Recent research conducted by UC Davis Health Medical Center and published in the journal JAMA Neurology indicates that people’s brains are getting larger over time, suggesting an improvement in Alzheimer’s conditions. The study, reported by the media on April 26, reveals that the brains of 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, based on evidence from the long-term Framingham Heart Study, 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 reveals 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 the surface area of the cerebral cortex. The researchers also noted growth in gray matter, white matter, and the hippocampus, regions of the brain associated with memory and learning.
These findings are seen as encouraging by experts, suggesting a potential improvement in age-related memory loss such as Alzheimer’s in the general population. The larger brain structures observed may support better information storage and resilience against the effects of aging.
In addition to the research on brain size, the content also mentions various links related to power adapters and online profiles, which do not seem relevant to the discussion of brain research and Alzheimer’s.