The Dana Foundation's newsletters are treasures, often exploited on these pages. Go to the web site and sign up for the brain and the arts education editions.

February's issue of BRAIN WORK contained an article that should make grey haired arts educationalists feel a bit easier. For starters A Different View of Aging chucks out the myth that the brain sheds neurons by the bucket load each day, leaving an empty and vacuous mass/mess. The issue for us aging souls is in essence that we forget how to make use of neurons and they start to sulk in the corner, chatting between themselves about how much better life used to be.

While the researchers featured in the article are straightforward in their assertion that genetics plays some role in aging processes they equally stand up for a nurture model - be physically and socially active, stay socially engaged, and reduce risk factors ...

Here is where the arts cuts in. Do running at the gym by all means. Be the world's greatest Sudoku expert if you want. Better still, start to dance, paint and make up poetry.

Dana's reported researchers ran an Argentinian tango dancing sessions with a group of older adults and found improvements  in cognition and day to day tasking. Perhaps Argentinian tango dancing has the edge on other art forms but the principle seems to have been proved.

There seems to be a simple linear argument; socially and mentally enrich your life - the body gracefully responds by becoming stronger physically and mentally - live longer. No problem.