Good for the Brain A study in British Columbia compared two groups of women between ages 65 and 75. One group did strength training with weight machines or dumbbells once or twice a week. The other did toning and balance exercises. After a year, tests showed the first group had improved cognitive functions such as focus, conflict resolution and decision making by 13 percent. The scores of the toning and balance group fell slightly over the same period. Increases function in t