Zapping the brain with tiny electrical currents could boost memory.
Zapping the brain with electrical currents can improve memory
Research has found that using electrical brain stimulation for 20 minutes per day for four days improved the memories of people aged over 65 for at least a month.
The therapy is safe and could help stave off dementia in old age. The treatment works using skull caps that the NHS already has to treat depression.
Scientists at Boston University in the US also argue that younger people could be zapped to unlock additional brain power.
Study author Professor Rob Reinhart said: "An overwhelming majority of participants experience the memory benefit - 85 to 90 per cent experienced a memory improvement.
"Patients with the worst memory benefited the most, which gives us hope that it could work for people with Alzheimer's disease.
"We can easily imagine these types of tools would be of interest for boosting cognition in the future."