[
    {
        "start": 0.0,
        "end": 2.0,
        "text": " This is the BBC."
    },
    {
        "start": 17.48,
        "end": 19.44,
        "text": " Hello and welcome to Podcasting House."
    },
    {
        "start": 19.44,
        "end": 21.8,
        "text": " If you're listening for the first time, well, thank you."
    },
    {
        "start": 21.8,
        "end": 23.68,
        "text": " Thanks for choosing to listen to us."
    },
    {
        "start": 23.68,
        "end": 25.32,
        "text": " And this is what you need to know."
    },
    {
        "start": 25.32,
        "end": 27.6,
        "text": " The BBC makes so many podcasts"
    },
    {
        "start": 27.6,
        "end": 29.400000000000002,
        "text": " how you're gonna know where to start, right?"
    },
    {
        "start": 29.4,
        "end": 32.28,
        "text": " So we will be your guides twice a week."
    },
    {
        "start": 32.28,
        "end": 33.8,
        "text": " We'll play you an episode of something"
    },
    {
        "start": 33.8,
        "end": 35.16,
        "text": " we think you should know about."
    },
    {
        "start": 35.16,
        "end": 37.839999999999996,
        "text": " And if you like it, you can search for it"
    },
    {
        "start": 37.839999999999996,
        "end": 40.0,
        "text": " and subscribe wherever you've got this podcast."
    },
    {
        "start": 40.0,
        "end": 42.6,
        "text": " So I'm Rian and I'm joined by Eli."
    },
    {
        "start": 42.6,
        "end": 45.519999999999996,
        "text": " Eli, what is in your magic box today?"
    },
    {
        "start": 45.519999999999996,
        "end": 50.2,
        "text": " I've brought in a podcast from BBC Scotland called Brain Waves."
    },
    {
        "start": 50.2,
        "end": 53.64,
        "text": " It's a science show about how our brains work."
    },
    {
        "start": 53.64,
        "end": 57.4,
        "text": " This particular episode is called How to Stay Sharp."
    },
    {
        "start": 57.4,
        "end": 59.239999999999995,
        "text": " So there's all kinds of info in here."
    },
    {
        "start": 59.24,
        "end": 63.08,
        "text": " This coffee help, tea help, this physical exercise help."
    },
    {
        "start": 63.08,
        "end": 65.4,
        "text": " They talk to a guy a scientist"
    },
    {
        "start": 65.4,
        "end": 67.8,
        "text": " who was doing a show in Edinburgh about this."
    },
    {
        "start": 67.8,
        "end": 69.52,
        "text": " So it's a bit of an entertainment show"
    },
    {
        "start": 69.52,
        "end": 70.88,
        "text": " but also a science show."
    },
    {
        "start": 70.88,
        "end": 72.24000000000001,
        "text": " Just tea help."
    },
    {
        "start": 72.24000000000001,
        "end": 73.6,
        "text": " You're gonna have to listen to find out."
    },
    {
        "start": 73.6,
        "end": 74.88,
        "text": " I'm not giving that away."
    },
    {
        "start": 74.88,
        "end": 76.8,
        "text": " Look, here it is, Brain Waves."
    },
    {
        "start": 76.8,
        "end": 78.12,
        "text": " I hope tea helps."
    },
    {
        "start": 79.44,
        "end": 81.6,
        "text": " Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen."
    },
    {
        "start": 81.6,
        "end": 83.80000000000001,
        "text": " Please meet Susan."
    },
    {
        "start": 83.80000000000001,
        "end": 88.0,
        "text": " Now Susan has found herself entering a room"
    },
    {
        "start": 88.0,
        "end": 90.52,
        "text": " but she's immediately forgotten what she came in for."
    },
    {
        "start": 90.52,
        "end": 93.56,
        "text": " That's Alan Gow, Associate Professor in Psychology"
    },
    {
        "start": 93.56,
        "end": 95.2,
        "text": " at Harriet Wat University."
    },
    {
        "start": 95.2,
        "end": 96.88,
        "text": " You might recognise his sidekick"
    },
    {
        "start": 96.88,
        "end": 99.08,
        "text": " as comedian and history buff Susan Morrison."
    },
    {
        "start": 99.08,
        "end": 103.64,
        "text": " But it's okay, it's okay because Susan is 20 years old."
    },
    {
        "start": 103.64,
        "end": 107.64,
        "text": " Ah, Alan researchers how our thinking skills change as we age."
    },
    {
        "start": 107.64,
        "end": 109.92,
        "text": " 20 years old, so that momentary lapse of memory"
    },
    {
        "start": 109.92,
        "end": 111.68,
        "text": " she shrugs off and goes a bit of business."
    },
    {
        "start": 111.68,
        "end": 113.12,
        "text": " Along with the kinds of things"
    },
    {
        "start": 113.12,
        "end": 116.48,
        "text": " which affect those changes to our thinking as we get older."
    },
    {
        "start": 116.52000000000001,
        "end": 118.36,
        "text": " Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Susan."
    },
    {
        "start": 118.36,
        "end": 120.4,
        "text": " Susan enters a room."
    },
    {
        "start": 120.4,
        "end": 121.48,
        "text": " She's arrived in a room"
    },
    {
        "start": 121.48,
        "end": 124.36,
        "text": " but she's immediately forgotten what she went in for."
    },
    {
        "start": 124.36,
        "end": 126.08,
        "text": " She's 40 years old."
    },
    {
        "start": 126.08,
        "end": 127.44,
        "text": " So she's a little bit concerned"
    },
    {
        "start": 127.44,
        "end": 131.68,
        "text": " is that lapse of memory of something more serious,"
    },
    {
        "start": 131.68,
        "end": 132.84,
        "text": " bit anxious."
    },
    {
        "start": 133.72,
        "end": 135.64000000000001,
        "text": " Ladies and gentlemen meet Susan."
    },
    {
        "start": 135.64000000000001,
        "end": 139.6,
        "text": " Susan has found herself entering a room"
    },
    {
        "start": 139.6,
        "end": 143.08,
        "text": " but has immediately forgotten what she went in for."
    },
    {
        "start": 143.08,
        "end": 145.68,
        "text": " Susan is 60 years old."
    },
    {
        "start": 145.68,
        "end": 146.68,
        "text": " Hey."
    },
    {
        "start": 146.68,
        "end": 151.04000000000002,
        "text": " And now she is terrified"
    },
    {
        "start": 151.04000000000002,
        "end": 155.24,
        "text": " that that lapse of memory is something much more serious."
    },
    {
        "start": 156.16,
        "end": 160.12,
        "text": " The same event, but do we experience it differently"
    },
    {
        "start": 160.12,
        "end": 161.84,
        "text": " depending on what age we are?"
    },
    {
        "start": 161.84,
        "end": 163.48000000000002,
        "text": " Are we a little bit,"
    },
    {
        "start": 163.48000000000002,
        "end": 164.76000000000002,
        "text": " yeah, doesn't matter?"
    },
    {
        "start": 164.76000000000002,
        "end": 165.96,
        "text": " Are we a little bit anxious"
    },
    {
        "start": 165.96,
        "end": 167.84,
        "text": " or do we really start to worry?"
    },
    {
        "start": 167.84,
        "end": 168.88,
        "text": " For this Brainwaves,"
    },
    {
        "start": 168.88,
        "end": 170.64000000000001,
        "text": " we recorded Alan's friend show"
    },
    {
        "start": 170.64000000000001,
        "end": 172.52,
        "text": " at the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas"
    },
    {
        "start": 172.52,
        "end": 173.8,
        "text": " in the Edinburgh Festival."
    },
    {
        "start": 173.8,
        "end": 175.56,
        "text": " And what we're going to be doing"
    },
    {
        "start": 175.56,
        "end": 179.0,
        "text": " is exploring what keeps you sharp."
    },
    {
        "start": 179.0,
        "end": 180.08,
        "text": " And we're going to be doing that"
    },
    {
        "start": 180.08,
        "end": 182.0,
        "text": " through a series of questions."
    },
    {
        "start": 182.0,
        "end": 185.16,
        "text": " The questions that I am going to ask you."
    },
    {
        "start": 185.16,
        "end": 187.52,
        "text": " So we decided to use those questions too"
    },
    {
        "start": 187.52,
        "end": 189.16,
        "text": " as the focus for this Brainwaves"
    },
    {
        "start": 189.16,
        "end": 191.76,
        "text": " because let's face it, we are all aging."
