Special activities to keep your brain young

(Dan Tri) - Creative experiences can improve brain health, thereby slowing down the brain aging process. That is the conclusion of a study conducted by a group of international scientists in 13 countries.

Learning to dance is one of the activities that helps keep the brain young (photo: Lighthouse Films/Getty Images).

Researchers found that creative activities, such as dance classes, tango in particular, were particularly effective, or art classes, music lessons, or a hobby like gaming, all had a positive impact on the artificial intelligence (AI) “brain clock.”

According to the research team, the longer people practice and stick with their favorite art form, the younger their "brain clock", meaning their ability to process information and maintain mental flexibility is higher.

“We asked the lead researchers to elaborate on this mechanism and the results were surprising,” the authors said.

What is brain health?

Brain health is an optimal state of cognitive, emotional and social functioning that allows people to develop their abilities, maintain intellectual resilience and adapt flexibly to changes throughout life.

Unlike the concept of “no disease”, brain health is defined by the ability of brain regions to function effectively, sustainably and integratedly, helping people maintain quality of life, the ability to think, remember and make decisions every day.

Brain aging is a natural process that involves changes in brain structure, neural connections, and metabolism over time. These changes may or may not reduce brain performance, depending on a person's lifestyle, diet, physical activity, and level of mental training.

Brain aging involves changes in structure, connectivity and metabolism (photo: Sumali Ibnu Chamid/Alemedia.id/Canva).

“Brain clocks” are machine learning (AI) models designed to estimate the biological age of the brain, based on brain imaging or neural activity data. These models compare neuroimaging, electrophysiological signals, or molecular markers with standard data of the human brain at various stages throughout life.

Thanks to that, scientists can determine what helps the brain maintain long-term health, and conversely, what makes the brain age faster.

What do researchers want to learn?

Scientists want to test whether creative activities like drawing, dancing, playing music or designing... not only bring joy but also actually make the brain healthier biologically.

Although there is evidence that art improves mental health, the mechanisms by which it affects the brain are not well understood.

Two neuroscientists, Carlos Coronel and Agustín Ibáñez, conducted research on nearly 1,400 people in many countries, including professional artists and amateurs of similar age, gender, and level.

They recorded brain activity using EEGs and EEGs, then used machine learning to create a “brain clock” that predicted the brain’s biological age. If the “brain age” was younger than its actual age, it suggested the brain was aging more slowly.

To gain further insight, the team also developed “physiological models,” digital copies of the human brain that simulate real-life activity based on biological and physical laws, not just AI models.

Preliminary results show that people who regularly create have “younger” brain clocks, suggesting that art may act as “exercise” for the brain, helping to maintain flexibility and slow down the rate of neural aging.

The findings

On average, gamers' brains are four years younger (photo: RyanKing999/Canva).

Research shows that across all creative fields, participants’ brains are “younger” than their actual age. Tango dancers have brains about seven years younger; musicians and artists five to six years younger; gamers about four years younger.

In a small experiment, amateurs who trained for 30 hours on the strategy game StarCraft II also showed their “brain clocks” turned back two to three years.

The longer you engage in the arts, the more pronounced the effects become, whether it's music , dance, painting, or video games. Brain regions responsible for attention and learning, which typically age early, remain more flexible and connected.

Scientists have found that creativity helps protect aging brain regions and increases communication between regions, like expanding the brain's “highway” system.

This finding shows that art and science are not opposites but complementary: creativity both nourishes the spirit and improves biological health.

The study redefines innovation as a “biotherapy” that slows the aging process, opening up applications in education , public health, and aging societies.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/nhung-hoat-dong-dac-biet-hieu-qua-de-giu-bo-nao-luon-tre-trung-20251030040422081.htm