How I Learned to Read From a Young Age

Want to get the mental sharpness of someone decades younger? Challenging your brain with something difficult, like learning a new language or taking up juggling, can trigger your brain to form new connections, increasing your brain’s white matter and making it more resilient against age-related decline. In this episode, Michael speaks to Dr Rachel Wu from the University of California Riverside who has discovered that learning three new skills at the same time can significantly boost the memory in older adults - so much so that they performed as well as someone 50 years younger in a series of cognitive tests. Superager Lord Richard Wilson shares his top tips for a sharper mind and the role of grit, determination, and insatiable curiosity. Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.