    },
    {
        "start": 191.76,
        "end": 193.36,
        "text": " And if you're anything like me,"
    },
    {
        "start": 193.36,
        "end": 194.84,
        "text": " I'm Penny Latin by the way,"
    },
    {
        "start": 194.84,
        "end": 197.76,
        "text": " then you will spend at least some of your time thinking"
    },
    {
        "start": 197.76,
        "end": 200.12,
        "text": " if not worrying about getting older"
    },
    {
        "start": 200.12,
        "end": 202.0,
        "text": " and the changes that it brings."
    },
    {
        "start": 202.0,
        "end": 204.84,
        "text": " So any insight into what might keep us sharper,"
    },
    {
        "start": 204.84,
        "end": 207.12,
        "text": " for longer is very welcome."
    },
    {
        "start": 207.12,
        "end": 208.88,
        "text": " And these are questions that we asked"
    },
    {
        "start": 208.88,
        "end": 211.0,
        "text": " in a large nationwide survey"
    },
    {
        "start": 211.0,
        "end": 213.04,
        "text": " that closed at the start of the year,"
    },
    {
        "start": 213.04,
        "end": 215.36,
        "text": " called what keeps you sharp."
    },
    {
        "start": 215.36,
        "end": 216.76,
        "text": " And what we're going to do"
    },
    {
        "start": 216.76,
        "end": 218.88,
        "text": " is see how your thoughts,"
    },
    {
        "start": 218.88,
        "end": 220.72,
        "text": " your beliefs, your attitudes,"
    },
    {
        "start": 220.72,
        "end": 223.36,
        "text": " your fears, your perceptions about the way"
    },
    {
        "start": 223.36,
        "end": 226.32,
        "text": " that thinking skills might change as we get older,"
    },
    {
        "start": 226.32,
        "end": 228.44,
        "text": " map on to that nationwide survey."
    },
    {
        "start": 228.44,
        "end": 231.12,
        "text": " That survey was 3,000 people"
    },
    {
        "start": 231.12,
        "end": 234.36,
        "text": " from across the UK, aged 40, 50,"
    },
    {
        "start": 234.36,
        "end": 237.68,
        "text": " 60, 70, 80, and above."
    },
    {
        "start": 237.68,
        "end": 239.84,
        "text": " So we're going to use those questions."
    },
    {
        "start": 239.84,
        "end": 242.08,
        "text": " We'd love your responses on Twitter to each question too,"
    },
    {
        "start": 242.08,
        "end": 245.32000000000002,
        "text": " so do join the conversation at BBC Radio Scott"
    },
    {
        "start": 245.32000000000002,
        "end": 248.0,
        "text": " and use the hashtag BBC Brainwaves."
    },
    {
        "start": 248.0,
        "end": 249.32000000000002,
        "text": " Right, first question."
    },
    {
        "start": 249.32000000000002,
        "end": 251.08,
        "text": " This one here, question number one."
    },
    {
        "start": 251.08,
        "end": 254.92000000000002,
        "text": " When do our thinking skills start to decline?"
    },
    {
        "start": 254.92000000000002,
        "end": 257.84000000000003,
        "text": " When do our thinking skills start to decline?"
    },
    {
        "start": 257.84000000000003,
        "end": 261.40000000000003,
        "text": " So when I talk about thinking skills,"
    },
    {
        "start": 261.40000000000003,
        "end": 264.16,
        "text": " we mean a whole range of different things."
    },
    {
        "start": 264.16,
        "end": 267.20000000000005,
        "text": " Very broadly, it's anything that might be"
    },
    {
        "start": 267.20000000000005,
        "end": 271.28000000000003,
        "text": " to do with transforming information, problem solving,"
    },
    {
        "start": 271.28000000000003,
        "end": 274.04,
        "text": " reasoning, remembering things,"
    },
    {
        "start": 274.04,
        "end": 277.16,
        "text": " our abilities with words, our abilities with numbers."
    },
    {
        "start": 277.16,
        "end": 279.32000000000005,
        "text": " So within the research field,"
    },
    {
        "start": 279.32000000000005,
        "end": 281.12,
        "text": " there's different phrases and names."
    },
    {
        "start": 281.12,
        "end": 283.8,
        "text": " We often refer to those as cognitive abilities,"
    },
    {
        "start": 283.8,
        "end": 285.96000000000004,
        "text": " but most people have a broad sense"
    },
    {
        "start": 285.96000000000004,
        "end": 287.40000000000003,
        "text": " when we see thinking skills,"
    },
    {
        "start": 287.40000000000003,
        "end": 289.16,
        "text": " the things about being sharp,"
    },
    {
        "start": 289.16,
        "end": 291.84000000000003,
        "text": " being able to, as I say, solve problems and think."
    },
    {
        "start": 292.84,
        "end": 294.4,
        "text": " In new situations as well,"
    },
    {
        "start": 294.4,
        "end": 296.79999999999995,
        "text": " that might be an example of a thinking skill"
    },
    {
        "start": 296.79999999999995,
        "end": 299.32,
        "text": " that people are using day to day."
    },
    {
        "start": 299.32,
        "end": 301.52,
        "text": " Ah, speed of thinking."
    },
    {
        "start": 301.52,
        "end": 304.0,
        "text": " So I reckon, you've probably said,"
    },
    {
        "start": 304.0,
        "end": 306.88,
        "text": " speed of thinking probably declines the earliest"
    },
    {
        "start": 306.88,
        "end": 309.08,
        "text": " and the word skills may be holds the longest."
    },
    {
        "start": 309.08,
        "end": 310.0,
        "text": " You know what?"
    },
    {
        "start": 310.0,
        "end": 313.64,
        "text": " You've actually got that probably more correct"
    },
    {
        "start": 313.64,
        "end": 316.12,
        "text": " than the 3,000 plus people that filled in"
    },
    {
        "start": 316.12,
        "end": 317.55999999999995,
        "text": " our nationwide survey."
    },
    {
        "start": 317.55999999999995,
        "end": 320.76,
        "text": " Oh, big round of applause for our clever audience."
    },
    {
        "start": 320.76,
        "end": 324.12,
        "text": " Speed of thinking is probably the thinking skill"
    },
    {
        "start": 324.12,
        "end": 326.24,
        "text": " that based on our research we think"
    },
    {
        "start": 326.24,
        "end": 328.84,
        "text": " is most likely to decline earliest"
    },
    {
        "start": 328.84,
        "end": 333.48,
        "text": " and word skills most likely to be the kind of thinking skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 333.48,
        "end": 336.36,
        "text": " that we're most likely to hold on to."
    },
    {
        "start": 336.36,
        "end": 339.56,
        "text": " Why is knowing what people think"
    },
    {
        "start": 339.56,
        "end": 342.03999999999996,
        "text": " about all these kinds of questions"
    },
    {
        "start": 342.03999999999996,
        "end": 344.71999999999997,
        "text": " of implicit value from a research point of view?"
    },
    {
        "start": 344.71999999999997,
        "end": 347.28,
        "text": " I mean, some people might say, well, so what?"
    },
    {
        "start": 347.28,
        "end": 349.36,
        "text": " For us and in this part of the research,"
    },
    {
        "start": 349.36,
        "end": 351.16,
        "text": " it was about opening a conversation."
    },
    {
        "start": 351.16,
        "end": 354.6,
        "text": " So rather than writing in on our big academic course"
    },
    {
        "start": 354.6,
        "end": 356.04,
        "text": " and saying, we know best,"
    },
    {
        "start": 356.04,
        "end": 358.0,
        "text": " we wanted to actually get a picture"
    },
    {
        "start": 358.0,
        "end": 360.0,
        "text": " of what was people's understanding"
    },
    {
        "start": 360.0,
        "end": 361.92,
        "text": " so that when we have a conversation"
    },
    {
        "start": 361.92,
        "end": 365.32,
        "text": " or when we try to initiate some of those discussions,"
    },
    {
        "start": 365.32,
        "end": 367.6,
        "text": " we're actually doing it from a, hopefully,"
    },
    {
        "start": 367.6,
        "end": 369.6,
        "text": " a point at which everyone can take part."
    },
    {
        "start": 369.6,
        "end": 372.68,
        "text": " Now you're right that some people will have clearer"
    },
    {
        "start": 372.68,
        "end": 375.48,
        "text": " understandings than others of when things might change"
    },
    {
        "start": 375.48,
        "end": 377.04,
        "text": " and what might influence them,"
    },
    {
        "start": 377.12,
        "end": 379.8,
        "text": " but it's important to, as I say, understand"
    },
    {
        "start": 379.8,
        "end": 381.96000000000004,
        "text": " what that broad knowledge is."
