The pub is good for you - it's official

At last men have a good excuse to go to the pub with their mates - it is good for their brains.

Social activities such as evening classes, chess or even going for a pint help maintain a man's mental agility, research shows.

Unfortunately, experts say women appear to benefit slightly less from the same pursuits.

Their conclusions stemmed from a leisuretime survey of 5,350 civil servants aged 35 to 55.

They were asked if they took part in any of 13 activities, ranging from those which require less brain power - such as DIY or housework - to those which need more effort - such as cultural visits or evening classes.

Volunteers were then tested on their verbal memory, mathematical reasoning, vocabulary and speech.

Those who took part in activities needing plenty of concentration or social interaction had sharper brains than those who did not.

Dr Archana Singh-Manoux, who led the study at University College London, said men appeared to benefit more from these activities than women because women's brains tended to be stimulated by social interactions linked to caring activities, which were not covered by the survey.

The results showed people should not resign themselves to losing brain power as they got older, she added.

'Different activities do influence cognition and what you do matters throughout your life. Middle-aged people should ensure they remain active and remain engaged.'