WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A 25-year-long study, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, followed numerous people born in 1921 and 1936 in Scotland to trace the cognitive development and brain health.
'What's particularly fascinating is that even after seven decades, we found correlations of about 0.7 between childhood and older-age cognitive scores,' explained Professor Ian Deary. 'This means that just under half of the variance in intelligence in older age was already present at age 11.'
The researchers used the Scottish Mental Surveys of 1932 and 1947 to track the cognitive changes among the participants across the time. During the follow-up, the individuals underwent cognitive assessments, physical examinations, and brain scans.
They found that various factors like genetics, social engagement and physical activity influence our brain health. In short, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and engaging in mind stimulating activities could result in a smarter brain.
The Lothian Birth Cohorts study also found that decline in cognitive health varied from person to person. Some experienced cognitive decline in a young age, whereas some had sharp brains even in their 80s.
'We've learned that what we often assume are 'causes' of cognitive decline in older age are sometimes actually 'outcomes' of earlier cognitive differences,' said Dr. Simon Cox. 'This fundamentally changes how we think about brain health interventions.'
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