Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia worldwide, but given the lack of a cure, efforts to delay or slow the disease are seen as the current best way to deal with the physical and social toll. A team in Spain used laboratory animals to confirm the benefits of early cognitive stimulation to protect the brain from changes caused by Alzheimer’s. The study seems to use the terms cognitive stimulation, cognitive engagement and cognitive exercise interchangeably. Whether stimulation, engagement or exercise, it is clear that consistent and early efforts—meaning before any physical changes to the brain are apparent—are key. Authors of the study in iScience say better memory performance at an older age reinforces the idea that cognitive engagement early in life has lasting protective effects.