Having a Purpose in Life May Improve Health of Aging Brain

Researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago have discovered a unique correlation between the psychological fulfillment of having a purpose in life and a visible increase in physical brain health later life. The study, published in the journal Stroke, follows 453 participants from their mid-eighties until death, including an attempt to quantify their perceived purpose in life with a scoring system. Upon autopsy, it was discovered that those with higher scores of purpose in life were 44-percent less likely to have macroscopic infarcts, hazardous brain growths known to increase chances of stroke. “Mental health, in particular positive psychological factors such as having a purpose in life, are emerging as very potent determinants of health outcomes,” said the author of the study. “Clinicians need to be aware of patients’ mental state and encourage behaviors that will increase purpose and other positive emotional states.” Future research will attempt to confirm these findings, and refine the scoring and tracking process in order to determine if optimistic psychology at certain ages leads to ideal results. To learn more about this study, click here.