
Keeping Your Brain in Shape
A Practical Guide to Healthy Cognitive Ageing and Preventing Dementia
Mark Avery(Author)
Robinson (Publisher)
Published on 7. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
448 pages
978-1-4087-8327-6 (ISBN)
Description
Are you worried about signs of dementia in yourself or a loved one? How can you tell what is abnormal cognitive decline and what is a typical feature of getting older? What steps can you take to keep your brain in shape for longer?
The good news is that there is a lot of detailed and rigorous scientific research to answer these questions. The bad news is that there is so much of this that it is a daunting and bewildering process to make sense of it. You would soon become lost in a complex world of scholarly articles where the findings can appear contradictory and hard to fathom. How can you deduce what practical steps you might need to actually take?
Mark Avery's comprehensive and easily-readable guide is here to help you navigate a pathway through the maze of literature on cognitive ageing. You will find here chapters on hearing loss, sleep, social networks, physical activity, grief, drinking and breathing. The book also deals with the importance of living in the present ? coping with technological change and remaining curious about the world around you.
This book provides you with an action plan for what positive steps you can take to keep your brain healthy and in good working order for as long as possible and includes:
? An introduction to understanding how to interpret the science
? A glossary of terms associated with cognitive ageing
? A unique approach to easily navigating the book in whichever way you choose
? Helpful summaries with clear action points
The good news is that there is a lot of detailed and rigorous scientific research to answer these questions. The bad news is that there is so much of this that it is a daunting and bewildering process to make sense of it. You would soon become lost in a complex world of scholarly articles where the findings can appear contradictory and hard to fathom. How can you deduce what practical steps you might need to actually take?
Mark Avery's comprehensive and easily-readable guide is here to help you navigate a pathway through the maze of literature on cognitive ageing. You will find here chapters on hearing loss, sleep, social networks, physical activity, grief, drinking and breathing. The book also deals with the importance of living in the present ? coping with technological change and remaining curious about the world around you.
This book provides you with an action plan for what positive steps you can take to keep your brain healthy and in good working order for as long as possible and includes:
? An introduction to understanding how to interpret the science
? A glossary of terms associated with cognitive ageing
? A unique approach to easily navigating the book in whichever way you choose
? Helpful summaries with clear action points
Reviews / Votes
Mark has written an accessible book in a chatty style which will speak to anyone wishing to understand their experience of getting older, or that of their loved ones. It puts them in the driver's seat to achieve their own best outcomes, looking at the legion of factors that make up who we are and their infl uence on how we age -- Amanda Ellison, Professor of Neuroscience at Durham University, Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, and author of Splitting As a neuropsychologist, I found Keeping Your Brain in Shape both informative and genuinely useful. Mark Avery succeeds in translating complex neuroscience into clear, practical guidance without compromising on scientific integrity. This book will resonate not only with professionals in cognitive health but also with readers who haveno specialist training in the brain or neuroscience. It's an engaging, insightful and empowering read for anyone interested in preserving cognitive wellbeing -- Dr Stephen Evans, Lead Consultant for Neuropsychology, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust A fascinating collection of examples, opinions and practical advice on this most important of topics -- Neil Burgess, professor, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, fellow of the Royal Society
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Little, Brown Book Group
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Illustrations
24 b/w line illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
536 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4087-8327-6 (9781408783276)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Mark Avery
Keeping Your Brain in Shape
A Practical Guide to Healthy Cognitive Ageing and Preventing Dementia
E-Book
08/2025
Robinson
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Mark Avery is an Honorary Fellow and postdoctoral researcher in the cognitive neuroscience group at Durham University where he has been for the last ten years since making a mid-life career change. In his final undergraduate year, he received the David Kleinman Prize for his dissertation on a new predictive test for Alzheimer's disease. In 2017, he also received the British Psychological Society award for undergraduate psychology at Durham University. His doctorate focused on the factors helping to preserve healthy cognitive ageing, and his postdoctoral research at Durham continues to be into factors affecting memory and cognitive functioning in healthy ageing. This book represents the culmination of his work over the last ten years and offers fresh insights and practical advice from a fresh new voice, based on direct experience and research expertise in the field.