According to the paper, people who enjoy greater well-being are more likely to score higher on memory tests. These people - who are cognitively fit - also show a greater sense of control, independence and freedom to make decisions.
The link between psychological well-being and better memory is small but significant. The link is also independent of depressive symptoms, according to the authors. However, the study has not found any evidence to suggest that better memory is related to greater future well-being, although the authors do not rule out this possibility.
Thus, psychological and social factors affect brain health, and well-being can protect against cognitive decline. Interventions to promote psychological well-being, such as mindfulness exercises, may maintain mental functions such as memory as people age.
Memory and brain health in ageing
The study data are based on a sample of 10,760 men and women who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a long-term research project involving UK adults over the age of 50 that examines attitudes towards well-being. Participants were assessed on well-being and memory every two years, and a total of nine times during the 16-year study period, dating back to 2002."In the context of an ageing population, understanding the factors that can protect and maintain healthy cognitive function is critical to improving population health and health policy development", says Amber John, lead author of the study, professor of Psychology at the University of Liverpool and current ARUK fellow.
"Although in this study - she continues - we cannot examine and understand the relationship between causes and effects to determine whether one event leads to another (causality), our findings are important for proposing that good well-being precedes better memory and not vice versa. This suggests that the link between well-being and memory is not just for people with poor memory to have poor well-being; if causality is proven, improved well-being may protect against subsequent memory decline".
Professor David Bartrés Faz stresses that these results are relevant because it is important to act on modifiable factors as key elements to prevent cognitive decline in old age.
"Thus, in addition to known aspects such as physical activity, diet and sleep, among others, we now know that acting, for example through psychological therapies, to improve people’s well-being and quality of life can also play a role in this prevention", Bartrés-Faz explains.
The study thus represents an important step towards understanding the interaction between well-being and memory over time. "It offers new insights into how self-rated well-being is associated with memory and vice versa. Although our findings are preliminary, they highlight the importance of considering psychosocial influences on brain health such as memory", says Joshua Stott, professor of Ageing and Clinical Psychology at University College London.
The relationship between well-being and memory
Previous studies suggested a positive link between well-being and age-related decline in mental functions. In this context, memory is considered a cornerstone of an individual’s mental processes. However, most studies have only tested this link between well-being and memory in one direction or the other. The aim of the new research was to provide long-term information on the relationship between well-being and memory in people who have not yet experienced significant cognitive decline.The results of the study show a small but significant association between higher well-being and better memory. Despite the lack of evidence that memory affects well-being, the authors do not rule out a link, as "lower psychological well-being may be a sign of impending cognitive decline before symptoms become apparent".
Cardiovascular health and lifestyle elements such as physical activity are biological factors that could explain the effect of well-being on memory, according to the authors. Age, gender, lifestyle and socioeconomic status may also have a negative or positive impact on the relationship between well-being and memory function.
Emma Taylor, director of information services at Alzheimer’s Research UK, comments: "This study is observational, we need more work to understand how positive wellbeing and memory are connected, and whether this has a knock-on effect on dementia risk. Taking care of our mental wellbeing plays an important role in our overall health".
"It is never too late to start taking steps to keep our brains healthy throughout life and lessen the devastating impact of dementia", she says.
Emily Willroth, assistant professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington (United States), says: "Looking forward, it would be important if this work could inform ongoing memory research to provide potential strategies to help improve cognitive health in ageing populations - that is the goal".
