What is cognitive reserve?

Think of cognitive reserve as your brain's ability to improvise - to find alternate ways of getting a job done. It reflects how agile your brain is at drawing on skills and capacities to solve problems and meet challenges. A lifetime of education and curiosity builds it.

The concept arose in the late 1980s, when researchers described people who showed no symptoms of dementia in life but whose autopsies revealed brain changes consistent with advanced Alzheimer's disease. They had functioned normally because their cognitive reserve was large enough to offset the damage.

Research since then has shown that people with greater cognitive reserve hold off symptoms of degenerative brain changes longer - not only from dementia but also from other brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. A robust reserve also helps you function better for longer when life throws surprises at you - stress, surgery, or environmental toxins. Such circumstances demand extra effort from your brain, much like asking a car to engage another gear.

The heart of any brain health and cognitive fitness program, though, is lifestyle. Researchers have identified six cornerstones of an effective program:

Step 1: Eat a plant-based diet

Step 2: Exercise regularly

Step 3: Get enough sleep

Step 4: Manage your stress

Step 5: Nurture social contacts

Step 6: Continue to challenge your brain

These factors are equal parts of one cohesive plan - they do not work in isolation. Simply eating more fiber or adding a morning walk is not enough to forestall mental decline. Exercise, diet, sleep, stress management, social interaction, and mental stimulation work in concert to produce results.