Older people with mild cognitive problems, may revert to normal brain function if they keep physically and mentally active and open to new experiences.

That’s the conclusion of Australian researchers at the University of New South Wales.

They say it’s not inevitable that people 70 or 75 years of age will develop a condition called  mild cognitive impairment  or M-C-I, which involves problems with memory and language.

They say evidence suggests that around 1 in 4 people with M-C-I who are physically and mentally active  actually improve after their diagnosis, reverting to their original cognitive abilities.

The researchers found that people who reverted to normal functioning seemed to age better, were more likely to have healthy blood pressure, and had a better sense of smell and vision.