Stimulating the Little Gray Cells

Although more than a decade old, "The Brain Encyclopedia" by Carol Turkington isn't ready to be brined yet. Consider the following passage from the entry aging and the brain:

"Researchers believe that after about age 30, most people reach an intellectual plateau which is usually maintained until about age 60; after that, there are small declines, depending on ability and sex. It's not until the 80s that any sort of serious mental slowdown occurs." Thank goodness she adds, "The capacity to focus on a task or follow an argument remains strong throughout life."

Rather axiomatic sentences such as "a stimulating environment encourages the growth of these [super-communicating] dendrites, and a dull environment lowers their number" elaborate into peaches like this: "Rats kept in a barren cage had smaller brains and apathetic behavior." Carumba, I wonder what size my brain is?

Reading this stuff causes me to feel guilty no matter how many times I've heard them. What am I doing to improve the stimulation of my existence? How many mysteries have I solved? How many repartees have I countered? Or even encountered?

I think I plateaued early.