A positive outlook on life might protect against memory loss in middle age, according to a recent 16-year-long study by researchers in the UK, US and Spain.
Published in Aging & Mental Health, the study suggests that wellbeing – a combination of happiness, confidence and a sense of purpose and control over life – was significantly associated with better memory recall.
Participants who rated their wellbeing more highly were likely to perform better on memory tests, and this was true regardless of whether they reported symptoms of depression.
“This study represents an important step toward understanding the interplay between wellbeing and memory over time,” said co-author Prof Joshua Stott, professor of ageing and clinical psychology at University College London. “It offers new insights into how self-rated wellbeing is associated with memory and vice versa.”
The scientists tracked 10,760 men and women over the age of 50 in England. From 2002 onwards, participants met with researchers every two years, completing memory tests.
Each time, they were also asked to complete wellbeing questionnaires, answering questions such as ‘I can do the things I want to do’ and ‘I feel that life is full of opportunities.’
After 16 years, all this data was analysed by a cohort of 15 different experts to understand the link between mindset and memory.
“In the context of an ageing population, understanding factors that may protect and maintain healthy cognitive function is critical for enhanced population health and healthy policy development,” said lead author Dr Amber John, a psychology lecturer at the University of Liverpool.
She said that the study suggested good wellbeing predated better memory, so – if a future study could prove that good wellbeing caused better memory – then improving wellbeing could protect the brain against future decline.
This study was funded, in part, by Alzheimer’s Research UK. The charity’s information services manager, Emma Taylor, said: “Loving your heart, staying sharp and keeping connected are key to protecting our brain health as we age.
“It’s never too late to start taking steps to keep our brains healthy throughout our lives and lessen the devastating impact of dementia.”
The study authors suggested that lower psychological wellbeing could even be an early warning sign of oncoming cognitive impairment, and recommended interventions such as mindfulness to stop it in its tracks.
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