Understanding cognitive aging: Insights from 25 years of research

A comprehensive 25-year research program has revealed important insights into how our brains age and what factors influence cognitive performance throughout our lives.¹ The survey results are Published in genomic psychiatrycomes from the long-term Lothian Birth Cohort (LBC) study, which tracked participants' cognitive abilities from early childhood through their eighth decade of life.

LBC is two longitudinal studies of individuals born in Scotland in 1921 (LBC1921) and 1936 (LBC1936). LBC1921 began in 1999 with 550 participants aged 79 years, and LBC1936 began in 2004 with 1,091 participants aged 70 years. Image credit: jhorrocks – Stock.adobe.com

This study provides a new perspective on brain aging and intelligence. By examining data from participants born in Scotland in 1921 and 1936, this study provides a unique perspective on the factors that shape cognitive ability over time.

The LBC is two longitudinal studies based on individuals born in Scotland in 1921 (LBC1921) and 1936 (LBC1936). These studies tracked cognitive aging, and participants were originally tested in childhood through the Scottish Mental Survey. LBC1921 began in 1999 with 550 participants aged 79 years, and LBC1936 began in 2004 with 1091 participants aged 70 years. Both cohorts have provided extensive data on cognitive function, genetics, brain imaging, and health, including retesting participants on the same intelligence tests they took as children. LBC provides unique insights into how early cognitive abilities influence aging and cognitive health and continues to be an important resource for research on aging and cognition.

New research from these cohorts shows that improved intelligence in early childhood leads to longer, healthier lives and significantly reduces the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia by 20% to 25%. I did. These findings suggest that cognitive abilities developed early in life play an important role in shaping overall health outcomes later in life.

“Of particular interest is that, 70 years later, we still found a correlation of about 0.7 between childhood and older age cognitive scores,” said study author Ian, OBE, FBA, FRSE, FMedSci. Professor Deary, Professor of Discriminatory Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement.² “This means that just under half of the variation in intelligence in later life was already present at age 11.”

Additionally, LBC demonstrated that childhood intelligence is a strong predictor of cognitive ability in old age, although genetic factors contribute relatively little to this prediction.¹ Lifestyle factors such as physical fitness, diet, and alcohol intake were found to have a significant impact on cognitive health later in life. These results highlight that while genetics can set the conditions for brain function, environmental factors and healthy lifestyle choices play an important role in maintaining cognitive health. I am. The authors said that variability in cognitive aging highlights the potential for interventions aimed at promoting cognitive longevity.

This study highlighted the importance of brain white matter in cognitive function and highlighted that healthy white matter across different brain regions correlates with improved cognitive performance. Researchers found that people with healthier white matter connections tended to have slower cognitive decline over time. Changes in white and gray matter also contribute to differences in cognitive aging, with different brain regions showing varying degrees of involvement.

Researchers also investigated how brain health is related to intelligence, finding that while individual brain characteristics such as white matter and gray matter health contribute to cognitive aging, they revealed that it only explains a small part of the difference. When it comes to cognitive aging, research shows that small changes in factors such as fitness, smoking, and certain genetic traits can add up over time to impact cognitive health, even if their individual effect sizes are small. It was found in research.

The study endured challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, with the LBC1936 cohort continuing into wave 7 at age 88. This longevity was supported by a consistent team that included people who had been involved in research for more than 20 years. The continuity of the team and its cooperation played an important role in continuing the research.

This article reflects the lessons learned from the LBC study. This study highlighted the challenge of not being able to retrospectively collect data that could provide valuable insights, such as baseline brain images at age 70 and variables from early in life.

The study further emphasized the importance of collecting and storing biological samples, even if their immediate use is unknown, so that research can continue after a cohort member dies. The authors emphasized the importance of consent and ethical considerations in LBC research. As research progressed, the consent process became more detailed, adding new aspects such as postmortem brain tissue collection, stem cell creation, and storage, among others. Each of these additions required specific consent procedures and ethical approvals, reflecting the evolving nature of research ethical standards.

“We believe that…our discoveries and incremental contributions to the fields in which we work will help people make better choices when it comes to healthy lifestyles and improve cognitive and brain aging and aging. “We hope to provide a broader understanding of the contributions to individual differences in

References

1. Dear IJ, Cox SR. Lessons we learned from the Lothian birth cohorts of 1921 and 1936. geonomics psychiatry. Published online on November 7, 2024. doi:10.61373/gp024i.0076

2. 25 years of research has revealed key factors in healthy brain aging and cognitive performance. Yurek Alert!News Release; November 7, 2024. Accessed November 7, 2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1063691