Best Activity to Keep Your Brain Young and Healthy

Recent findings highlight one particular activity as especially effective in maintaining cognitive vitality. Experts suggest that engaging regularly in this practice could play a significant role in safeguarding brain health and supporting mental sharpness as we age.

AI Sheds Light on the Science of Creativity

Recent breakthroughs have upended long-held beliefs about the divide between the arts and sciences. In a sweeping international study spanning thirteen countries, neuroscientists—among them Carlos Coronel and Agustín Ibáñez—have demonstrated that regular creative pursuits can become powerful allies in the fight against neurological aging. The research followed nearly 1,400 individuals, from seasoned tango dancers to skilled video gamers, in an effort to uncover how *creative activity* might shape the trajectory of our *brain health*.

The Digital Brain Clock: A Novel Assessment Tool

Central to this project was the deployment of a sophisticated instrument—the so-called brain clock. Powered by advanced artificial intelligence, this system drew on magnétencéphalographie scans to evaluate whether participants’ brains appeared younger or older than their chronological age. The aim: to ascertain if creative routines could tangibly decelerate *neurological aging*. The results were nothing short of remarkable.

All Artistic Roads Lead to a Younger Brain

Data revealed a consistent trend across all creative disciplines. Tango dancers appeared to shave up to seven years off their brain’s apparent age; musicians and visual artists exhibited brains five or six years “younger.” Even those engaging in strategic video games gained an average four-year cognitive advantage. Notably, complete beginners who underwent just thirty hours of StarCraft II training saw their brain clocks roll back by two or three years.

Several factors explain this effect:

• Creative practice strengthens neural networks crucial for learning and focus.
• The impact was observed regardless of artistic domain.
• Sustained engagement further amplified these cognitive benefits.

The Biological Power of Art in an Aging World

The implications reach far beyond personal fulfillment. While quantifying creativity remains a challenge, digital models—the “virtual brains” constructed for this study—showed measurable gains in neuronal efficiency and resilience among artistic practitioners. This suggests that creative engagement fosters biological pathways for preserving cognitive vitality. For societies facing demographic shifts toward older populations, such findings invite policymakers and educators alike to reconsider the value of dance, music, painting, and gaming.

In short, as one researcher put it with a touch of conviction: “Art may prove as vital for our minds as sport is for our bodies.” And perhaps it’s time we listened.