New research published in the journal JAMA Neurology by UC Davis Health Medical Center has shown that people’s brains are getting larger over time, suggesting an improvement in Alzheimer’s conditions. The study, reported on April 26, revealed that individuals born in the 1970s and later have 6.6% more mass and 15% more surface area compared to those born in the 1930s.
Professor Charles DeCarli, a neurology expert at UC Davis Health and study author, highlights the role of genetics in determining brain size while also acknowledging the influence of external factors such as health, society, culture, and education. The research was based on evidence from the long-term Framingham Heart Study and analyzed MRI images of over 3,200 individuals born between 1925 and 1968. The findings show a gradual and steady increase in brain size over time.
The study revealed that from the 1930s to the 1970s, the average brain size increased from 1,200 mm to 1,320 mm with a corresponding increase in surface area of the cerebral cortex. The researchers also noted growth in gray matter, white matter and hippocampus regions of the brain associated with memory and learning. These findings are seen as encouraging by experts as it may suggest potential improvement in age-related memory loss such as Alzheimer’s disease in general population. Larger brain structures observed may support better information storage and resilience against aging effects.
While this research is exciting news for scientists studying brain development and aging conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, it is important to note that there were unrelated mentions about power adapters and online profiles within this article which do not seem relevant to this discussion.
