07/12/2025
In fact, there's evidence that deterioration in mental functions can actually be reversed. Neuropsychologist Marion Diamond at the University of California has shown that mental activity makes neurons sprout new dendrites, which establish connections with other neurons. The dendrites shrink when the mind is idle. For example, when a rat is kept in isolation, the animal's brain shrinks, but if we put that rat with other rats in a large cage and give them an assortment of toys, we can show, after four days, significant differences in its brain.'says Diamond. After a month in the enriched surroundings, the whole cerebral cortex has expanded, as has its blood supply. But even in the enriched surroundings, rats get bored unless the toys are varied. Animals are just like we are. They need stimulation, says Diamond. A busy mental lifestyle keeps the human mind fit, says Warner Schaie of Penn State University. ‘People who regularly participate in challenging tasks retain their intellectual abilities better than mental couch potatoes.'
