It wasn't just any kind of dancing:

"We tried to provide our seniors in the dance group with constantly changing dance routines of different genres (Jazz, Square, Latin-American and Line Dance). Steps, arm-patterns, formations, speed and rhythms were changed every second week to keep them in a constant learning process. The most challenging aspect for them was to recall the routines under the pressure of time and without any cues from the instructor."

I think that part was probably more important than exercise or social interaction. Not that they don't have their places, just that it's likely more the intellectual challenge that gets them going.

You know how there's the runners high? Well free form dancing, ecstatic dance, dance church, festival dancing, you get really high. It's like meditation, insights come unbidden, you get unbounded outlook. It's a great way to sort yourself out, feel really great about being alive, and rediscover your inner spirituality. Honestly, for $10-$15/dance you'll get really high, if you let yourself go and get into the flow state. Try going to the morning ones, don't eat & drink only water, do some stretching at the beginning. Yes the whole thing seems super silly from the outside, a bunch of hippie folks gyrating to music, but man oh man it's profound if you get into the vibe(and if the vibes are high quality, like so called dance churches can be, and you know cause everyone else there are fellow psychonauts riding the bodies internal DMT highway). The great thing about the brain getting high w/o drugs? It's probably fabulously healthy for it. Think about it, super powerful brain drugs come out in a show of force and give you uplifted profound feelings. That sure seems like just the ticket to health, comparable to taking the mental garbage out.

That’s because of endorphine release at a certain point when engaging in activities like dancing or running.

Endorphins (endo-, produced by the body, -phine, morphine) have identical effects to these of morphine — they just don’t eventually cause withdrawal effects.

We have a nice list about the subjective effects here: https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Morphine#Subjective_effects :)

Meditation has nothing to do with getting high or being in a flow state where self-awareness is lost due to complete self-absorption.

This is 100% anecdotal, but a number of swing dance legends have lived to very old age. Frankie Manning, founder of Lindy Hop, died at 94. Norma Miller, the Queen of Swing, is 97 and still alive.

This is a video of Frankie at 92! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENrqFFU4P5E

must be the absolutely killer music they are dancing to

If you're interested in getting into dance and looking for a community that welcomes young and old, can I recommend the Contra Dance community?

Contra Dance looks/sounds like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m9EGS4iiOg

If you are near Boston, you should definitely stop by the Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates dances http://www.bidadance.org/. They teach an intro lesson and then every dance has an introductory runthrough. People there are enthusiastic about welcoming newcomers.

If you're not near Boston, Contra dance is found all over the US. (Also in London! email me.) You can find a local dance by putting your zip code into http://www.trycontra.com/

Maybe old brains just need some vigorous shaking?

Or just any form of excercise..

Couple of things about dancing: (1) it's easier to think because you're moving about, (2) dancing partners are usually of the opposite sex. Both these factors seem like stimulants for learning and rejuvenation.

"Dancing or Fitness Sport? The Effects of Two Training Programs on Hippocampal Plasticity and Balance Abilities in Healthy Seniors"

Front. Hum. Neurosci., 15 June 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00305

Adult neurogenesis:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_neurogenesis

IIUC:

{Omega 3/6, Cardiovascular exercise,} -> Endocannabinoids -> [Hippocampal,] neurogenesis

"Neurobiological effects of physical exercise" (Hippocampal plasticity, neurogenesis,)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurobiological_effects_of_phy...

"Study: Omega-3 fatty acids fight inflammation via cannabinoids" https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/532158 (Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio)

scholar.google q=cannabinoid+neurogenesis https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=cannabinoid+neurogenesi...

Functions of the ECS (Endocannabinoid System):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoid_system#Functio...

- #Role-in-hippocampal-neurogenesis, "runners high"

I'm assuming this was meant to link to: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-reverse-aging-brain.h... instead of the front page.

Thanks! Updated.

Can someone change the URL to https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-reverse-aging-brain.h...?