The author suggests that you “bump up against people and ideas” that are different as a means to having a healthy brain. In my younger days we used to call it -

The author suggests that you “bump up against people and ideas” that are different as a means to having a healthy brain. In my younger days we used to call it - keep an open mind and is good advice for young as well as older people. :) In my case as I got older I noticed the following: 1) My capacity to absorb information has increased. I can read two/three books in a day (sort of semi-scanning it) and by the end of the day I would have absorbed the info although albeit not remember the nitty gritty. However, I would know where to look up the details. 2) I feel that my brain tends to process new information, now - whereas in my younger days it accepted as a fact and just stored. 3) I was and I am still bad with names, but I think it is a trait of a lot of people that are into maths/science/engineering etc. 4) I have become sometimes too logical. I view this as negative and I am trying to work around it. 5) Creativity definitely goes down with age. Overall I believe that my brain is now better - in middle age - than during my youth. I have made an effort to keep fresh in my mind things that interest me. Once a year I spend one-two weeks refreshing maths. I also code a lot and read a lot, even though I am into management and need not do any of these.