Cognitive Reserve: Building a Resilient Brain

Can visiting museums reduce your risk for dementia?

Cognitive reserve is a concept that explains how some people may be less susceptible to the effects of ageing, brain injury, or disease on mental ability. According to the cognitive reserve hypothesis, people with higher levels of cognitive reserve are better able to cope with damage to the brain. There might even be a common network in the brain that underlies this reserve.

Having a lifestyle that is stimulating, higher levels of education, and higher intelligence all contribute to cognitive reserve. You can increase your cognitive reserve through activities such as exercising regularly, maintaining social relationships, and engaging in leisure activities. One study even found that visiting museums every few months reduced the risk of dementia in adults over the age of 50!

Are there any changes you could make in your life today to increase your cognitive reserve?

Engaging in multiple leisure activities, such as playing instruments, can improve cognitive reserve.