A University of Liverpool led study suggests higher levels of wellbeing may help reduce the risk of memory loss in middle age.
The recently published findings investigated more than 10,000 over 50-year-olds across a 16-year span and found those who said they had higher wellbeing were more likely to subsequently have better scores on memory tests.
These people - all of whom were determined as having 'healthy brains' - also reported a greater sense of control, independence, and freedom to make choices.
This association between psychological wellbeing and better recall was small but significant. The link was also independent of depressive symptoms, according to the researchers.
However, the analysis by a cohort of 15 experts across the UK, US and Spain found no evidence to suggest better memory was linked with later higher wellbeing, although the authors say the possibility cannot be discounted.
The academics add that the results highlight that psychological and social factors affect brain health, and wellbeing may protect against cognitive impairment. Interventions to promote psychological wellbeing such as mindfulness could maintain mental functions such as memory as people age.
"In the context of an ageing population, understanding factors that may protect and maintain healthy cognitive function is critical for enhanced population health and health policy development," explains lead author Dr Amber John, Psychology Lecturer at the University of Liverpool and a current Alzheimer's Research UK Fellow, who specialises in research on ageing, with a specific focus on mental health, neurodivergence, and dementia.
"While, in this research, we can't examine and understand the relationship between causes and effects, determining if one event leads to another (causality), our findings are important in proposing that good wellbeing predates better memory rather than vice versa. This suggests that the link between wellbeing and memory is not just because people with poor memory have poor wellbeing and that, if causality is demonstrated, improving wellbeing could protect against subsequent memory decline."
The aim of this research was to provide longer-term insights into the relationship between wellbeing and memory in people who have yet to experience significant cognitive decline.
Data was based on 10,760 men and women who took part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing Self-reported. This existing long-term research project involves UK adults over the age of 50 and includes attitudes to well-being.
Participants were assessed on wellbeing and memory every two years - a total of nine times during the 16-year study period stretching back to 2002.
The research was funded by Alzheimer's Research UK; Medical Research Council (a part of UKRI); National Institute on Aging; and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Emma Taylor, Information Services Manager at Alzheimer's Research UK, comments: "Loving your heart, staying sharp and keeping connected are key to protecting our brain health as we age.
"There are 14 established health and lifestyle risk factors for dementia, including lack of physical exercise, social isolation, and depression, which are linked to wellbeing.
"This study found that people over 50 who reported they felt happier and more fulfilled in life had a better memory over time. However, this research is observational - and more work is needed to understand how a positive wellbeing and memory are connected and whether this has a knock-on effect on dementia risk.
"Looking after our mental wellbeing plays an important part in our overall health. And it's never too late to start taking steps to keep our brains healthy throughout our lives and lessen the devastating impact of dementia."
The paper, 'Wellbeing and memory function: testing bidirectional associations in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)' was published in Aging & Mental Health (DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2025.2468408).
