Brainpower is significantly increased in older people when they remain physically active later in life, a new study has found.

The New Zealand research, published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, found fitter individuals scored better in cognitive function tasks such as task switching, selective attention and working memory.

Furthermore, scores in mental tasks improved more in individuals who were assigned to an aerobic exercise regime compared with those assigned to stretch and tone classes.

These results were not replicated to the same extent in children or young adults only improving their scores in memory tasks, but the researchers said this was an area where more research needed to be done.

They stated the results of the study could have real life implications for activities such as driving where age is often seen as a limiting factor.