Journalist Dan Hurley tried to establish whether we are stuck with the IQ we are born with or whether, with strenuous brain exercise, using all science knows about exercise, meditation, memory exercise, music, electric currents, nicotine patches etc, and their affect on cognition, you can significantly improve your brain and intelligence.

Result? Not a lot. His Mensa IQ rating of 136 rose one single point. He concluded that, after all the effort, he got on better with his wife and daughter, his short-term memory seemed a bit better, and he felt a bit smarter, although he couldn’t quite quantify it.

I could settle for that.

The good news seems to be that if you lead a healthy life and use your brain to best effect, then you will feel good and a bit sharper. But basically you have been dealt a hand by fate, and all you can do is to do your best with it and enjoy life. Turning summersaults to improve your cognitive ability is a waste of time. Better have a nice walk in the garden, a good laugh and a glass of wine. So saith Epicurus!