#Having a Positive Attitude About Aging May Reverse Cognitive Decline

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A new study found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment with a positive attitude about aging were 30% more likely to regain their cognitive abilities than those with negative beliefs about growing older.

Research has shown that looking at life through rose-colored glasses or having a positive outlook may offer benefits to health and wellbeing.

For example, studies suggest that possessing a positive attitude is associated with less memory decline, better heart health, and improved blood sugar levels.

Now, a Yale School of Public Health study published on April 12 in JAMA Network Open suggests that having positive thoughts and beliefs about aging may help older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) regain their memory.

"Most people assume there is no recovery from MCI, but in fact, half of those who have it do recover. Little is known about why some recover while others don’t. That’s why we looked at positive age beliefs, to see if they would help provide an answer," explains lead study author Becca Levy, public health and psychology professor, in a news release.

To test their hypothesis that positivity may help reverse MCI-associated memory decline, the scientists recruited 1,716 participants from the Health and Retirement Study — a national longitudinal survey. The participants’ average age was about 78 years, and had either MCI or normal cognition at the study’s onset.

Then, the team divided them into two groups based on a positive age-belief measure asking the participants to agree or disagree with questions such as "the older I get, the more useless I feel."

After evaluating the data, the scientists found that older adults in the positive age-belief group with MCI at the start of the study were 30.2% more likely to recover from their cognitive impairment than those in the negative belief group — regardless of MCI severity.

In addition, those without MCI at the study’s onset who had positive age beliefs were significantly less likely to develop the condition over the following 12 years.

Moreover, among all participants, those with a positive attitude about aging had a lower overall prevalence of MCI.

The study authors suggest that age-belief interventions could increase the number of people who regain cognitive function after experiencing mild cognitive impairment.

How to have a positive outlook on aging

Even if a person doesn’t feel optimistic about growing older, there are ways to reframe those thoughts and look at aging through a more positive lens.

For example, practicing positive self-talk can overcome harmful beliefs about oneself, including age-related negative thoughts. In addition, mindfulness meditation, objectively evaluating personal strengths, and other positive psychotherapy techniques can help a person feel hopeful throughout aging.