If we can't train the brain, can we put our minds at rest?

A few years ago in the dark recesses of the computer games industry, someone decided there was money to be made by convincing the rest of us we needed to exercise our brains as well as our bodies.

Convenient handheld consoles were developed and trustworthy celebrities like Patrick Stewart and Julie Walters were drafted in to front the advertising campaigns. Of course, no one ever actually made any grand claims, but the implication was there – if we spent a few minutes every day practising a simple routine of mental gymnastics, our grey matter would remain wrinkle free.

And we believed them. Millions of pounds have been spent brain-training software, but latest research, conducted for the BBC's science programme Bang Goes the Theory, has shown that, contrary to popular belief, they do nothing to improve IQ.

So if computer games can't help, is there anything we can do to keep our minds young and beautiful?

"There is plenty we can do to reduce the risk of dementia, but it's more to do with keeping our bodies fit and healthy than exercising our brains," says Prof Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society.

"Recent research has highlighted the importance of taking action to lose weight, reduce high blood pressure and generally live a healthy lifestyle from middle-age onwards.

"We know brain training techniques have become incredibly popular in recent years, but a little mental arithmetic won't reverse the effects of sky high blood pressure and cholesterol levels."

Exercise

Regular exercise of the non- brain-training variety has been shown to help reduce dementia. Experts believe 30 minutes of exercise five times a week for people over 65 significantly lowers the risk of developing vascular dementia, the second most common form of the condition after Alzheimer's disease.

It doesn't have to be strenuous sessions down the gym. A study in Italy measured the amount of energy exerted by a group of men and women over a four-year period. It concluded those who walked regularly and did their own housework and gardening were 27 per cent less likely to develop dementia than those who did the least amount of exercise. There is also an increasing body of evidence that shows exercise can also help promote the growth of new cells, including those in the brain.

Reducing high blood pressure

Controlling blood pressure from middle-age may dramatically reduce the chances of developing dementia. The exact reasons high blood pressure increases the risk are not fully known, but many believe it can starve the brain of oxygen. A recent study by Imperial College London found better treatment for those suffering from high blood pressure – anything above 140/90mmHg – could significantly reduce the cases of dementia. With many people unaware they have high blood pressure, a separate study by the Alzheimer's Society has also suggested better controls could save 15,000 lives a year and recommends those over 40 with a family history of dementia to have their blood pressure checked regularly.

Low cholesterol

Similarly, researchers found that even small increases in cholesterol during your early 40s can increase the risk of developing dementia by more than half two decades later. A study of 9,844 men and women found that those who had high cholesterol in their early 40s were 66 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease when they reached their sixties, seventies and eighties. It is believed that around a third of the population in the UK suffers from higher than recommended cholesterol levels during their life and with even borderline cholesterol levels in midlife raising the risk for late-life dementia by 52 per cent, it could be one of the key factors to controlling the condition.

A Mediterranean diet

Various studies have suggested eating lots of fruit and vegetables, fish, together with large glugs of olive oil also helps. Researchers in America studied the diet and health of 2,200 people over four years and concluded the more people kept to a Mediterranean diet the less likely they were to develop Alzheimer's. Experts now believe sticking to a

healthy diet and cutting out as much processed food as possible can reduce the risk of dementia by as much as 40 per cent.

Socialising

While there is no concrete proof, there is some evidence to suggest that taking part in lots of leisure activities and visiting friends on a regular basis may help prevent dementia. Scientists admit that it's difficult to come to any definite conclusions, but one study has concluded that being single and living alone is a risk factor when it comes to dementia. Social isolation is also thought to have negative effects on health generally increasing depression and cardiovascular disease.