An extensive study carried out at Edinburgh University, the results of which were released this weekend, has concluded that slow reaction times and poor memory are linked with cardiovascular or respiratory disease.

Those with a lower than average performance score on mental agility tests were shown to be at least 13% more likely to die from heart disease, according to the study.

Researchers surveyed the mental agility of 6,400 people over two decades. They concluded that "reaction times could be a marker for the health of the body".

"Across all ages, the trend was identifiable, and it was maintained even after controlling for traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, body mass index and exercise", said Dr Beverly Shipley, who led the research.