Being able to rely on a friend or family member for support and listening can have far more benefits than you would expect
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousBeing able to rely on a friend or family member for support and listening can have many more benefits than we would expect, especially for the health of our brain and our cognitive functions.
It's always nice to have someone you can count on, who listens to you in time of need, and who can give you wise advice. Now a new study suggests that those most supported by listening and empathy from those around them have brains that are more resilient to aging and related damage.
Previous studies, conducted on elderly volunteers, had already associated a wider network of social connections with a higher level of cognitive functions (mental abilities of a person in learning, reflection, problem-solving, decision making, remember or pay attention to events) than you would expect. Other studies have found that adults with these characteristics do not always develop dementia in the later stages of their life (a phenomenon that experts refer to as cognitive resilience).
But what is the role of sociality in promoting greater well-being and a better quality of physical and mental life? To answer this question, NYU researchers analyzed data from 2171 adults over the age of 45 who did not have dementia or stroke. Participants answered questions about their social life such as if they had someone they could rely on when they needed help, or if they defined one of their friends as a good listener, or if they had someone who showed them affection and who it provided them with emotional support. In addition to this, the authors measured the symptoms of depression and, about nine months after these data, they measured the participants' cognitive abilities through MRI and neuropsychological tests.
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The results showed that participants aged between 40 and 50 who did not have someone to listen to and bear them have a cognitive age of 4 years older than their peers who had someone who supported them next to them. In addition, a minor decrease in brain volume associated with aging was observed among adults who had a good listener available.
@ JAMA Network Neurology
This new study demonstrates once again the importance of having a solid network of contacts made up of people who listen to and support each other: if such a network does not exist, in addition to psychological or insecurity problems, real and proper can arise. brain pathologies. In short, having a good listener available for us can strengthen those parts of the brain that contribute to our cognitive abilities and at the same time minimize the damage due to aging (often caused by factors such as stress or cardiovascular diseases. built a solid network of bonds based on mutual trust and listening, we will be much less likely to suffer when we are older.
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Fonte: JAMA Network Neurology
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