    },
    {
        "start": 381.96000000000004,
        "end": 383.6,
        "text": " Just like a few years ago,"
    },
    {
        "start": 383.6,
        "end": 386.56,
        "text": " if people weren't as aware of what was good for their heart,"
    },
    {
        "start": 386.56,
        "end": 389.12,
        "text": " if you just start by saying these things are bad,"
    },
    {
        "start": 389.12,
        "end": 391.52000000000004,
        "text": " that's not necessarily always the message"
    },
    {
        "start": 391.52000000000004,
        "end": 392.36,
        "text": " that people pick up."
    },
    {
        "start": 392.36,
        "end": 394.12,
        "text": " So as I say, we were trying with that"
    },
    {
        "start": 394.12,
        "end": 396.6,
        "text": " to initiate some of those discussions"
    },
    {
        "start": 396.6,
        "end": 399.92,
        "text": " and also to get people thinking about thinking skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 399.92,
        "end": 403.32000000000005,
        "text": " before we then jump in with some of the research findings"
    },
    {
        "start": 403.32000000000005,
        "end": 405.28000000000003,
        "text": " or some of the things that we also still don't know"
    },
    {
        "start": 405.28000000000003,
        "end": 406.6,
        "text": " as much detail about."
    },
    {
        "start": 406.64000000000004,
        "end": 409.16,
        "text": " Would it surprise you, if I said,"
    },
    {
        "start": 409.16,
        "end": 412.24,
        "text": " that one that you reckoned maybe declined the earliest,"
    },
    {
        "start": 412.24,
        "end": 414.72,
        "text": " not only might it decline early,"
    },
    {
        "start": 414.72,
        "end": 417.12,
        "text": " but it might decline really quite early."
    },
    {
        "start": 417.12,
        "end": 418.28000000000003,
        "text": " Would it surprise you if I said"
    },
    {
        "start": 418.28000000000003,
        "end": 419.76000000000005,
        "text": " it might be starting to decline"
    },
    {
        "start": 419.76000000000005,
        "end": 423.28000000000003,
        "text": " from your early 20s, for example?"
    },
    {
        "start": 424.08000000000004,
        "end": 428.04,
        "text": " For any idea why speed of thinking goes first,"
    },
    {
        "start": 428.04,
        "end": 431.52000000000004,
        "text": " I mean, as early as in our 20s, why?"
    },
    {
        "start": 431.52000000000004,
        "end": 433.64000000000004,
        "text": " So that's a really good question"
    },
    {
        "start": 433.64,
        "end": 437.08,
        "text": " and it is one that's an ongoing question."
    },
    {
        "start": 437.08,
        "end": 439.52,
        "text": " One of the suggestions is that that thinking skill"
    },
    {
        "start": 439.52,
        "end": 444.2,
        "text": " may be more biologically limited type skill"
    },
    {
        "start": 444.2,
        "end": 446.64,
        "text": " in terms of the connections in our brain,"
    },
    {
        "start": 446.64,
        "end": 449.36,
        "text": " the way that the information is passed from cell to cell"
    },
    {
        "start": 449.36,
        "end": 451.84,
        "text": " and that over time slows down."
    },
    {
        "start": 451.84,
        "end": 454.52,
        "text": " So therefore, when we're talking about slowing down,"
    },
    {
        "start": 454.52,
        "end": 457.88,
        "text": " we're not talking about something that you would be aware of"
    },
    {
        "start": 457.88,
        "end": 461.71999999999997,
        "text": " as such, it may be fractions of fractions of milliseconds"
    },
    {
        "start": 461.76000000000005,
        "end": 463.68,
        "text": " over long periods of time."
    },
    {
        "start": 463.68,
        "end": 467.0,
        "text": " But the important thing to remember is that kind of skill"
    },
    {
        "start": 467.0,
        "end": 469.84000000000003,
        "text": " is one that develops early peaks"
    },
    {
        "start": 469.84000000000003,
        "end": 473.28000000000003,
        "text": " and then gradually over the rest of our life"
    },
    {
        "start": 473.28000000000003,
        "end": 474.68,
        "text": " would should decline."
    },
    {
        "start": 474.68,
        "end": 478.48,
        "text": " But behind that are other skills have developed"
    },
    {
        "start": 478.48,
        "end": 481.8,
        "text": " and in many cases maintain or continue to improve."
    },
    {
        "start": 481.8,
        "end": 485.40000000000003,
        "text": " So one of the theories is that our thinking speed"
    },
    {
        "start": 485.40000000000003,
        "end": 487.08000000000004,
        "text": " is what allows us to have developed"
    },
    {
        "start": 487.08000000000004,
        "end": 489.76000000000005,
        "text": " a whole range of other thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 489.76000000000005,
        "end": 491.6,
        "text": " And then once we have those other skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 491.64000000000004,
        "end": 493.32000000000005,
        "text": " those are the things that we use day to day."
    },
    {
        "start": 493.32000000000005,
        "end": 497.72,
        "text": " So when we're adults, we're not always having to do"
    },
    {
        "start": 497.72,
        "end": 500.52000000000004,
        "text": " fast reaction problem solving type thing."
    },
    {
        "start": 500.52000000000004,
        "end": 503.8,
        "text": " We sometimes may have a whole back catalog of skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 503.8,
        "end": 507.32000000000005,
        "text": " and abilities to then use to solve problems."
    },
    {
        "start": 507.32000000000005,
        "end": 510.20000000000005,
        "text": " So within the field, there's sometimes a very, very broad"
    },
    {
        "start": 510.20000000000005,
        "end": 513.96,
        "text": " distinction between what we refer to as our fluid thinking"
    },
    {
        "start": 513.96,
        "end": 516.96,
        "text": " skills and our crystallized thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 516.96,
        "end": 521.0,
        "text": " Fluid, as the name suggests, are things that may be more"
    },
    {
        "start": 521.0,
        "end": 521.84,
        "text": " changeable."
    },
    {
        "start": 521.84,
        "end": 524.44,
        "text": " So those are the thinking speed type skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 524.44,
        "end": 527.2,
        "text": " Whereas crystallized skills are the ones that are,"
    },
    {
        "start": 527.2,
        "end": 530.28,
        "text": " once they're there, they're pretty solid, they're hard."
    },
    {
        "start": 530.28,
        "end": 532.88,
        "text": " That's the essence of why they went for that thing."
    },
    {
        "start": 532.88,
        "end": 537.04,
        "text": " So our word skills, for example, is a really nice example"
    },
    {
        "start": 537.04,
        "end": 540.12,
        "text": " of what might be referred to as a crystallized skill."
    },
    {
        "start": 540.12,
        "end": 543.24,
        "text": " Our word skills continue to grow through midlife"
    },
    {
        "start": 543.24,
        "end": 547.12,
        "text": " and are very often one of the skills that we maintain"
    },
    {
        "start": 547.12,
        "end": 548.2,
        "text": " the longest."
    },
    {
        "start": 548.2,
        "end": 551.0400000000001,
        "text": " Are the changes in thinking skills due to our genes"
    },
    {
        "start": 551.0400000000001,
        "end": 552.6400000000001,
        "text": " or lifestyles?"
    },
    {
        "start": 552.6400000000001,
        "end": 553.6400000000001,
        "text": " OK."
    },
    {
        "start": 553.6400000000001,
        "end": 557.0,
        "text": " Give us a cheer if the changes in thinking skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 557.0,
        "end": 560.5600000000001,
        "text": " are to do with genes."
    },
    {
        "start": 560.5600000000001,
        "end": 562.9200000000001,
        "text": " Give us a cheer if the changes in thinking skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 562.9200000000001,
        "end": 565.32,
        "text": " are to do with lifestyle."
    },
    {
        "start": 565.32,
        "end": 569.88,
        "text": " In the big survey we did, about 2,3rds of our folks"
    },
    {
        "start": 569.88,
        "end": 571.32,
        "text": " popped somewhere in the middle."
    },
    {
        "start": 571.32,
        "end": 574.48,
        "text": " They said they reckoned it was maybe half genes, half lifestyle,"
    },
    {
        "start": 574.48,
        "end": 575.76,
        "text": " a bit of a mix."
    },
    {
        "start": 575.76,
        "end": 578.24,
        "text": " You guys are probably somewhere in this zone."
    },
    {
        "start": 578.24,
        "end": 582.08,
        "text": " In a big study based in Edinburgh,"
    },
    {
        "start": 582.08,
        "end": 584.36,
        "text": " they've looked at the genetic contribution"
    },
    {
        "start": 584.36,
        "end": 586.0,
        "text": " to thinking skills changing."
