A landmark study suggests a robust connection between higher psychological wellbeing and superior memory function as we get older.
The findings, published in the journal Aging & Mental Health, reveals that our sense of positive wellbeing acts as a shield, fending off a decline in age-related memory. Even so, that doesn’t appear to work both ways. A healthy memory doesn’t necessarily boost our sense of wellbeing.
Lead author Amber John, PhD, said the study is one of the first to explore the bidirectional relationship between wellbeing and memory over an extended period.
“We consistently found that individuals with higher wellbeing at one time point scored better on memory tests later on,” she explained. “But the reverse — that memory predicted later wellbeing — was not consistently supported by the data.”
Methodology
Researchers from University College London – in conjunction with several other international institutions – tested more than 10,000 adults older than 50 who hadn’t received a dementia diagnosis. Researchers pulled the data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
The research team assessed the psychological wellbeing of participants with the CASP-19 scale and the graded memory function with nine waves of immediate and delayed recall tasks for 16 years.
While established research has suggested that memory (in addition to other modifiable factors) is an early marker of cognitive impairment, including dementia, this new study’s focus on adults without cognitive problems allowed researchers to examine what (if anything) wellbeing might contribute to resilience in aging.
Using cross-lagged panel models, the team found that wellbeing accurately predicted subsequent memory scores at all time points – even after the researchers accounted for age, gender, education, ethnicity, and depressive symptoms. They also noted that the size of the effects remained modest but persisted.
All Wellbeing Subdomains Matter
The CASP-19 scale divides wellbeing into four domains: control, autonomy, self-realization, and pleasure. The authors noted that each factor independently predicted future memory performance.
For example, a better grasp of self-realization predicted better recall. Similarly, individuals reporting more pleasure in life activities had stronger memory in subsequent years.
Conversely, memory scores almost never forecast changes in wellbeing. The few exceptions that did crop up involved earlier time points, which suggested that any possible feedback loop might not function the same way in healthier older populations.
Robust Findings Across Models and Populations
To account for potential confounders, the researchers conducted several supplementary analyses. And they excluded participants who developed dementia, reported poor subjective memory, or died during the study.
“Across all models, the results remained largely consistent,” co-author Georgia Bell, PhD, added. “The strength of this study lies in the breadth of the dataset and the repeated measures over time.”
The findings also correspond with earlier studies that suggested a positive wellbeing acts as a boost to one’s physical health. Benefits include lower cardiovascular risk and healthier lifestyle habits — both of which help with cognitive performance.
Implications for Public Health and Prevention
Given the projections of rising dementia cases worldwide, this research adds to growing calls to recognize psychological wellbeing as a public health priority.
“This research gives further support to the idea that fostering wellbeing may not only improve quality of life but also preserve brain function,” one of the study’s senior investigators, Joshua Stott, PhD, explained. “It suggests a potential role for interventions such as mindfulness training, social engagement, and positive psychology in cognitive aging strategies.”
That being said, the authors cautioned that the study doesn’t establish causation. While the longitudinal design and statistical modeling help account for reverse causality and confounding, they reiterated that only genetic studies or randomized controlled trials can determine whether improving wellbeing benefits memory directly.
Can Boosting Wellbeing Delay Memory Decline?
Future research, the authors advise, could (and should) explore causal pathways using techniques like Mendelian randomization, which uses genetic variants as proxies to test whether the relationship between wellbeing and memory is, in fact, causal.
There’s also interest in testing whether structured wellbeing interventions can slow down the onset of cognitive decline.
“Programs that promote psychological resilience and life satisfaction could be a novel avenue to support healthy aging,” co-author Emily Willroth, PhD, added.
Ultimately, the research provides compelling evidence that how we feel about our lives plays a vital role in how well we think and remember as we get older.
Further Reading
US Dementia Cases Will Double By 2060
Simple Behaviors Boost Mental Health
Mayo Clinic IDs Memory Loss Disorder Often Mistaken for Alzheimer’s
