"They all gobble?" said a 67-year-old man, grinning.

Welcome to The Brain Fitness Club. It's a window into a growing population in America: adults who are beginning to forget names, telephone numbers and how to drive home, but are aware enough to do something about it whether that's playing word-association games or bowling on a Nintendo Wii.

While there's no magic pill for dementia, or even "senior moments," scientists are converging on what makes a brain-healthy lifestyle. And it looks a lot like the Winter Park class and the dozen other brain clubs that have popped up in Central Florida.

"There's no universal prescription that will solve everyone's brain problems," said Alvaro Fernandez, CEO of SharpBrains, a brain-fitness think tank. "But the good news is, there is a lot we can do."

Good for your body? Good for your brain

Not too long ago, scientists believed we all start with roughly 3 trillion brain cells that, through careless decisions such as drinking alcohol and playing tackle football, we gradually kill off. Once a brain cell was lost, the brain was one man down, forever.

That's a myth, we now know.

The brain is a tangled web of cells that is constantly rewiring itself, like acrobats unlinking arms and swapping partners. The brain can grow new cells to link into its intricate network, tossing a new gymnast into the act.

0