Your Life Experiences Might Contribute To Brain Health As Much As Genetics

Modern medical advancements have allowed us to identify genetic markers and other risk factors for a host of common diseases, including brain disorders like Alzheimer’s. But your DNA and family history aren’t the only factors to consider — and a new study reveals just how much your state of mind impacts cognitive function.

Accentuate the positive

A team of researchers at Columbia University recently published their findings after conducting two studies involving about 450 older Americans. Although the exact link isn’t yet fully understood, the evidence seems clear: life experiences can predict your likelihood of maintaining proper brain health — and potentially even achieving a longer life.

Specifically, the report points to how the mitochondria reacts to a person’s state of mind throughout his or her life.

As professor Martin Picard, who helped lead the study, explained: “We think that the mitochondria in the brain are like antennae, picking up on molecular and hormonal signals and transmitting information to the cell nucleus, changing the life course of each cell.”

Can it be that simple?

If it sounds like these experts are saying the key to long-lasting brain health is found in the power of positive thinking, that’s because they kind of are — but there’s a little more to it than just that.

The brain’s neurons, which have long been cited as the primary factors in the development of cognitive disorders, are still part of the equation. But professor Caroline Trumpff, who also worked on the study, said that the latest research paints a more nuanced picture.

She said researchers are “waking up to the fact that other cells in the brain may be driving disease.”

Trumpff concluded: “Greater well-being was linked to greater abundance of proteins in mitochondria needed to transform energy, whereas negative mood was linked to lower protein content.”

Chris Agee June 22nd, 2024

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