The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050—a 41 percent increase. As the U.S. population grows older, cognitive decline is a significant concern.
Approximately 30 percent of adults age 70 and older experience mild cognitive decline or dementia. Medical researchers are looking for ways to help this growing segment of the population maintain their cognitive health.
A new longitudinal study published in the journal Psychological Science suggests that overall well-being—and especially a strong sense of purpose—are important components in maintaining cognitive health.
The study analyzed data from 1,702 adults over the age of 65, who completed cognitive tests and surveys about their well-being every year for up to 10 years. The surveys assessed autonomy, personal growth, sense of purpose, and life satisfaction. The cognitive tests assessed memory, processing speed, verbal ability, and spatial reasoning.
Then, the researchers used complex statistical analysis to better understand the relationship between well-being and cognition. They found that study participants who started out with higher levels of well-being also tended to have higher levels of cognitive function. And when participants experienced declines in well-being, they showed similarly-sized declines in cognition.
The most interesting results came from a second statistical analysis, which found that cognition and well-being are inherently related. Participants who reported higher than normal levels of well-being also scored better on cognitive tests, and vice versa, and those who reported lower levels of well-being scored worse on cognitive assessments, and vice versa.
This pattern held true even after researchers accounted for age, sex, race, education, depressive symptoms, and the gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Essentially, regardless of any other factors, researchers identified an intrinsic link between an older adult’s overall well-being and their cognitive function.
Importantly, researchers found that these effects were strongest for sense of purpose and eudemonic well-being, defined as feelings of autonomy, personal growth, and connection to others. Overall life satisfaction had a weaker relationship to cognitive abilities.
A second longitudinal study published in the journal Aging & Mental Health and conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom yielded similar results. Researchers followed more than 10,000 adults aged 50 and older for 16 years, tracking their psychological well-being and memory recall.
They found that those reporting higher levels of well-being (which, in this study, included measurements of happiness, confidence, a sense of purpose, and a sense of control) were more likely to retain stronger cognitive function over time. This held true regardless of whether participants reported symptoms of depression or not, suggesting a unique link between well-being and cognitive health.
“What makes these studies especially noteworthy is that they highlight psychological resources that are protective against cognitive decline and within our control to enhance,” said Anthony Burrow, director of the Bronfenbrenner Center. Burrow was not involved in either study but his research focuses on purpose in life and investigates its role in adjustment and well-being.
“Unlike other risk factors for dementia that may be less susceptible to modification, sense of purpose is something we can actively cultivate throughout our lives,” he said. “The evidence linking purpose and cognitive health suggests that the investments in increasing sense of purpose today may matter profoundly decades down the line.”
The take-home message: New research demonstrates that overall well-being—and specifically a sense of purpose—is linked to cognitive health later in life.
