- Researchers report that cognitive functioning in midlife might provide insights to brain health later in life.
- They say that staying physically healthy by adopting lifestyle habits such as not smoking, exercising regularly, eating properly, and participating in social activities can improve brain health.
- They note that keeping the cardiorespiratory system healthy is essential to brain health.
Cognitive function and health in midlife – ages 40 to 65 – might provide clues to brain health later in life, according to a
In their findings, researchers suggest that midlife is understudied and that more research should focus on this period in people’s lives.
During midlife, the brain undergoes significant molecular, cellular, and structural changes associated with cognitive decline, processes that accelerate during midlife.
Researchers say these individual changes could explain why cognitive aging varies from person to person.
During midlife, there can also be changes in the volume of structures within the brain. For example, the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning, could shrink, altering those abilities.
“Two robust findings concerning the ‘middle-aging’ brain is the accelerating shrinkage of the hippocampus (a brain area critical for memory) and reduction in the volume of white matter (the connections between brain cells and brain areas), Yvonne Nolan, a professor of anatomy and neuroscience at the University of College Cork in Ireland and an author of the study, and Sebastian Dohm-Hanse, a PhD student at the university and an author of the study, told Medical News Today in a joint statement.
Experts say that exploring changes in brain health in midlife and screening for risks of future cognitive decline could allow for earlier detection and treatment of diseases such as dementia.
Earlier treatment could also be more effective and give rise to additional approaches and treatment…
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