Cognitive fitness Archive

Women's reproductive history, including first period, pregnancy, and menopause, influences their lifetime exposure to estrogen, which appears to shape brain aging and dementia risk. Menopause is believed to be the strongest reproductive factor, with later menopause tied to lower dementia risk.

A 2026 study suggested that people who eat healthier plant-based diets, which prioritize whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, have a lower risk of developing dementia than people who eat a plant-based diet that includes more refined grains, fruit juices, and added sugars.

People with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were less likely to develop depression and dementia than those with low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, according to a 2026 research review.

More than 30% of adults over 70 have amyloid or tau (proteins implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease) in their brains yet have no apparent cognitive problems. This may indicate greater cognitive reserve, the brain’s ability to compensate for damage.

A long-running study found that closely following the MIND Diet was linked with significantly slower age-related brain changes, including 20% less shrinkage in grey matter—equivalent to slowing brain aging by 2.5 years. However, it’s not known if these changes translate to better brain function.

Neurogenesis is the birth of new nerve cells, called neurons, in the brain. The ability to grow new neurons appears more prominent in super-agers, people 80 and older whose thinking and memory skills are as sharp as adults who are decades younger.

A Harvard study of over 159,000 people found that following any of six healthy diets-especially the DASH diet-was linked to significantly better cognitive function in later life, with the strongest benefits seen in those who were following a healthy diet in middle age.

A 2025 study found that in brain MRI scans, people with any evidence of gum disease were more likely to have higher amounts of a marker for disease in the brain's small blood vessels, compared to people without gum disease.