Khaberni - A recent study showed that embracing positive lifestyle habits can make the brain up to eight years younger.
The researchers found that optimism, getting enough deep sleep, managing stress, and having strong social support are all factors associated with delaying brain aging.
The study was conducted on 128 middle-aged and older adults from four continents over two years, with about 70% of them being women, and most participants suffering from chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis in the knee or at risk of it.
Using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques and machine learning technologies, researchers estimated the "brain age" of each participant and compared it to their actual age.
They found that participants who followed a healthy lifestyle combining psychological and positive factors appeared to have brains up to eight years younger than expected.
Conversely, several factors were associated with the appearance of an older brain, including chronic pain, low income, low education level, and social deprivation. However, the study showed that the impact of these hardships diminishes over time, while the benefits of a healthy lifestyle continue stronger and more sustainably.
Kimberly Seibel, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Florida, who led the study, said: "The message is consistent across all our studies. Health-enhancing behaviors are not only limited to alleviating pain and improving physical performance, but they also seem to promote health in a cumulative and tangible way".
The study's findings were published in the journal Brain Communications.
