Technologies such as MRI scans are helping scientists to rewrite what we know about our brains.

Previously, it was thought that the development of the human brain stopped after puberty and the only change would be inevitable decline as we aged.

Recent research has confirmed that far from being fixed, neuroplasticity is real and that our brains continue to evolve and that our behaviours and experiences are important in how they change and the new neural pathways we create for ourselves.

In this video from the excellent BBC Reel series, Kelly Lambert, a neuroscientist at the University of Richmond, says we’re born with 86 billion neurons in our brains.

Kelly uses the analogy of a massive but messy pile of bricks; it’s only when we use them that they become useful.

Similarly, our neurons become functional, efficient and adaptive through training and repetition of new skills. That makes it our responsibility to achieve our best functioning brains by life-long learning of new activities.

Lara Boyd, a neuroscientist at the University of British Columbia, reiterates Kelly’s message. Lara tells us our behaviour is the single biggest driver of neuroplasticity and she encourages us to lead an engaging lifestyle where we challenge our brains with unfamiliar activities.

Lara also says that people who exercise regularly have brains that are healthier, they learn better and they’re better at recall.

As we develop new neural networks by engaging in new activities, it’s important to nurture them through repetition. To paraphrase Gary Player, the harder we practise, the luckier we get, and now we know why.

The great news for all of us aged over 50 is that we retain our neuroplasticity, albeit we may not have the same brain dexterity as a teenager.

Even better, the more we push on our cognitive and skills boundaries, the better our brain health, and just like Gary Player, the luckier we’ll get at our chosen activity.