For decades, researchers thought that little could be done once the brain started to decline. Neuroscientist Michael Merzenich of the University of California at San Francisco found out however, the brain remains plastic throughout life. With training, he added, it can be rewired to learn new skills.

Keeping this in mind, the elders are now re-discovering childhood with the aid of computer game company Nintendo. The Ninty DS offers Dr. Ryuta Kawashima's Brain Age and the same is also expected to come for the Wii. This title, which was developed with the help of respected Japanese doctor Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, advertises that it can train your brain in just a few minutes a day. Merzenich on the other hand, came up with a computer-based set of exercises that a user must work on with an hour a day for eight weeks.

As we speak, there is still no concrete evidence if these people can actually delay, much more stop cognitive decay.  People must be thinking there is definitely no harm in trying because 15 months after, Brain Age is still highly popular especially in Japan. To date, 4 million copies of this title have already been sold worldwide.