    },
    {
        "start": 586.0,
        "end": 588.8,
        "text": " And you know what they've suggested?"
    },
    {
        "start": 588.8,
        "end": 597.4,
        "text": " The balance of genes to lifestyle might be about 3 to 1."
    },
    {
        "start": 597.4,
        "end": 603.36,
        "text": " They reckon that about 75% of the changes in thinking skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 603.36,
        "end": 606.4,
        "text": " we might experience across the lifespan"
    },
    {
        "start": 606.4,
        "end": 610.12,
        "text": " might be to do with lifestyle, and about 25% might be genetic."
    },
    {
        "start": 610.12,
        "end": 612.2,
        "text": " Now that's one study and it's got to be replicated."
    },
    {
        "start": 612.2,
        "end": 615.32,
        "text": " But that suggestion is sort of somewhere"
    },
    {
        "start": 615.32,
        "end": 618.64,
        "text": " up here that it might be a bit more lifestyling"
    },
    {
        "start": 618.64,
        "end": 620.4,
        "text": " than we sometimes might think."
    },
    {
        "start": 620.4,
        "end": 625.24,
        "text": " As with any health outcome or change in health status,"
    },
    {
        "start": 625.24,
        "end": 629.0,
        "text": " it's really important to try and get a handle on how much of it"
    },
    {
        "start": 629.0,
        "end": 632.2,
        "text": " might be down to factors that people themselves"
    },
    {
        "start": 632.2,
        "end": 635.88,
        "text": " can control or that can be changed in some way,"
    },
    {
        "start": 635.88,
        "end": 637.08,
        "text": " whether they themselves change."
    },
    {
        "start": 637.08,
        "end": 639.2800000000001,
        "text": " So as I say, the lifestyle covers lots of things"
    },
    {
        "start": 639.2800000000001,
        "end": 640.88,
        "text": " to do with environment and things."
    },
    {
        "start": 640.88,
        "end": 644.32,
        "text": " So it may not just be about an individual having that control."
    },
    {
        "start": 644.32,
        "end": 645.9200000000001,
        "text": " So it's very important to not say what that means"
    },
    {
        "start": 645.9200000000001,
        "end": 649.2800000000001,
        "text": " it's entirely in people's hands, because that's not quite as simple"
    },
    {
        "start": 649.2800000000001,
        "end": 650.48,
        "text": " as that, of course."
    },
    {
        "start": 650.48,
        "end": 654.6800000000001,
        "text": " But there may be a large component of that that's modifiable."
    },
    {
        "start": 654.6800000000001,
        "end": 659.5200000000001,
        "text": " So again, with that figure, it's about a jumping off point"
    },
    {
        "start": 659.52,
        "end": 662.64,
        "text": " for the next set of questions that would be keen to address."
    },
    {
        "start": 662.64,
        "end": 664.76,
        "text": " Question four, Susan."
    },
    {
        "start": 664.76,
        "end": 666.64,
        "text": " Are there things people can do to maintain"
    },
    {
        "start": 666.64,
        "end": 669.96,
        "text": " or improve their thinking skills as they grow older?"
    },
    {
        "start": 669.96,
        "end": 673.0799999999999,
        "text": " So not asking you to give me examples."
    },
    {
        "start": 673.0799999999999,
        "end": 677.4399999999999,
        "text": " I would like you to put your hand up if you believe"
    },
    {
        "start": 677.4399999999999,
        "end": 682.76,
        "text": " there are things that we can do that might protect"
    },
    {
        "start": 682.76,
        "end": 685.04,
        "text": " or maintain our thinking skills as we go older."
    },
    {
        "start": 685.04,
        "end": 686.92,
        "text": " So hands up if you believe that."
    },
    {
        "start": 686.92,
        "end": 689.0,
        "text": " OK, one is difficult to count."
    },
    {
        "start": 689.0,
        "end": 690.0,
        "text": " 3,000 capacity."
    },
    {
        "start": 690.0,
        "end": 691.0,
        "text": " Yes."
    },
    {
        "start": 691.0,
        "end": 692.0,
        "text": " Hello, Emily."
    },
    {
        "start": 692.0,
        "end": 694.28,
        "text": " OK, put your hands down a second."
    },
    {
        "start": 694.28,
        "end": 696.2,
        "text": " I reckon that was about 2,500."
    },
    {
        "start": 696.2,
        "end": 697.2,
        "text": " Yeah, roughly."
    },
    {
        "start": 697.2,
        "end": 698.64,
        "text": " It was 3,000."
    },
    {
        "start": 698.64,
        "end": 701.56,
        "text": " You can't see the thousands."
    },
    {
        "start": 701.56,
        "end": 704.04,
        "text": " So OK, what's the second part of that question, Susan?"
    },
    {
        "start": 704.04,
        "end": 706.56,
        "text": " The second part of the question is, do you know what those are?"
    },
    {
        "start": 706.56,
        "end": 710.08,
        "text": " Put your hand up now if you think you're comfortable and confident"
    },
    {
        "start": 710.08,
        "end": 712.92,
        "text": " that you know what some of those things might be"
    },
    {
        "start": 712.92,
        "end": 715.12,
        "text": " that protect our thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 715.12,
        "end": 716.0,
        "text": " Very knowledgeable."
    },
    {
        "start": 716.0,
        "end": 718.56,
        "text": " OK, so we've got some hands, some half, some OK."
    },
    {
        "start": 719.2399999999999,
        "end": 720.9599999999999,
        "text": " OK, Alan, let's go for them."
    },
    {
        "start": 720.9599999999999,
        "end": 722.76,
        "text": " What keeps us sharp?"
    },
    {
        "start": 722.76,
        "end": 724.0799999999999,
        "text": " The big question."
    },
    {
        "start": 724.0799999999999,
        "end": 727.5999999999999,
        "text": " So the first chunk of today, what kinds of thinking skills"
    },
    {
        "start": 727.5999999999999,
        "end": 728.1999999999999,
        "text": " might change?"
    },
    {
        "start": 728.1999999999999,
        "end": 729.4399999999999,
        "text": " When might they change?"
    },
    {
        "start": 729.4399999999999,
        "end": 730.4,
        "text": " Is it genetic?"
    },
    {
        "start": 730.4,
        "end": 731.64,
        "text": " Is it lifestyle?"
    },
    {
        "start": 731.64,
        "end": 733.56,
        "text": " Do we think we can do something about it?"
    },
    {
        "start": 733.56,
        "end": 735.1199999999999,
        "text": " Yeah, do we know what those are?"
    },
    {
        "start": 735.1199999999999,
        "end": 736.04,
        "text": " Not sure."
    },
    {
        "start": 736.04,
        "end": 738.3599999999999,
        "text": " Now we get to the crux."
    },
    {
        "start": 738.3599999999999,
        "end": 743.04,
        "text": " Who thinks they know something that is good for our thinking"
    },
    {
        "start": 743.04,
        "end": 745.1199999999999,
        "text": " skills as we grow older?"
    },
    {
        "start": 745.1199999999999,
        "end": 746.56,
        "text": " OK, we've got hand right here."
    },
    {
        "start": 746.56,
        "end": 748.1999999999999,
        "text": " And over that, well done, audience."
    },
    {
        "start": 748.2,
        "end": 749.84,
        "text": " So, David, just wait for us."
    },
    {
        "start": 749.84,
        "end": 751.2,
        "text": " I'll pass that basically, then."
    },
    {
        "start": 751.2,
        "end": 753.96,
        "text": " Keep learning and discovering new things,"
    },
    {
        "start": 753.96,
        "end": 755.5600000000001,
        "text": " trying new things, new experiences,"
    },
    {
        "start": 755.5600000000001,
        "end": 757.84,
        "text": " but basically keep learning like a language."
    },
    {
        "start": 757.84,
        "end": 758.6400000000001,
        "text": " OK."
    },
    {
        "start": 758.6400000000001,
        "end": 762.12,
        "text": " And the other thing is physical activity, exercise,"
    },
    {
        "start": 762.12,
        "end": 765.36,
        "text": " particularly dancing, especially tango."
    },
    {
        "start": 765.36,
        "end": 766.44,
        "text": " But dancing..."
    },
    {
        "start": 766.44,
        "end": 767.44,
        "text": " You tricky, didn't you?"
    },
    {
        "start": 767.44,
        "end": 767.96,
        "text": " I did."
    },
    {
        "start": 767.96,
        "end": 770.72,
        "text": " You did. Yes, did."
    },
    {
        "start": 770.72,
        "end": 773.0,
        "text": " Crosswords and coffee every morning."
