Contrary to popular belief, more than half of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) regain normal cognition-- but why some do and some don't is not well understood. In this study, Yale University researchers consider whether a culture-based factor--positive age beliefs--contributes to MCI recovery.

Previous studies have linked positive age beliefs to reduced stress from cognitive challenges; increased self-confidence about cognition; and better cognitive performance. Thus, the authors hypothesized that older persons with positive age beliefs would be more likely to recover from MCI and would do so sooner compared with individuals with negative age beliefs.

That's exactly what happened.

The authors analyzed data from  1716 older adults (mean age, 77.8; 55%, women) who had at least one  Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status and a positive age-belief measure (assessed with the Attitude toward Aging subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Morale Scale). Participants were categorized at the age-belief median into groups based on positive (<15) and negative (≥15) age beliefs.

The authors write, "Confirming our hypothesis, participants with MCI at baseline were significantly more likely to experience cognitive recovery if they had positive age beliefs at baseline. Specifically, they had a 30.2% greater likelihood of recovery than the negative age-belief group, regardless of baseline MCI severity.

Participants with positive age beliefs also had a faster transition from MCI to normal cognition over two years.

Among participants with normal cognition or MCI at baseline, those with positive age beliefs had lower MCI prevalence (16.3% vs 24%) compared with those with negative age beliefs. In addition,  among participants with normal cognition at baseline and after adjustment for all covariates (e.g., age, sex, race, education, marital status, smoking history, apolipoprotein E status, depression, cardiovascular and/or diabetes diagnosis, social isolation, sleep issues, and physical inactivity), those with positive age beliefs were significantly less likely to develop MCI over the following 12 years compared with those with negative age beliefs

The authors conclude, "Age-belief interventions at individual and societal levels could increase the number of people who experience cognitive recovery."

To download the full study, published in JAMA Network Open, click here