New research shows that thinking specific thoughts can speed up signs of aging, such as forgetfulness
Do you believe that growing older means becoming more forgetful?
Well, just the belief itself can be enough to actually cause mental decline.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University in the US found that older adults who have positive expectations about aging tend to report better cognitive function and worry less about declining skills.
The study, published in the journal Aging and mental healthsurveyed 581 adults aged 65-90 from the US.
Participants were asked twelve questions to determine their views on physical health, mental health and cognitive functioning as they age.
They also measured current cognitive skills using an eight-item scale that asked about recent thinking and memory performance.
Researchers then compared their current cognitive skills to what they thought their cognitive function was like ten years ago.
The study excluded anyone with a diagnosed cognitive disorder.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University, US, found that older adults who have positive expectations about aging tend to report better cognitive function and have fewer concerns about cognitive decline
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss
The questionnaire found that those who expressed more positive opinions about physical and mental health, as well as cognitive functioning as they got older, were likely to perform better on cognitive tests.
“Expectations influence an individual’s perception of their cognitive functioning,” said the study’s first author, Nikki Hill, associate professor at Penn State’s Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, in a statement reported by Study finds.
Hill added that “adjusting” our expectations about aging — especially the way we think aging will affect our brains — could result in “healthier cognitive aging.”
Researchers say this could include education programs that challenge negative stereotypes about aging, promote examples of successful aging, and provide accurate information about normal versus cognitive changes.
It is thought that around 944,000 people in Britain are living with dementia, while in the US the figure is around 7 million.
Alzheimer’s disease affects about six in ten people with dementia.
It is thought to be caused by a buildup of proteins, amyloid and tau, in the brain, which clump together, and by plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly.
Memory problems, thinking and reasoning problems, and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.
An analysis by Alzheimer’s Research UK found that 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022, up from 69,178 the year before – a year-on-year increase of six per cent.