    },
    {
        "start": 773.0,
        "end": 776.24,
        "text": " The glass of red wine every night."
    },
    {
        "start": 776.24,
        "end": 778.24,
        "text": " I love you."
    },
    {
        "start": 778.24,
        "end": 781.12,
        "text": " I saw first, thank you."
    },
    {
        "start": 781.12,
        "end": 782.76,
        "text": " Keeping company never allowing yourself"
    },
    {
        "start": 782.76,
        "end": 785.28,
        "text": " to become isolated or lonely."
    },
    {
        "start": 785.28,
        "end": 786.36,
        "text": " Your diet?"
    },
    {
        "start": 786.36,
        "end": 786.96,
        "text": " Diet?"
    },
    {
        "start": 786.96,
        "end": 787.96,
        "text": " Well, not."
    },
    {
        "start": 787.96,
        "end": 789.32,
        "text": " Well, not."
    },
    {
        "start": 789.32,
        "end": 791.6800000000001,
        "text": " To stay in employment, if you're able to?"
    },
    {
        "start": 791.6800000000001,
        "end": 792.96,
        "text": " Ah, OK."
    },
    {
        "start": 792.96,
        "end": 794.36,
        "text": " Continuing to work."
    },
    {
        "start": 794.36,
        "end": 795.84,
        "text": " OK, and we've got hand here."
    },
    {
        "start": 795.84,
        "end": 796.88,
        "text": " Get rid of the television."
    },
    {
        "start": 796.88,
        "end": 800.0,
        "text": " Any specific programs or just the whole television?"
    },
    {
        "start": 800.0,
        "end": 802.0,
        "text": " Eat Scottish salmon every day."
    },
    {
        "start": 802.0,
        "end": 804.24,
        "text": " I think, like you dance to anything"
    },
    {
        "start": 804.24,
        "end": 806.4,
        "text": " that requires coordination."
    },
    {
        "start": 806.4,
        "end": 807.84,
        "text": " Having enough sleep."
    },
    {
        "start": 807.84,
        "end": 809.84,
        "text": " Being with children."
    },
    {
        "start": 809.84,
        "end": 811.88,
        "text": " We've got lots of great suggestions."
    },
    {
        "start": 811.88,
        "end": 815.6800000000001,
        "text": " So what we'll do is I'll talk about a few of those just now."
    },
    {
        "start": 815.6800000000001,
        "end": 816.44,
        "text": " Susan?"
    },
    {
        "start": 816.44,
        "end": 817.44,
        "text": " Yes."
    },
    {
        "start": 817.44,
        "end": 819.96,
        "text": " Tell me word for word every single thing that was just said."
    },
    {
        "start": 819.96,
        "end": 822.12,
        "text": " OK, well, I have to paraphrase, if it's actually here."
    },
    {
        "start": 822.12,
        "end": 823.4,
        "text": " It seems to be that to keep you being young,"
    },
    {
        "start": 823.4,
        "end": 824.84,
        "text": " you have to get tangled with the glass of wine"
    },
    {
        "start": 824.84,
        "end": 826.88,
        "text": " whilst eating some salmon with friends"
    },
    {
        "start": 826.88,
        "end": 829.28,
        "text": " and doing a crossword drinking coffee in the company"
    },
    {
        "start": 829.28,
        "end": 831.72,
        "text": " of children and doing a bit of a spiritual prayer,"
    },
    {
        "start": 831.72,
        "end": 832.96,
        "text": " as well, doesn't come amiss."
    },
    {
        "start": 832.96,
        "end": 835.2,
        "text": " And also makes you go to good pub and get enough sleep."
    },
    {
        "start": 835.2,
        "end": 836.76,
        "text": " How are you going to do all that whilst cracking more"
    },
    {
        "start": 836.76,
        "end": 838.08,
        "text": " nuts drinking salmon and eating wine?"
    },
    {
        "start": 838.08,
        "end": 839.36,
        "text": " I have no idea."
    },
    {
        "start": 839.36,
        "end": 840.1600000000001,
        "text": " Woo!"
    },
    {
        "start": 845.1600000000001,
        "end": 851.24,
        "text": " How much research has been done into this whole field?"
    },
    {
        "start": 851.24,
        "end": 854.76,
        "text": " In the UK, internationally, there are hundreds of studies"
    },
    {
        "start": 854.76,
        "end": 857.8000000000001,
        "text": " on aging, on the lifestyle factors that"
    },
    {
        "start": 857.8000000000001,
        "end": 862.9200000000001,
        "text": " might impact thinking skills or aging more broadly, of course."
    },
    {
        "start": 862.9599999999999,
        "end": 865.04,
        "text": " What that's allowed us to do is try to see"
    },
    {
        "start": 865.04,
        "end": 869.8,
        "text": " what are the consistent messages, because we need to be clear"
    },
    {
        "start": 869.8,
        "end": 872.5999999999999,
        "text": " that when we're trying to think about a lifestyle"
    },
    {
        "start": 872.5999999999999,
        "end": 874.92,
        "text": " fact, we've got to see it coming up regularly,"
    },
    {
        "start": 874.92,
        "end": 876.4,
        "text": " study after study."
    },
    {
        "start": 876.4,
        "end": 879.28,
        "text": " So hundreds of studies going on, they're all a bit different,"
    },
    {
        "start": 879.28,
        "end": 879.76,
        "text": " of course."
    },
    {
        "start": 879.76,
        "end": 882.4799999999999,
        "text": " So sometimes when we're putting the messages together,"
    },
    {
        "start": 882.4799999999999,
        "end": 885.36,
        "text": " we've got to compare studies aren't exactly the same."
    },
    {
        "start": 885.36,
        "end": 889.36,
        "text": " But from those studies, we've got a small number of factors"
    },
    {
        "start": 889.64,
        "end": 893.0,
        "text": " that seem to relatively consistently come up."
    },
    {
        "start": 893.0,
        "end": 897.32,
        "text": " But we need to then be clear about how much each of those"
    },
    {
        "start": 897.32,
        "end": 899.32,
        "text": " might influence thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 899.32,
        "end": 901.96,
        "text": " And it's quite likely that each of those may play"
    },
    {
        "start": 901.96,
        "end": 903.96,
        "text": " a relatively small role."
    },
    {
        "start": 903.96,
        "end": 907.08,
        "text": " So therefore, and unfortunately, the message is often,"
    },
    {
        "start": 907.08,
        "end": 908.88,
        "text": " there's no single answer."
    },
    {
        "start": 908.88,
        "end": 912.72,
        "text": " There's no single magic solution to preserving"
    },
    {
        "start": 912.72,
        "end": 914.6800000000001,
        "text": " or maintaining thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 914.6800000000001,
        "end": 917.96,
        "text": " But we're starting to get reasonably consistent evidence"
    },
    {
        "start": 917.96,
        "end": 919.36,
        "text": " around certain things."
    },
    {
        "start": 919.36,
        "end": 921.84,
        "text": " And a lot of those things are the kinds of factors"
    },
    {
        "start": 921.84,
        "end": 924.8000000000001,
        "text": " that we might also see are important to other aspects"
    },
    {
        "start": 924.8000000000001,
        "end": 927.72,
        "text": " of health, or well-being, or quality of life."
    },
    {
        "start": 927.72,
        "end": 928.64,
        "text": " Physical activity."
    },
    {
        "start": 935.0400000000001,
        "end": 937.0,
        "text": " So there's your brain, OK?"
    },
    {
        "start": 937.0,
        "end": 939.88,
        "text": " As we get older, one of the things that happens"
    },
    {
        "start": 939.88,
        "end": 941.44,
        "text": " is that our brain does shrink a little bit."
    },
    {
        "start": 941.44,
        "end": 948.2800000000001,
        "text": " It's a natural part of the aging process."
    },
    {
        "start": 948.2800000000001,
        "end": 950.08,
        "text": " We call that atrophy."
    },
    {
        "start": 950.08,
        "end": 953.1600000000001,
        "text": " One of the studies that I worked on in Edinburgh"
    },
    {
        "start": 953.1600000000001,
        "end": 956.5200000000001,
        "text": " looked at how that shrinkage was associated"
    },
    {
        "start": 956.5200000000001,
        "end": 959.7600000000001,
        "text": " with how much physical activity people did."
    },
    {
        "start": 959.7600000000001,
        "end": 960.7600000000001,
        "text": " And what did we find?"
    },
    {
        "start": 960.7600000000001,
        "end": 964.1600000000001,
        "text": " The people who were more physically active"
    },
    {
        "start": 964.1600000000001,
        "end": 968.7600000000001,
        "text": " seemed to have a bit less of that shrinkage."
