Supporting others linked to younger brain age, study finds

A study conducted by researchers at Georgetown University, Emory University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that providing support to others is linked to a younger-appearing brain. Published in Translational Psychiatry, the research utilized data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, which tracks the health and well-being of thousands of adults.

To assess brain health, researchers used a machine-learning algorithm called BrainAGE to calculate the gap between an individual's estimated brain age from structural MRI scans and their actual chronological age. The findings indicated that participants who dedicated more monthly hours to providing emotional and instrumental support to others exhibited lower BrainAGE estimates.

This association remained significant even after controlling for various factors, including general health, lifestyle, social circumstances, and the amount of support the individuals themselves received. While the researchers noted that this does not prove helping others prevents disease or slows aging, they suggest that daily pro-social behavior may serve as a potential neuroprotective pathway.