Technology might come in the way of age being taken at face value

The notion that a person is only as old as he feels can lead to liberal interpretations of age. Societal injunctions about not insisting on precision when it comes to calculation of the number of solar perambulations that a person has completed often end up encouraging wilful chronological inexactitudes.

And thanks to the various chemical, surgical and technological solutions that are now available to combat at least visual evidence of advancing maturity if not decay, age is now perforce taken at face value. Therefore, the possibility of ascertaining actual age, give or take a year, via magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) of the brain is a potentially image-shattering development.

With researchers combining data from 231 biomarkers identified by brain scans on volunteers to track anatomical changes with 92% accuracy, it will not be long before gauging age is no longer a matter of speculation.

However, as such MRIs scans are unlikely to become part of standard procedure to determine truthfulness when confronted with coy obfuscation regarding age in common social situations, those who rely on or invest in outward appearances to bolster assertions of permanent youth - or grey eminence - can breathe easy.

Indeed, it is difficult to predict the utility of such brain scans beyond purely diagnostic purposes, for cases where precise agematters. Maybe at a later date, though, MRI technicians may have to sign confidentiality agreements before being allowed toput age-sensitive patients - particularly 'evergreen' celebrities - through scanners.

Of course, it must be stated that mere accurate deduction of biological age is no guarantee of maturity. Age-appropriate appearance and behaviour will remain a matter of subjective assessment.