. In one American Academy of Neurology study, for every extra mile a woman walked per week, her risk of cognitive decline dropped by 13%. In a study of more than 1,700 seniors, those who exercised three or more times a week had the lowest risk of Alzheimer's, according to a January 2006 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Manage Stress

Untreated depression and anxiety are the most common reasons people begin to fear they're losing their memory. "Stress erodes the brain" says Debbie Mandel, a stress-management consultant in Lawrence, NY and author of Turn on Your Inner Light: Fitness for Body, Mind and Soul.

Sleep

Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. "We are not yet sure what sleep does" says Dr. Steinberg of Memorial Regional Hospital. "But we know that it definitely helps brain function". A University of Pennsylvania study, published in a 2001 issue of the journal Neuron, found that sleep-deprived cats had less brain "plasticity" than those allowed to sleep normally.

Source: Smart Thinking by Heather Millar, Celebrated Living Magazine, Spring 2007