Researchers from Seoul National University and Yonsei University in South Korea have discovered a fascinating connection between subjective age – how old people feel relative to their actual age – and the biological ageing of the brain. The findings suggest that people who feel younger than their chronological age tend to have healthier brain structures, potentially pointing to a new way of assessing and possibly mitigating cognitive decline in the elderly. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

The study involved 68 healthy older adults who underwent both brain scans and a subjective age assessment. Participants were divided into three groups based on their responses to how old they felt: younger than their actual age, the same as their actual age, and older than their actual age. Advanced imageing techniques were then employed to measure the grey matter volume in various brain regions and estimate the participants’ brain age – a modelled measure that reflects the biological ageing of the brain rather than just chronological years.

The results were striking. Those who reported feeling younger than their actual age had larger volumes of grey matter in specific brain regions, including the inferior frontal gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus, compared to those who felt their age or older. These brain regions are critical for functions like memory, decision-making, and self-awareness. Moreover, individuals who felt younger also had a brain age estimate that was significantly younger than those who felt older, indicating that their brains were ageing more slowly.

The research underscores the importance of subjective age as more than just a psychological curiosity. Feeling younger might be a reflection of how well the brain is ageing at a neurobiological level. This finding aligns with the “interoceptive hypothesis“, which suggests that people’s awareness of their physical and cognitive functions plays a role in how old they feel. As the brain ages, it undergoes structural changes, such as grey matter atrophy, which could be sensed by individuals as a feeling of being older.

This study also builds on previous research that has linked subjective age to various health outcomes. For example, older adults who feel younger have been shown to enjoy better physical health, greater life satisfaction, and lower rates of cognitive decline and dementia. However, this study is among the first to provide direct evidence linking subjective age to specific neurobiological markers.

Understanding the connection between how old we feel and the actual biological ageing of our brains could have significant implications for early detection and prevention of age-related cognitive decline. If subjective age is indeed a reliable marker of brain health, it could be used as a simple yet powerful tool for identifying individuals at risk of accelerated brain ageing.

The researchers also highlight the potential for interventions aimed at helping people maintain a younger subjective age. Encourageing older adults to engage in activities that make them feel younger could, therefore, have a dual benefit – not only improving their quality of life but also possibly slowing down the biological ageing of their brains.

While the study opens up exciting possibilities, the researchers caution that more work is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the relationship between subjective age and brain health. It is still unclear whether feeling younger leads to a healthier brain or if a healthier brain naturally makes people feel younger. Moreover, cultural factors, personality traits, and even social connections may also play a role in how old someone feels and should be considered in future research.

The study’s findings are part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that the way we perceive ageing may have a profound impact on our physical and mental health. It challenges traditional views of ageing as an inevitable decline and instead points to the potential for maintaining cognitive vitality well into old age by simply adopting a younger mindset.