But memories might get a boost from an electromagnetic device that gives your brain a little zap.
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A small group of older people experienced improved memory function after being given transcranial magnetic stimulation.
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After five days they were performing memory tasks as well as a group of younger adults.
Researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago say the device uses a magnetic field that is turned on and off rapidly. However, there's no electricity passing through the skull..
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Unfortunately - the effects wore off within a week. The study's author said it's possible that stimulating people for longer periods, or changing the stimulation in some way, memory improvement could be longer-lasting.
The report appears in the Journal Neurology.