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Here are eight ways people of all ages can keep mentally sharp.

1. PLAY HEAD GAMES

Brain games may help improve mental function, and could possibly help
prevent dementia.

That's according to a six-month pilot study in Des Moines that included
Alzheimer's patients.

Participants used the "Happy Neuron" software (www.happyneuron.com),
said geriatrician Dr. Robert Bender, who led the research team. The
activities targeted language, visual-spatial and memorization skills.

The findings were released earlier this month.

The games seem to help overall brain health, said Bender, medical director
of the Orr Center for Memory and Healthy Aging in West Des Moines.
Researchers don't know yet whether doing the exercises can definitely
prevent diseases like Alzheimer's.

"The challenge is to stretch yourself, at the same time without making it
frustrating," Bender said. "At all ages, we need to challenge our brain to
learn new things, and that's the main thing."

The study's "brain wellness program" also included: consistent social
interaction, physical exercise, a low-fat diet, stress management and
meditation.

Caregivers also participated in the study, funded by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.

2. TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

Brain training can help ease daily tasks. Seniors who did certain mental
exercises improved their thinking skills, according to a recent study.

They also had an easier time performing everyday tasks, even five years
after receiving training, compared to untrained people.

The difference was significant for people who had reasoning training, said
Michael Marsiske, one of the principal investigators of the study.

The study included 2,802 adults age 65 and older who were living
independently and had normal brain function.

The training exercises included:

- Memory: To help people memorize word lists, one method was to
organize a grocery list by the sections of the store, said Marsiske, an
associate professor in the department of clinical health and psychology at
the University of Florida.

- Visualization: Use all your senses to remember things. For example, if you
need to remember a dog's name, visualize what the dog's fur feels like,
recall the sound of its bark, and, yes, try to re-create its smell.

- Reasoning: Participants learned to use highlighters to identify key points
in complicated information. That included underlining important information
like dosage and frequency on a medication.

3. TAXES

Don Eller of Urbandale says he stays sharp by volunteering to do people's
taxes as part of a program run by AARP.

"In preparation to do that, there are tax classes you attend," said Eller,
76. "So you are continuing working with numbers and math concepts."

During the off-season, he likes to play Sudoku online. He also tries to take
daily walks, and on most days walks about three miles.

Marsiske recommends taxpayers take a crack at those pesky forms and
complicated columns of numbers before handing them off to professionals.
It's just one way to flex your mental brawn.

"That's where you're engaging your mental activity," Marsiske said.

Another simple numbers tip: Figure out the calculations yourself, first,
before breaking out the calculator.

4. BUILD YOUR "COGNITIVE RESERVE"

There's a whole new body of research showing that individuals with a lot
of education, highly challenging jobs, and who are very socially engaged
have the highest levels of mental function and the lowest levels of decline
later in life, Marsiske said.

"If we do things to produce healthy brains early in life, then we will benefit
from that later in life," he said.

5. REMEMBER PASSWORDS

Keep track of your passwords - without the help of your computer. This is
Marsiske's trick: "I never let my computer remember any passwords," he
said. He writes them down in a hidden spot, in a hidden code. "What I
want to do is engage in that act of having to remember."

6. RETHINK YOUR CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Remember that you want to find activities that test your mental mettle.
One danger with crossword puzzles, Bender said, is that people who
regularly do them may already be familiar with the vocabulary. Avoid
slipping into the familiar, and try something new.

7. APRENDER EL ESPAÑOL

Translation: Learn Spanish, or another new language or mechanical
skill. "It's important to find things that we enjoy because that lowers
stress and that helps the brain work better," Bender said.

8. EXERCISE YOUR BODY

What's good for the body is good for the brain. More research is confirming
that exercise, diet, a healthy lifestyle and getting an adequate amount of
sleep not only keep you physically healthy, but also mentally, Marsiske said.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070122/LIFE02/701220321/-1/SPORTS12