    },
    {
        "start": 968.76,
        "end": 971.96,
        "text": " The changes that we physically see in our brain"
    },
    {
        "start": 971.96,
        "end": 974.4,
        "text": " vary from person to person to person."
    },
    {
        "start": 974.4,
        "end": 977.4,
        "text": " And one of the things, as I say, that seemed to be associated"
    },
    {
        "start": 977.4,
        "end": 982.04,
        "text": " with retaining a bit more of that brain volume"
    },
    {
        "start": 982.04,
        "end": 984.8,
        "text": " was being a bit more physically active."
    },
    {
        "start": 984.8,
        "end": 989.16,
        "text": " OK, so let's par that to one side for a second."
    },
    {
        "start": 989.16,
        "end": 990.96,
        "text": " Some people are quite surprised to be, well, hang on,"
    },
    {
        "start": 990.96,
        "end": 993.6,
        "text": " why would physical activity be good for thinking skills?"
    },
    {
        "start": 993.6,
        "end": 997.24,
        "text": " Surely using the brain is the thing that would be good for the brain"
    },
    {
        "start": 997.24,
        "end": 999.12,
        "text": " to put it very broadly."
    },
    {
        "start": 999.12,
        "end": 1002.08,
        "text": " While the brain is an astonishing organ,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1002.08,
        "end": 1003.84,
        "text": " it is an organ of the body."
    },
    {
        "start": 1003.84,
        "end": 1006.64,
        "text": " So it needs to be kept in the right environment,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1006.64,
        "end": 1008.72,
        "text": " it needs to be in a healthy body."
    },
    {
        "start": 1008.72,
        "end": 1011.5600000000001,
        "text": " So the old adage, healthy body, healthy brain,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1011.5600000000001,
        "end": 1015.0,
        "text": " healthy brain, healthy body, whichever round you want to put it,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1015.0,
        "end": 1018.04,
        "text": " does seem to be relatively consistent."
    },
    {
        "start": 1018.04,
        "end": 1019.8,
        "text": " And one of the questions that people might ask,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1019.8,
        "end": 1024.36,
        "text": " then, of course, is it too late to take up activity at any point"
    },
    {
        "start": 1024.36,
        "end": 1026.84,
        "text": " should I do a certain kind of activity?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1026.84,
        "end": 1030.48,
        "text": " And those are the key questions that we're still wrestling a bit with."
    },
    {
        "start": 1030.48,
        "end": 1034.52,
        "text": " On the when should I, if people aren't very active,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1034.52,
        "end": 1036.84,
        "text": " never too late would generally be the advice."
    },
    {
        "start": 1036.84,
        "end": 1038.36,
        "text": " And that covers not just thinking skills,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1038.36,
        "end": 1041.3999999999999,
        "text": " when that's health broadly, there are studies"
    },
    {
        "start": 1041.3999999999999,
        "end": 1045.0,
        "text": " that have been done with people in their 70s or their 80s or older,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1045.0,
        "end": 1049.52,
        "text": " looking at trying to change people's physical activity patterns"
    },
    {
        "start": 1049.52,
        "end": 1054.0,
        "text": " and see if that has a benefit and some suggestion that it does."
    },
    {
        "start": 1054.0,
        "end": 1059.72,
        "text": " Who thinks coffee is good for thinking skills? Hands up."
    },
    {
        "start": 1059.72,
        "end": 1061.84,
        "text": " Hands down, okay."
    },
    {
        "start": 1061.84,
        "end": 1066.4,
        "text": " One of my colleagues who studies dietary things, food and drinks,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1066.4,
        "end": 1070.96,
        "text": " she looked at coffee and she looked at people's caffeine consumption"
    },
    {
        "start": 1070.96,
        "end": 1074.56,
        "text": " and she looked at how that was associated with how well they were retaining"
    },
    {
        "start": 1074.56,
        "end": 1076.32,
        "text": " their thinking skills in later life."
    },
    {
        "start": 1076.32,
        "end": 1081.96,
        "text": " She found that people who drank more coffee generally doing better"
    },
    {
        "start": 1081.96,
        "end": 1085.64,
        "text": " on their thinking skills when they were older."
    },
    {
        "start": 1085.64,
        "end": 1089.68,
        "text": " Yes. Yes. Yes."
    },
    {
        "start": 1089.68,
        "end": 1092.48,
        "text": " Bring out the express on now."
    },
    {
        "start": 1092.48,
        "end": 1097.48,
        "text": " But, tea drinkers, on the other hand,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1097.48,
        "end": 1102.8400000000001,
        "text": " generally doing less well on their thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 1102.8400000000001,
        "end": 1108.28,
        "text": " What she found was the people who had come from more affluent"
    },
    {
        "start": 1108.28,
        "end": 1111.0,
        "text": " type backgrounds, who had more education,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1111.0,
        "end": 1114.32,
        "text": " who had more prestigious type jobs."
    },
    {
        "start": 1114.32,
        "end": 1120.16,
        "text": " They were more likely to be drinking those posh fancy type coffees."
    },
    {
        "start": 1120.16,
        "end": 1124.84,
        "text": " We always have to be very careful when we see some lifestyle factor"
    },
    {
        "start": 1124.84,
        "end": 1128.6399999999999,
        "text": " associated with holding on to our thinking skills in later life."
    },
    {
        "start": 1128.6399999999999,
        "end": 1131.16,
        "text": " We've got to be very careful and think, well,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1131.16,
        "end": 1136.36,
        "text": " is that lifestyle factor something that randomly appears in the population?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1136.36,
        "end": 1141.08,
        "text": " Or is that lifestyle factor the outcome of a whole bunch of other things?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1141.08,
        "end": 1146.28,
        "text": " Are people with more or less education more likely to do that kind of thing?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1146.28,
        "end": 1151.4799999999998,
        "text": " Well, Alan, we've come to a busy Edinburgh cafe to explore that idea of diet"
    },
    {
        "start": 1151.4799999999998,
        "end": 1153.3999999999999,
        "text": " and the impact on thinking skills a bit more,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1153.3999999999999,
        "end": 1155.6399999999999,
        "text": " because that's something that's very close to my heart"
    },
    {
        "start": 1155.6399999999999,
        "end": 1157.8799999999999,
        "text": " and very interested in the whole food side of things."
    },
    {
        "start": 1157.8799999999999,
        "end": 1163.4799999999998,
        "text": " A lot of the work in this field maybe can be put into two very broad camps,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1163.48,
        "end": 1166.2,
        "text": " not entirely, but very broadly."
    },
    {
        "start": 1166.2,
        "end": 1170.92,
        "text": " Research that focuses on individual dietary factors or components"
    },
    {
        "start": 1170.92,
        "end": 1176.52,
        "text": " or looking at diet as we do as a more holistic approach"
    },
    {
        "start": 1176.52,
        "end": 1181.24,
        "text": " the broad patterns of what we eat and drink."
    },
    {
        "start": 1181.24,
        "end": 1185.56,
        "text": " And some of the suggestion would be that it also in terms of information"
    },
    {
        "start": 1185.56,
        "end": 1189.32,
        "text": " that people are getting, it's maybe easier to understand"
    },
    {
        "start": 1189.3999999999999,
        "end": 1193.24,
        "text": " and to think about diet in those pattern ways"
    },
    {
        "start": 1193.24,
        "end": 1196.84,
        "text": " rather than having a list of lots of individual components."
    },
    {
        "start": 1196.84,
        "end": 1199.6399999999999,
        "text": " I should eat more of this, more of this, more of this."
    },
    {
        "start": 1199.6399999999999,
        "end": 1202.04,
        "text": " You know, actually thinking about what does that look like?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1202.04,
        "end": 1209.3999999999999,
        "text": " So one of the diets that's very widely studied is what's called the Mediterranean type diet."
    },
    {
        "start": 1209.3999999999999,
        "end": 1214.4399999999998,
        "text": " Fish, white meat, more limited red meat or non-vegetables,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1214.4399999999998,
        "end": 1217.72,
        "text": " pulses, beans, nuts, all of all would be included in that"
    },
    {
        "start": 1217.72,
        "end": 1221.16,
        "text": " and occasionally, you know, the red wine type thing."
    },
    {
        "start": 1221.16,
        "end": 1223.72,
        "text": " One of my colleagues who looked at dietary patterns,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1223.72,
        "end": 1229.16,
        "text": " she looked at how closely people's diets matched that Mediterranean type diets."
