Here’s the No. 1 thing that sets ‘SuperAgers’ apart from people with ‘weak memory skills,’ says brain expert

Some people who are in their 80s and beyond have the cognitive function of younger people.

It is possible for your brain to be older than your chronological age.

I am a neuroscience researcher and author of "The Age-Proof Brain." I have found that our behaviors, not just our genes, have a powerful impact on our brain's fate.

People with weak memory skills are different to SuperAgers. Super Agers kept learning new things throughout their life according to a study that followed them for 18 months.

The brain is similar to a bank account. New connections between our brain cells are made by learning. These connections hold our memories.

Some of those connections are lost as we get older. It is similar to withdrawing every year. Net worth is affected by the amount of deposits we make.

A study found that adults with more years of education had more active brain areas. Better memory can be linked to activity in the frontal cortex.

Higher education isn't the only way to remember. In a study, people with less education had the same memory scores as people with more education.

Keeping your brain healthy isn't just about crosswords. You are mostly exercising with the knowledge and skills that you already have.

Learning new skills and information makes a big difference in the brain. When they learn something outside of their expertise, SuperAgers like to feel frustrated.

‘Cross-train’ your brain

If you want to learn the way you would with fitness training, approach it from a different point of view. You wouldn't just work out at the gym. You'd look like Popeye eventually.

The same thing happens for the brain. A new sport or instrument works out different parts of the brain than learning a new language.

Mental and physical learning activities can be combined to train your brain. Use this plan to plan different kinds of activities.

• Day 1: Learn something mentally stimulating, such as listening to a podcast or taking an online course.
• Day 2:  Do something that requires learning through movement, such as a new sport, dance or yoga pose.
• Day 3:  Be social. Grab coffee with a friend or go to a dinner party. Yes, social interaction is a form of learning that has been associated with staving off dementia.

New things keep your brain young. If you discover something you didn't know before, you're helping your brain age at a slower pace.

He is a brain health expert and author of "The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Off Dementia." His followers can follow him on social media.

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