Cognitive Reserve and Aging: How Mental Activity Protects the Brain

Ongoing research over the past decade into aging and the development of Alzheimer’s disease has revealed an important insight: people who regularly engage in cognitive and mental activity appear, to some extent, to be more resilient to the effects of aging. This discovery led to the development of the concept known as cognitive reserve.

Cognitive reserve refers to the idea that the more a person activates and challenges different brain functions throughout life, the more efficient and adaptable the brain becomes. A more developed brain has greater reserves, allowing it to absorb some of the natural decline associated with aging without a noticeable impact on daily functioning.

Brain Injury and Accelerated Aging

A study conducted by doctoral researcher Yifat Levi, under the supervision of Professor Eli Vakil from the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Center for Brain Research at Bar-Ilan University, together with Dr. Uri Rassovsky, found that when a person sustains a brain injury due to an accident or trauma, the brain’s aging process can accelerate.

The research team examined 89 patients with head injuries, ranging in age from 20 to 70, treated at the IDF Disabled Veterans Rehabilitation Center in Jaffa and at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer. One of the key findings was that age plays a significant role in post-injury aging: the older a person is at the time of injury, the faster the cognitive aging process tends to be.

Intellectual Level and Cognitive Protection

The researchers also developed methods to estimate an individual’s cognitive abilities prior to the brain injury. This allowed them to assess whether people with higher intellectual functioning experienced fewer or milder consequences following injury.

The findings confirmed the researchers’ expectations, that cognitive reserve does help moderate the effects of brain injury, depending on its severity. In cases of moderate injury, individuals with higher cognitive reserve were better protected. However, in cases of severe injury, cognitive reserve did not provide significant protection.

“These findings suggest that medical teams should be prepared for earlier cognitive decline in patients with low cognitive reserve who have suffered severe brain injuries, compared to the general population,” explains Professor Vakil. “These patients may require supportive care at an earlier stage than average.”

Strengthening Cognitive Reserve Through Lifelong Learning

“There is a great deal of research showing that engaging in thinking and learning strengthens cognitive reserve,” Professor Vakil continues. “People who constantly read, attend lectures, learn new languages, and keep their minds actively engaged are exercising their cognitive abilities. Any activity that requires active mental effort, rather than passive consumption, is beneficial.”

“In older age, many experiences become familiar and less challenging,” he adds. “That’s why I recommend exposure to new ideas, listening to lectures on unfamiliar topics, and challenging the brain with thinking games. It’s similar to physical fitness: the earlier you start and the more consistently you train, the healthier your system will be over time.”