How a Positive Mindset Can Help Preserve Memory as You Age – New Insights from a Decade-Long Study
A long-term study involving over 10,000 adults aged 50 and older has found that maintaining a high level of psychological well-being may help protect against memory decline in middle age.
The research, which spanned 16 years and was conducted by scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain, revealed a positive connection between emotional health and cognitive performance over time. Participants who reported greater life satisfaction, a sense of control, and personal independence tended to score higher on memory tests throughout the study period.
Published in the peer-reviewed journal Aging & Mental Health , the findings suggest that even small improvements in mental well-being could play a role in preserving memory as people age.
Importantly, the researchers observed this link even after adjusting for symptoms of depression — indicating that well-being itself may have a unique impact on brain function.
However, while the study showed that better psychological health predicted improved memory performance, there was no strong evidence that stronger memory led to increased well-being later on. The researchers noted that this possibility still requires further investigation.
How a Positive Mindset May Help Protect the Aging Brain
The study highlights how psychological and social factors can significantly influence brain health as people age. Researchers found that maintaining strong psychological well-being may act as a protective factor against cognitive decline — particularly when it comes to memory.
Experts suggest that simple, accessible interventions — such as mindfulness practices, emotional support, or lifestyle changes — could help preserve mental functions like memory in middle-aged and older adults.
What the Researchers Say
Dr. Amber John, lead author of the study and a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Liverpool, as well as an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow, emphasizes the growing importance of understanding how emotional health affects cognition.
“As our population ages, identifying factors that support healthy brain function is essential for improving public health and shaping future healthcare policies,” Dr. John explained.
She added that while this particular research cannot confirm a direct cause-and-effect relationship between well-being and memory, the results do suggest a meaningful pattern: individuals with higher levels of well-being tended to have better memory performance over time — not the other way around.
“This implies that the connection isn’t simply due to poor memory causing low well-being. If future studies find a causal link, improving emotional well-being might offer real protection against memory loss later in life.”
Supporting Insights from Experts
Joshua Stott, Professor of Ageing and Clinical Psychology at University College London (UCL), also contributed to the research. He described the findings as a step forward in understanding how subjective well-being and memory interact over time.
“This study gives us new insight into how people’s sense of happiness and control can be linked to their memory performance,” he said.
Although the findings are still considered preliminary, they underline the value of looking beyond biological risk factors and considering emotional and psychological influences on brain health.
A Bigger Picture: Brain Health and Prevention
It’s already well known that conditions like depression and anxiety are associated with faster cognitive decline and a higher risk of dementia. As global efforts increasingly focus on preventing dementia , research like this opens up promising new directions — showing that emotional health may play a key role in keeping the brain sharp as we age.
What Is Well-Being — And Why Does It Matter for Brain Health?
Well-being goes beyond just feeling happy. It’s generally understood as a combination of emotional health and the ability to function effectively in daily life. Key elements of well-being include feelings of happiness, confidence, purpose, and control over one’s life.
Research has long suggested that people with higher levels of psychological well-being tend to experience slower cognitive decline as they age. Some studies even link strong well-being with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment — a condition often seen before more serious memory problems develop.
Memory, in particular, is considered a central part of cognitive health. That’s why scientists are increasingly interested in how emotional well-being might help preserve it.
Looking at the Long-Term Connection
Most earlier studies have focused on whether high well-being leads to better memory — but not the other way around. This new research aimed to dig deeper into the long-term relationship between the two, especially among people who haven’t yet experienced significant mental decline.
The study followed 10,760 men and women from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) — a long-running project tracking the health and well-being of UK adults aged 50 and older.
Participants were asked about their sense of well-being and tested on their memory every two years, across nine different assessments over a 16-year period starting in 2002.
How Researchers Measured Memory and Well-Being
To test memory, participants completed a word-learning task where they had to recall a list of ten words , both immediately and after a short delay. This method helps researchers assess short-term and delayed recall abilities , which are key indicators of memory performance.
Well-being was measured using a quality-of-life questionnaire. Participants rated how satisfied they felt in areas like:
- Pleasure and enjoyment in life
- Sense of control over personal decisions
- Autonomy and independence
- Self-realization and fulfillment
Sample questions included:
“I can do the things I want to do.”
“I feel that life is full of opportunities.”
Researchers excluded anyone who had already been diagnosed with dementia at the start of the study, ensuring that results reflected changes in otherwise healthy aging brains.
Positive Mindset Linked to Better Memory in Middle and Later Life
New research has found a meaningful connection between psychological well-being and memory performance , especially among adults over the age of 50.
The study, which followed more than 10,000 participants for 16 years , revealed that individuals who reported higher levels of happiness, purpose, and personal control also performed better on memory tests over time.
Importantly, this link remained even after researchers accounted for symptoms of depression — suggesting that well-being influences memory independently of mood disorders.
What Might Explain This Link?
While the exact mechanisms are still being explored, the authors suggest that biological and lifestyle factors could play a role. Conditions like cardiovascular disease , as well as habits such as physical activity , may help explain how emotional health affects cognitive function.
Other variables like age, gender, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle choices might also influence how strongly well-being and memory are connected.
Although the study did not find strong evidence that better memory leads to improved well-being, the researchers note that low psychological well-being could be an early warning sign of future cognitive decline — something worth exploring in future studies.
Funding and Expert Reactions
This large-scale research was supported by several leading institutions, including:
- Alzheimer’s Research UK
- Medical Research Council (UKRI)
- National Institute on Aging (USA)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Emma Taylor, Information Services Manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, commented on the findings:
“Taking care of your heart, staying mentally active, and maintaining social connections are all key to supporting brain health as we age.”
She added:
“There are currently 14 known risk factors for dementia — many of which, like lack of exercise, loneliness, and depression, are linked to well-being. While this is an observational study, it adds to growing evidence that looking after our mental health could help protect our memory and potentially reduce dementia risk.”
Study Limitations and Future Directions
Like most long-term studies, this one faced challenges due to participant drop-off over time . However, researchers used advanced statistical methods to make the most of available data without needing to fill in missing information or discard incomplete cases.
Dr. Emily Willroth, co-author and Assistant Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, shared her hopes for future research:
“It would be fantastic if this work can build on existing memory research to help shape strategies that support cognitive health in aging populations — that’s ultimately what we’re aiming for.”
The full title of the study is:
“Wellbeing and memory function: testing bidirectional associations in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)”
It was published on June 18, 2025 , in the peer-reviewed journal Aging & Mental Health .
The research was funded by:
- Alzheimer’s Research UK (Award number: ARUK-RF2021B-007)
- Medical Research Council (UKRI) grants [MC_UU_00019/1 and MC_UU_00019/3]
- National Institute on Aging (Grant R01AG017644)
- Supported by UK government departments coordinated through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
This collaborative effort involved researchers from leading universities across the UK and the US, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary work in understanding brain health and aging.
