Think You’re Too Old to Learn? Think Again.

Our brains can learn and change at any age, and lifelong learning helps improve resistance to age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease.

By Gia Miller

Artwork by Eliyahu Greenwald

In December 2011, Eleanor Maguire, Ph.D., a cognitive neuroscientist at the University College London, published the results of a groundbreaking four-year study she conducted on “average-IQ adults” studying to become London taxi drivers; it transformed the way scientists think about the brain. Maguire knew that to become a licensed London taxi driver, candidates spent three to four years driving a moped around London to memorize approximately 25,000 streets within a six-mile radius, along with 320 preset routes and at least 20,000 landmarks. They must master this outline before taking what’s famously known as  “The Knowledge” exam. Unlike Manhattan’s grid, London’s streets form a bewildering maze that defies logic, so memorizing the map is no easy feat. In a previous (and possibly even more revolutionary) study Maguire conducted in 2000, she discovered the brains of adults who passed The Knowledge had a significantly larger posterior hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for spatial memory) than those in the control group. Now, she wondered, did those cab drivers always have a larger posterior hippocampus, or did that part of the brain “grow” as they studied for The Knowledge? So, Maguire examined the brains of potential cab drivers at the start of their training and then again after they endured the stringent Knowledge exam. Only 50 to 60 percent of those who study for The Knowledge pass, and those who did, Maguire discovered, had experienced significant growth in their posterior hippocampus.

Why was Maguire’s work a game changer? She proved the adult brain can reorganize itself to make room for new skills and experiences. Prior to Maguire’s 2000 and 2011 studies, many scientists believed the adult brain was mostly “fixed” and unable to reorganize itself after a certain age. But Maguire’s research proved otherwise. Since then, the research on neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to learn, remember and change) has skyrocketed. In the past five years alone, over 10,000 studies on neuroplasticity have been published globally, and we now know that adults can continue to obtain new skills and knowledge throughout their lives.

Brain basics

Our brains contain billions of tiny cells called neurons, which send messages throughout our body, telling us to talk, walk, eat, think and even breathe. These neurons “talk” to each other using pathways called synapses. Every time you learn something new or practice a skill, your brain strengthens some of its synaptic connections and weakens others.

“There’s a constant battle over territory in your brain because there’s limited room, and when you place a demand on a particular area of your brain, it finds a way to make space,” explains Anthony Silver, MS, MA, LMFT, BCN, the founder & CEO of Gray Matters in CT and author of “Making the Invisible Visible,” which comes out later this month. “So, for example, if you begin learning the piano, the brain area involved with storing information about that new skill will create new connections, grow and take up more space. The more you learn, the more territory and resources your brain devotes to storing information about that task. But to make that room, the brain must take it away from another area.” This process is called pruning. The neurons you no longer need die away, making your brain more efficient.

In addition to your brain’s natural reorganization and pruning, your brain also creates new nerve cells through a process called neurogenesis. While most neurons are made before you’re born, some parts of your brain—like the hippocampus, which helps with memory—can grow new neurons, even as you get older. Once those new baby nerve cells are fully formed, they must create synaptic connections. The more you practice that new skill or use that new knowledge, the stronger those synaptic connections become, making you better or faster.

“Every neuron is constantly creating new connections to the neurons around them,” says Silver. “That neurogenesis is a constant throughout your life; it goes on until you die. Healthy brains are on a constant search for efficiency, and that’s how we have the ability to learn.” If you’ve ever been told practice makes perfect, this is the scientific proof. The more you practice, the more your brain literally reshapes itself to solidify that new knowledge and improve those skills.

Exercise & feed your brain

Numerous Numerous studies have found that keeping your brain active throughout your adult life can improve resistance to age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease. “As we get older, our prefrontal cortex and our hippocampus shrink,” says Jessica Brown, who is certified as a personal trainer, nutrition coach and brain fitness trainer and is the owner of JB Vitality. “But research has shown that exercise can preserve and promote growth in those areas. Aerobic exercise, like biking, walking, hiking, or anything that continuously uses your cardiovascular system, will increase blood flow through your brain. Strength training also promotes and preserves neuroplasticity, but the effects are not as bountiful as aerobic exercise.”

In a February 2025 article published in Brain Sciences, researchers found that walking, particularly at moderate to high intensities, increases the production of a molecule called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which helps grow new neurons and connections. This one molecule has made significant waves in neuroplasticity research, as it’s not only an essential component of neuron growth, but it’s also a potential indicator for neurological decline. Research published in April 2025, along with numerous previous studies, suggests that low BDNF levels might be a promising early indicator of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). So maintaining and increasing the production of BDNF is key.