    },
    {
        "start": 1229.16,
        "end": 1233.0,
        "text": " What she found was that the people from this area"
    },
    {
        "start": 1233.0,
        "end": 1239.24,
        "text": " whose diets were more Mediterranean type, their brains had higher volume"
    },
    {
        "start": 1239.24,
        "end": 1244.76,
        "text": " and less shrinkage than the people who were less likely to be falling on that thing."
    },
    {
        "start": 1244.84,
        "end": 1248.6,
        "text": " Really important caveat with all of these lifestyle factors is"
    },
    {
        "start": 1248.6,
        "end": 1251.08,
        "text": " where does the information come from?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1251.08,
        "end": 1255.16,
        "text": " Does it come from observational studies or intervention type studies?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1255.16,
        "end": 1258.52,
        "text": " And the reason it's important to raise that caveat is because"
    },
    {
        "start": 1258.52,
        "end": 1261.56,
        "text": " our lifestyles don't happen in isolation."
    },
    {
        "start": 1261.56,
        "end": 1265.24,
        "text": " We're not randomly assigned lifestyle choices."
    },
    {
        "start": 1265.24,
        "end": 1269.96,
        "text": " The decision to take up an activity or do a certain thing"
    },
    {
        "start": 1270.04,
        "end": 1273.72,
        "text": " is influenced by our background or education,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1273.72,
        "end": 1277.56,
        "text": " occupation, the people that we encounter."
    },
    {
        "start": 1277.56,
        "end": 1280.52,
        "text": " So in the studies that are looking at these things,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1280.52,
        "end": 1283.24,
        "text": " it's really important to make sure that they are"
    },
    {
        "start": 1283.24,
        "end": 1288.04,
        "text": " accounting for or controlling as much as possible for those kinds of things."
    },
    {
        "start": 1288.04,
        "end": 1291.32,
        "text": " Because what we do know is that, as I say, people's"
    },
    {
        "start": 1291.32,
        "end": 1295.48,
        "text": " dietary choices are not randomly assigned."
    },
    {
        "start": 1295.48,
        "end": 1297.8,
        "text": " Give us a cheer if you're retired."
    },
    {
        "start": 1298.76,
        "end": 1301.56,
        "text": " Give us a cheer if you're currently working."
    },
    {
        "start": 1301.56,
        "end": 1308.2,
        "text": " I think that almost in the case, the point we're trying to make."
    },
    {
        "start": 1308.2,
        "end": 1314.84,
        "text": " But some jobs might be really good for our thinking skills as we grow older."
    },
    {
        "start": 1314.84,
        "end": 1321.08,
        "text": " Some jobs might be the thing that's keeping us sharp and retirement"
    },
    {
        "start": 1321.08,
        "end": 1323.72,
        "text": " for some people, and I say when I say these phrases like"
    },
    {
        "start": 1323.72,
        "end": 1327.32,
        "text": " some people are in general, remember I'm not talking about every individual,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1327.32,
        "end": 1331.3999999999999,
        "text": " but for some people, retirement can be quite a dramatic stop."
    },
    {
        "start": 1332.12,
        "end": 1337.0,
        "text": " That's sudden loss for some people can be quite a dramatic problem."
    },
    {
        "start": 1337.0,
        "end": 1341.48,
        "text": " Some jobs, however, are not healthy for our thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 1341.48,
        "end": 1347.48,
        "text": " We think about retirement as something that is sometimes seen as quite generic,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1347.48,
        "end": 1352.28,
        "text": " that after a certain age, people would want to retire or should retire."
    },
    {
        "start": 1352.28,
        "end": 1354.6799999999998,
        "text": " But actually for different kinds of jobs,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1354.68,
        "end": 1358.2,
        "text": " there may be reasons why working longer is a good thing"
    },
    {
        "start": 1358.2,
        "end": 1360.44,
        "text": " or not working longer is better."
    },
    {
        "start": 1361.0800000000002,
        "end": 1366.1200000000001,
        "text": " What might make a change in my thinking skills, might not make a change in yours."
    },
    {
        "start": 1366.76,
        "end": 1374.52,
        "text": " So how do you wrestle individuality into this whole equation and come up with some useful"
    },
    {
        "start": 1374.52,
        "end": 1376.3600000000001,
        "text": " steps or answers?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1376.92,
        "end": 1382.2,
        "text": " So you're absolutely right. It is important to always highlight the individual variation"
    },
    {
        "start": 1382.2,
        "end": 1384.3600000000001,
        "text": " from person to person to be fair as well."
    },
    {
        "start": 1384.3600000000001,
        "end": 1387.72,
        "text": " That's also one of the reasons why we study this whole topic."
    },
    {
        "start": 1387.72,
        "end": 1392.92,
        "text": " If everyone aged in the same way at the same rate, that would be interesting,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1392.92,
        "end": 1395.72,
        "text": " but it would be a very different thing would be studying."
    },
    {
        "start": 1395.72,
        "end": 1398.76,
        "text": " We'd be studying a very fixed set process,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1398.76,
        "end": 1400.6000000000001,
        "text": " because people are different."
    },
    {
        "start": 1400.6000000000001,
        "end": 1407.88,
        "text": " That underlines that there may be many factors associated with why someone might be doing quite well,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1407.88,
        "end": 1410.1200000000001,
        "text": " as they age with respect to the thinking skills,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1410.12,
        "end": 1412.12,
        "text": " where as someone else may experience changes."
    },
    {
        "start": 1412.12,
        "end": 1417.6399999999999,
        "text": " So our job as researchers is to try and make the clearest recommendations."
    },
    {
        "start": 1417.6399999999999,
        "end": 1421.9599999999998,
        "text": " But while being clear, these are on average in general,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1421.9599999999998,
        "end": 1426.9199999999998,
        "text": " and not yet at the level of individualised medicine, for example."
    },
    {
        "start": 1426.9199999999998,
        "end": 1431.32,
        "text": " We focused on the kinds of things that you think were quite good for thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 1431.32,
        "end": 1436.28,
        "text": " Let's very quickly shout one or two things you think might be really bad for thinking skills."
    },
    {
        "start": 1437.3999999999999,
        "end": 1437.8,
        "text": " Stress?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1438.12,
        "end": 1439.32,
        "text": " Loneliness?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1439.32,
        "end": 1439.56,
        "text": " Loneliness?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1440.9199999999998,
        "end": 1441.3999999999999,
        "text": " Smoking?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1442.68,
        "end": 1443.08,
        "text": " Balls?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1444.2,
        "end": 1444.68,
        "text": " Boos?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1447.1599999999999,
        "end": 1448.84,
        "text": " Am I misunderstanding how balls work?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1450.2,
        "end": 1450.68,
        "text": " Boos?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1451.6399999999999,
        "end": 1453.56,
        "text": " Let's grab two of them."
    },
    {
        "start": 1453.56,
        "end": 1454.36,
        "text": " Susan?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1454.36,
        "end": 1455.08,
        "text": " That's me."
    },
    {
        "start": 1455.08,
        "end": 1457.48,
        "text": " Are you a smoker or a not smoker?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1458.28,
        "end": 1459.3999999999999,
        "text": " Oh right, I do."
    },
    {
        "start": 1459.3999999999999,
        "end": 1462.2,
        "text": " Okay, so I'm using Susan purely as an example,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1462.2,
        "end": 1464.9199999999998,
        "text": " because I'm not going to ask everyone individually if they do or don't smoke."
    },
    {
        "start": 1464.9199999999998,
        "end": 1466.76,
        "text": " But this is your brain."
    },
    {
        "start": 1467.8799999999999,
        "end": 1472.12,
        "text": " The cortical layer, that's the outside bit of the brain."
    },
    {
        "start": 1472.12,
        "end": 1476.68,
        "text": " In some of the most recent work that they've done, they've found that people who smoke"
    },
    {
        "start": 1477.72,
        "end": 1483.8799999999999,
        "text": " have thinner cortical layers, the bit of the brain where the thinking cells reside."
    },
    {
        "start": 1484.84,
        "end": 1488.36,
        "text": " But really important to not leave you on a massive donor."
    },
    {
        "start": 1488.36,
        "end": 1492.36,
        "text": " What they found, because they were able to compare people who were never smokers,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1493.48,
        "end": 1496.84,
        "text": " people who had given up smoking, and people who were current smokers."
    },
    {
        "start": 1496.84,
        "end": 1497.8799999999999,
        "text": " And you know what they found."
    },
    {
        "start": 1497.8799999999999,
        "end": 1501.08,
        "text": " The people who had given up smoking at some point,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1501.08,
        "end": 1506.36,
        "text": " the thickness of their cortical layer was more similar to the non-smokers,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1506.36,
        "end": 1509.1599999999999,
        "text": " the longer they had not been smoking for."
