Keeping your wits is hard work, but work may be a key to keeping your wits.

Scottish researchers examined 1,066 individuals, all born in 1936 and all part of a previous study that had tested their cognitive abilities as children. The researchers examined them again (most of them were retired) and then looked at the results in the context of what else had happened in their lives.

They found that participants who had had jobs analyzing or synthesizing data, such as architects and editors, performed better on tests of memory and general cognitive performance. Likewise for those whose jobs involved complicated collaborations with others, such as lawyers, surgeons and social workers.

Participants whose occupations had been less demanding, whose work typically involved copying data rather than manipulating it or simply following the directions of others, performed worse in testing.

The phenomenon appears to be a case of "use it or lose it." As with a muscle, the harder the brain was worked the better it performed over time. Still, the benefit was relatively small. After factoring in things such as IQ, occupational complexity improved cognitive performance by only an estimated 1 to 2 percent.

Body of Knowledge

The average person can expect to inhale approximately 45 pounds of dust over a lifetime.

Get Me That, Stat!

More than 10 million people die of hunger in the world each year, according to the United Nations and World Health Organization.

Number Cruncher

A single Create-A-Face pancake from IHOP (100 grams) contains 420 calories, 90 from fat. It has 10 grams of total fat, or 15 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet, according to the Calorie Count database.

It also contains 40 milligrams of cholesterol (13 percent), 1,050 milligrams of sodium (44 percent), 72 grams of total carbohydrates (24 percent), 4 grams of dietary fiber, 26 grams of sugar and 11 grams of protein.

Stories for the Waiting Room

We tend to celebrate long-lasting marriages, but they may be bad for one's health if they're long-lasting and unhappy. Michigan State University researchers found that older people in bad marriages are at higher risk of heart disease, especially women.

In particular, the scientists said a persistently unhappy union exacerbates the detrimental health effects of stress as people age, resulting in greater adverse cardiovascular function, clinical depression, diminished immune response and increasing frailty.

Phobia of the Week

Ecclesiophobia: fear of churches.

Never Say Diet

The speed-eating record for french-cut green beans is 2.71 pounds in six minutes, held by a professional eater known as Crazy Legs Conti.

Best Medicine

They've just found a gene for shyness. They would have found it earlier, but it was hiding behind a couple of other genes.

Observation

"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing." — American comedian Redd Foxx (1922-91)

Last Words

"Why do you weep? Did you think I was immortal?" — French King Louis XIV (1638-1715), who died of gangrene, after reigning for 72 years. He was succeeded on the throne by his 5-year-old grandson.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.