“You need to hit those higher heart rate zones to improve BDNF production,” says Brown. “That’s when the blood starts flowing a little bit more and the heart pumps a little bit faster; it’s when you will start to see the benefits of neurogenesis. And while it’s good to have a balance of aerobic and strength training, getting your heart rate up is essential.” The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week (or a combination of both), preferably spread throughout the week. For strength training, Brown recommends a minimum of twice a week with a routine that includes a warm-up, five to six exercises focused purely on strength training, a cool down and stretching or foam rolling. And if you don’t get the recommended amount in one week, that doesn’t mean your brain will atrophy. “I always tell my clients to focus on what you can do, not what you couldn’t do,” says Brown. “Reflecting on the past will not get you anywhere. It won’t take you closer to your goals.”

In addition to exercise, eating a mix of healthy, wholesome foods can help keep your brain strong. “Antioxidants and omega-3s are some of the best things you can have for your brain,” says Brown. “Your brain thrives on having good, healthy fats, and having a nutrient-rich lifestyle is very important, along with exercise and getting enough sleep. That combination is much more potent for someone looking to preserve their brain health.”

Challenge your brain

If we need physical exercises to keep our body strong, then we need mental exercises to keep our brain strong. Researchers have found that lifelong learning helps keep those synapses strong and neurogenesis active. No matter your age, constant learning is important. “When people retire, and they’re not being intellectually challenged like they once were, we often see a decline,” notes Silver. “That certainly doesn’t mean that everyone must keep working, but you need to engage in activities that demand deep thinking—really conscious, active thought. We often go through our days doing repetitive things that don’t require deep thinking, but it’s very important to make the time to do things that challenge you.”

Challenging your brain is important for everyone, not just people who have retired. If you are working, but you’re not learning new things, then it’s just as important to do things that will preserve your cognitive functioning. There are many ways you can challenge your mind, strengthen those synaptic connections and build a cognitive reserve to help keep your mind sharp, including:

Try something new. Learn a new language or how to play a new instrument, or try your hand at a new skill, like cooking or painting.

Play “brain games.” Crossword puzzles, word games (like Scrabble), logic games (like Sudoku), memory games and strategic games (like chess, checkers or bridge) are all ways to build a cognitive reserve. As these games become easier for you, increase the level of difficulty to continue challenging yourself.

Read. Pick up a book, read magazine articles, dive into research papers—find things that interest you and also teach you something new.

Travel and explore. You don’t need to go far to make this worthwhile. As long as it’s a place you haven’t been before, or the wing of a museum you haven’t seen, it will enhance your neuroplasticity.

Engage in local or regional cultural and social activities. Go to a concert, see a play or participate in an activity that is new and different and promotes deeper learning.

Meet and talk to new people, especially those with different values and beliefs. “Having a really stimulating conversation with someone who challenges your own perception and views is one of the most accessible ways to challenge yourself,” Silver says.

The key is to mix up these “mental workouts” and avoid falling into a routine. For example, play brain games on a rainy day and sit outside at a coffee shop when the weather is nice and strike up a conversation with someone nearby. Arrange a regular chess (or checkers) match with a friend, go somewhere new once a month and take weekly lessons to learn a new skill. Or, consider enrolling in a certification course to gain more in-depth knowledge. Don’t let your age (young or old) be an excuse.

Mark Paretti, CVW, CVGW, CVP, the vice president of resident experience for The Bristal Assisted Living communities, implemented immersive programs into all of their communities with the goal of slowing down cognitive decline. “Our goal is to help reforge those neural pathways or forge entirely new ones by helping our residents engage in activities where they are learning something in a meaningful way,” he explains. Locally, they’ve learned the history of the Lyndhurst Mansion and even created their own mansion room (followed by a tea party), as well as taken a course in British royal history. And in Manhattan, residents in their York Avenue community had the opportunity to take a certification course through the Fashion Institute of Technology. “It was titled ‘Iconic Milestones in Fashion History,’” says Paretti. “It was thrilling to see how many residents were, at their age, truly interested in advancing their knowledge and doing the coursework necessary to earn their certification. The average person may assume that people in their 80s and above may be done with learning, but that’s just not the case.”

Brains don’t retire

Our adult brains are not fixed, as scientists once believed they were. They are flexible and resilient, capable of learning, remembering and changing. If our brain can continue to learn throughout the course of our life, then we should reap those rewards.

“If you don’t use it, you will lose it,” says Brown. “And it’s true. The longer you’re sedentary with your brain, the more it deteriorates. Do things that engage your body and your mind, because if you’re not actively in tune with your body, it will start doing its own thing.” Here’s your challenge for today: Choose a nearby location you haven’t explored and plan a date to do so; select a book you genuinely find interesting (and will finish) then order it; and do some additional research based on what you learned in this article. Your hippocampus will thank you.

This article was published in the September/October 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.