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Longevity Atlas
Mostly false

„The brain only declines after 25; memory loss in old age is inevitable.”

The hippocampus makes new neurons in adulthood, and the Erickson RCT (2011, n=120, 65+) found a year of walking INCREASED its volume by 2% (controls lost 1.4%). The FINGER trial (n=1,260) improved cognitive scores 25% in 2 years with a multidomain lifestyle programme. 45% of dementia cases trace to 14 modifiable risk factors (Lancet Commission 2024): hearing, LDL, blood pressure, inactivity, loneliness, vision… What's true: processing speed does slow — but knowledge and judgement keep growing until 70.

Sources

  1. Erickson KI et al. Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. PNAS (2011) ↗
  2. Livingston G et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. Lancet (2024) ↗

Last reviewed: 6 September 2026

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