Lately, my brain has felt decidedly ancient. I鈥檓 only in my 40s, but last week I completely blanked on the date of my wedding anniversary, forgot the name of a friend鈥檚 son and couldn鈥檛 seem to concentrate on any work.
So when I was asked to write a column for 快猫短视频 all about the brain, one question immediately came to mind: how old is mine? Years of research show that organs such as our heart, kidneys and ovaries don鈥檛 all age at the same pace 鈥� and now we know that some people鈥檚 brains also age faster than others. Not only that, we can test this pace of ageing and even slow it down.
One way to identify your brain鈥檚 age is simply by taking a picture. MRI scans show how, from around the age of 30, our brains start to shrink due to the atrophy of cells and their connections. Using thousands of these images, researchers can identify deviations that indicate whether your brain is ageing slower or faster than expected.
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Genetic tests offer an another insight 鈥� new research shows how seven gene variants in particular have a particularly strong effect on accelerated brain ageing. Proteins, which are made by genes, also play a role. analysed levels of specific proteins to calculate whether participants鈥� organs matched their real age. It found that 1 in 5 people had an organ with a strongly accelerated age and that those with an accelerated brain age were at an increased risk of dementia.
Research has also revealed that brains can age in different ways. When at the University of Pennsylvania and his colleagues , they found five distinct patterns of brain ageing. They linked various age-related diseases to combinations of the five patterns. Interestingly, the team found that certain lifestyle factors were associated with whether a person鈥檚 brain atrophy followed a particular combination 鈥� smoking, drinking alcohol and eating a diet high in cheese, coffee or salt was associated with patterns that were linked to dementia, for instance, whereas people who drank tea and ate cereals were less likely to have brains that followed these patterns.
These correlations add to growing evidence that we can influence the age of our brains. It鈥檚 even been suggested that by lifestyle choices.
Finding out the age of your brain
For that reason, you might want to find out your own brain age 鈥� and make some changes. One company established with this in mind is NeuroAge Therapeutics, founded by physician and neuroscientist . NeuroAge uses MRI scans to identify structural brain changes and white matter hyperintensities 鈥� damaged areas of tissue that increase your risk of stroke and dementia 鈥� combining them with the results of blood tests, genetic tests and cognitive games.
Glorioso鈥檚 interest in brain ageing was triggered by discovering she possessed a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Like as many as 1 in 4 people, she has an increased risk of Alzheimer鈥檚 because she possesses one copy of the APOE4 variant of the APOE gene. However, she and her colleagues鈥� research has shown how having .
Glorioso started the company so that people like her could determine the age of their brain and make changes that help overcome such genetic predispositions. 鈥淥ne of the coolest things is seeing white matter hyperintensities disappearing as you make lifestyle changes over the years,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou can see your brain ageing slower than you鈥檙e ageing.鈥�
There鈥檚 one catch: at $3194 for the full package, it鈥檚 too expensive for most. It is difficult to find out the age of your brain from home or for free, but cognitive games can give you a rough idea. Neuro Therapeutics offers a broad estimate of brain age based on how your performance fares against others your age. But they have their limitations, which Glorioso acknowledges. My brain turned out to be a sprightly 21 years younger than my actual age, but that was certainly more a reflection of my love of the memory tricks that helped me complete the tasks, rather than a true measure of a youthful brain.
How to slow brain ageing
Even without knowing your exact brain age, there are plenty of ways to ensure it stays younger for longer. Clinical trials have shown how those seven key gene variants associated with brain ageing can be targeted and their effects minimised by common supplements and diet choices, such as ensuring you have adequate vitamin D and eat enough omega-3 fatty acids. Among other things, in pathways associated with memory and depression. in the brain and help mop up unwanted substances, such as the beta-amyloid peptides associated with Alzheimer鈥檚.
Building evidence also shows how , speaking multiple languages and maintaining a rich social life can improve your cognitive reserve, a measure of your brain鈥檚 resilience against damage. When tempted not to attend a social gathering where I might not know many people, I always remember what neuroscientist at York University in Toronto once told me: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 hard for your brain is good for your brain.鈥�
It鈥檚 also worth checking out the latest Lancet commission on brain ageing, which identifies for brains that age faster than they should. is one well-established factor, as is drinking 鈥� even .
When it comes to diet, things are a little trickier: the Lancet report didn鈥檛 suggest any foods that were good or bad for brain ageing because evidence tends to be so mixed. However, a Mediterranean diet is probably a good place to start 鈥� a concluded that it was associated with an 11 to 30 per cent lower risk of cognitive conditions.
There is one particularly simple intervention, though. Uncorrected vision has been linked with faster brain ageing, although scientists aren鈥檛 sure why. The evidence is strong enough to convince me to book an immediate eye examination 鈥� an easy step that might not help with remembering an imminent wedding anniversary, but will keep my brain looking (and feeling) younger for longer.
