It sounds like a meaningless platitude and something to say when there’s no meaningful treatment available. Directions to “think positive” may make your teeth grate when there’s a physical injury or illness causing you pain and disrupting your life. Research suggests, however, that positive thoughts may actually have medical benefits, including reversing cognitive decline (https://longevity.technology/news/time-to-think-positive-optimistic-attitude-to-aging-could-help-reverse-cognitive-decline/).
Cognitive decline is a pretty broad term. In its most minor form, it’s a natural part of aging. When it’s more serious, however, it may be an early step on the road to dementia. Between the two is mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is often considered a transitional stage. MCI comes with noticeable cognitive deficits, particularly in memory. What it doesn’t do is prevent you from living a regular life.
The best thing about MCI? It doesn’t have to be permanent, let alone progressively worsen. Around half of MCI sufferers will see their decline reversed. We’re not sure how or why, but the most recent research suggests it’s as much as 30% more likely if you already have a positive attitude toward aging. Positive attitudes may also speed up the regaining of cognition, returning you to health about two years earlier than others with MCI.
The researchers from Yale School of Public Health had already discovered a range of apparent benefits associated with more positive beliefs about aging, including that they improved cognitive performance and reduced stress, leading to participants having more confidence in their cognitive ability.
For the newest study, just over 1,700 participants from across the US were chosen from the larger, longitudinal Health and Retirement Study. Participants were all over 65 years old. Regardless of their exact age or their physical condition when they started, those who entered the study with positive aging beliefs saw fewer incidents of MCI than those with more negative attitudes after 12 years.
Where did these positive attitudes toward aging come from? Well, there appears to be a cultural element. Some societies place more value on growing old than others. They respect the wisdom and experience of age and they offer their frailer elders support. Other societies see age as a burden and try to hide their elders away. By working to change attitudes at both the individual and societal level, maybe we can improve attitudes toward aging and therefore improve cognitive outcomes for the elderly.
