Once again the research consistently indicates that starting from a good place — decent muscular strength at 50 — makes the subsequent decline far slower and gentler.

The subsequent decline was slow and sporadic, if perhaps inevitable.

As in the first innings, the surprise was the speed and manner of the subsequent decline.

There are some who contend that estate agents' greed caused the market's upward spiral and its subsequent decline.

One, reported last year, found that people who did puzzles were indeed quicker at thinking at the age of 64, but had no extra protection against subsequent decline.