New studies by neuroscientists shows training in certain mental skills can build the brain’s capacity to process information and solve problems. Experts say practising those skills on the job may also help sharpen cognitive abilities. Recently, researchers have begun teasing out the specific cognitive abilities required by particular jobs. In another study, doing exercises in translating code, spotting patterns of letters or lines, and visualising the movement of three-dimensional objects in space was linked to improved scores on tests of those skills three years later, according to rese...