Results

This longitudinal study investigates the association between lifestyle behavior profiles and cognitive performance in midlife. Using data from over 1,500 cognitively healthy adults followed over six years, researchers identified distinct lifestyle trajectories based on physical and cognitive activity, sleep, nutrition, socialization, psychological well-being, substance use, and BMI. Results show that participants with sustained healthy lifestyle profiles performed significantly better on neuropsychological tests assessing memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function. A cumulative effect was observed: the more healthy behaviors maintained over time, the better the cognitive outcomes. Findings underscore the importance of promoting multi-domain lifestyle interventions as a preventive strategy in midlife.

The relationship between education and higher cognitive function during aging is a hotly debated topic. Although the total number of people with dementia worldwide is increasing due to population growth and aging, the incidence appears to be declining, and older adults today have better cognitive function than they did 20 years ago. This is attributed to changes in the population's lifestyle, and until now, the most widely accepted hypothesis suggested that formal education could provide protection against neurodegeneration or normal brain aging. To test these theories, tests from 170,795 people over the age of 50 were analyzed, along with 15,157 brain MRIs from 6,472 people in 33 Western countries. A higher level of education was associated with better memory, greater intracranial volume, and a slightly larger volume of memory-sensitive brain regions, but it was found not to protect against age-related brain deterioration. 

The study identifies three psychological profiles associated with distinct patterns of cognitive and brain decline in ageing. The research, which analysed more than 1,000 volunteers from the BBHI and the international Medit-Ageing study, shows that the specific psychological characteristics of each profile may influence the risk of developing dementia, as well as aspects such as the speed of brain decline and sleep quality.The results show that having a ‘well-balanced’ psychological profile, with moderately high protective factors and moderately low risk factors, is associated with better cognitive and mental health in all measured indicators. On the other hand, a psychological profile with low levels of protective characteristics is associated with poorer cognition, more pronounced brain atrophy and less adherence to healthy lifestyles. Finally, a profile characterised by high levels of negative or risky psychological traits may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia through a psycho-affective pathway. 

In this study we have investigated for the first time the relationship between cortical excitability and blood concentration of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in healthy middle-aged adults. P-tau, along with myeloid beta, is one of the proteins directly implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's. Previous research in animals and cell cultures suggests that the spread of tau pathology is driven by neuronal excitability. In this study we observed that the higher the excitability, the higher the concentration of p-tau. Furthermore, we have seen that this relationship is particularly significant in those with older age. This is important because it shows that a relationship that has been proposed as a pathological mechanism in Alzheimer's is already present in healthy subjects of older age. Therefore, this may be a candidate preclinical marker of risk for manifesting the disease. Furthermore, cortical excitability is modifiable with techniques such as non-invasive brain stimulation. Therefore, reducing excitability could be an adjunct to tau and amyloid clearance therapies. Finally, the methods used in this study are non-invasive and potentially scalable.

This BBHI study analyzed the lifestyles of over 3,000 healthy adults aged 40 to 70 over five years, identifying five distinct lifestyle profiles using the K-means clustering technique for longitudinal data. This technique groups individuals based on the similarity in their behavioral trajectories over time. The profiles revealed that those with healthy habits had a lower likelihood of developing diseases, while those with risky habits faced higher risks of diseases, distinguishing between psychiatric, neurological, and cardiovascular conditions. These lifestyle patterns remained stable over time. The results suggest that personalized interventions based on these behavioral patterns could improve health in an increasingly aging society.

This study aimed to validate the "Guttmann Cognitest"®, a digital tool for cognitive assessment, in older adults and individuals of various ages with acquired brain injury. Convergent validity was established by comparing it with the MOCA for older adults and a short neuropsychological assessment for younger individuals. The results indicated strong convergent validity and good specificity and sensitivity, supporting the tool's effectiveness in assessing cognitive function and identifying potential cognitive dysfunctions in both older and clinical populations.