    },
    {
        "start": 1510.52,
        "end": 1515.48,
        "text": " Now for a complete reversal, the rest of it was it could take 25 years."
    },
    {
        "start": 1515.48,
        "end": 1518.12,
        "text": " So explain where you're going from here."
    },
    {
        "start": 1518.12,
        "end": 1521.9599999999998,
        "text": " What's your current research, which is involving intervention, isn't it?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1521.96,
        "end": 1528.1200000000001,
        "text": " Our ongoing research programme is about recruiting people into intervention study."
    },
    {
        "start": 1528.1200000000001,
        "end": 1534.92,
        "text": " We asked them to do a whole bunch of thinking tests, physical tests, give us some details about lifestyle."
    },
    {
        "start": 1534.92,
        "end": 1540.8400000000001,
        "text": " And after that, we then helped them to take up an entirely new activity in the community."
    },
    {
        "start": 1540.8400000000001,
        "end": 1547.32,
        "text": " So it may be anything ranging from language classes to physical activity groups or classes,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1547.32,
        "end": 1551.16,
        "text": " to learning to use computers, to social groups, a whole range of things."
    },
    {
        "start": 1551.96,
        "end": 1556.2,
        "text": " Once they've done that for a few months, they'll then come back and repeat the assessments."
    },
    {
        "start": 1556.2,
        "end": 1563.0,
        "text": " So over the next year and a half, the studies ongoing will be hoping to recruit about 300 people into that study."
    },
    {
        "start": 1563.0,
        "end": 1572.1200000000001,
        "text": " And we'll be comparing how each activity or type of activity has any impact on thinking skills generally."
    },
    {
        "start": 1572.1200000000001,
        "end": 1578.04,
        "text": " And we're going to be comparing the social component, the mental component, and the physical component."
    },
    {
        "start": 1578.04,
        "end": 1581.48,
        "text": " So that's the question that we're trying to address in that study."
    },
    {
        "start": 1581.48,
        "end": 1588.84,
        "text": " We need to get a better handle on what kinds of stimulation or what kinds of changes might be good."
    },
    {
        "start": 1588.84,
        "end": 1594.52,
        "text": " Very broadly, we've seen studies that show physical activity may be beneficial."
    },
    {
        "start": 1594.52,
        "end": 1600.44,
        "text": " Social engagement and particularly engagement with people in new environments might be beneficial."
    },
    {
        "start": 1600.44,
        "end": 1605.96,
        "text": " Mental challenge, but mental challenge in a sense of learning something that's entirely new might be beneficial."
    },
    {
        "start": 1606.3600000000001,
        "end": 1612.3600000000001,
        "text": " So we're at that stage now of trying to combine some of that information in this current study"
    },
    {
        "start": 1612.3600000000001,
        "end": 1615.32,
        "text": " and mix some of those factors up a bit as well."
    },
    {
        "start": 1615.32,
        "end": 1618.1200000000001,
        "text": " We're unlikely to be able to say, you know what?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1618.1200000000001,
        "end": 1621.72,
        "text": " To keep our thinking skills sharp as we get older."
    },
    {
        "start": 1621.72,
        "end": 1623.24,
        "text": " Do this one simple thing."
    },
    {
        "start": 1623.96,
        "end": 1626.04,
        "text": " Really sorry, the play isn't one simple thing."
    },
    {
        "start": 1626.04,
        "end": 1629.72,
        "text": " And unfortunately, there's probably no actual guarantee."
    },
    {
        "start": 1629.72,
        "end": 1632.44,
        "text": " And this is why when I'm studying these things,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1632.52,
        "end": 1639.64,
        "text": " I try to study things that might also make us happier, better connected, more socially engaged."
    },
    {
        "start": 1639.64,
        "end": 1644.8400000000001,
        "text": " Because if it helps your thinking skills, fantastic, that will allow us to continue living independently,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1644.8400000000001,
        "end": 1649.0,
        "text": " to continue driving, looking after our finances, et cetera, et cetera."
    },
    {
        "start": 1649.0,
        "end": 1653.96,
        "text": " But if it doesn't help your thinking skills, but it helps you become more engaged with other people."
    },
    {
        "start": 1653.96,
        "end": 1657.8,
        "text": " To go into new environments, that is equally important."
    },
    {
        "start": 1658.76,
        "end": 1662.76,
        "text": " We have so many questions about how thinking skills change with age."
    },
    {
        "start": 1662.76,
        "end": 1665.8,
        "text": " And I'll leave you with the reason that it's so important to study that."
    },
    {
        "start": 1665.8,
        "end": 1669.72,
        "text": " And it's because in our big survey, we asked people,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1669.72,
        "end": 1671.72,
        "text": " how concerned they might be about those changes?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1671.72,
        "end": 1673.0,
        "text": " And you know what?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1673.0,
        "end": 1679.1599999999999,
        "text": " Almost eight out of ten of the people that took part in that survey said they had some fear"
    },
    {
        "start": 1679.1599999999999,
        "end": 1683.3999999999999,
        "text": " or concern that their thinking skills might decline in the future."
    },
    {
        "start": 1683.3999999999999,
        "end": 1684.68,
        "text": " I've forgotten this last twice."
    },
    {
        "start": 1684.68,
        "end": 1685.08,
        "text": " I've done it."
    },
    {
        "start": 1685.08,
        "end": 1687.1599999999999,
        "text": " I do have a visual pun, if you wouldn't mind."
    },
    {
        "start": 1687.8,
        "end": 1688.9199999999998,
        "text": " As we finish this short, ready?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1688.9199999999998,
        "end": 1690.36,
        "text": " It is. It's a fringe, ready?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1693.24,
        "end": 1693.8,
        "text": " Anyone?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1693.8,
        "end": 1694.68,
        "text": " Ready, ready?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1694.68,
        "end": 1696.12,
        "text": " Greenwave, thank you very much."
    },
    {
        "start": 1699.1599999999999,
        "end": 1702.44,
        "text": " I appreciate we've covered a lot of ground in this brainwaves,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1702.44,
        "end": 1707.08,
        "text": " but with any luck, we've peaked your interest in what might keep you sharp."
    },
    {
        "start": 1707.08,
        "end": 1710.68,
        "text": " And the next time you boil the kettle, put off going for that run,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1710.68,
        "end": 1714.6,
        "text": " or did the overweather to change job or even learn the tango?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1714.6,
        "end": 1719.08,
        "text": " You're mull over what that decision may or may not mean for your brain."
    },
    {
        "start": 1719.8799999999999,
        "end": 1722.6,
        "text": " A big thanks to associate professor Alan Gow from Harriet,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1722.6,
        "end": 1726.4399999999998,
        "text": " what university for letting us eavesdrop on his work on how to stay sharp?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1726.4399999999998,
        "end": 1730.9199999999998,
        "text": " If you want to find out more or even volunteer to take part in some of Alan's research,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1730.9199999999998,
        "end": 1734.28,
        "text": " then head to the brainwaves page of the BBC Radio Scotland website"
    },
    {
        "start": 1734.28,
        "end": 1735.7199999999998,
        "text": " where you'll find all the links."
    },
    {
        "start": 1735.7199999999998,
        "end": 1739.6399999999999,
        "text": " And if you missed any of today's programme, you can download the free podcast."
    },
    {
        "start": 1745.24,
        "end": 1750.28,
        "text": " So that was Brainwaves from BBC Scotland."
    },
    {
        "start": 1750.28,
        "end": 1752.28,
        "text": " I lived in Glasgow for a little while. You know that, right?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1752.28,
        "end": 1753.24,
        "text": " I didn't know that."
    },
    {
        "start": 1753.24,
        "end": 1754.4399999999998,
        "text": " Yeah, what were you doing there?"
    },
    {
        "start": 1754.4399999999998,
        "end": 1767.3999999999999,
        "text": " I was studying. I was there studying, while I was pretending to study a little bit."
    },
    {
        "start": 1768.36,
        "end": 1772.12,
        "text": " Anyway, that was presented by Penny Latin, and there are new episodes weekly,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1772.12,
        "end": 1776.04,
        "text": " if you want those sweet Scottish accents in your ear on the reg,"
    },
    {
        "start": 1777.0,
        "end": 1781.56,
        "text": " go subscribe to it, listen more episodes, and subscribe to us if you haven't subscribed to us already."
    },
    {
        "start": 1782.36,
        "end": 1785.6399999999999,
        "text": " Thanks very much for listening, and we'll see you next time."
    }
]