Stressful Relationships Strain the Brain

A number of studies suggest a range of health-enhancing effects of positive social relationships.  Conversely, however, having close personal relationships in middle age that cause stress, problems or worries, may contribute to a decline in thinking ability in older age.  Jing Liao, from  University College London (United Kingdom), and colleagues analyzed data collected on 5,873 British civil servants enrolled in the Whitehall II study, ages 45-69 years at their first cognitive assessment, who were followed for a ten-year period.  Testing assessed verbal memory and fluency. Subjects were surveyed as to details of their close relationships.  The researchers observed that those who reported more negative aspects of close relationships also tended to have more rapid cognitive aging, based on the periodic testing. For people in the top-third of reported negative relationship aspects, compared to those in the bottom third, the extra decline was equivalent to an added year of aging. The study authors write that: “This study highlights the importance of differentiating aspects of social relationships to evaluate their unique associations with cognitive aging.”