Volunteering Can Slow Cognitive Decline, Study Finds
As we age, our bodies and minds undergo changes at different rates. A recent study has uncovered a new factor influencing the rate at which our brains age: helping others. Research conducted by the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Massachusetts Boston suggests that regularly volunteering can reduce cognitive aging by approximately 15–20 percent.
The study analyzed data from 31,303 individuals over the age of 50 collected over two decades through telephone surveys. Cognitive brain test scores were compared with participants’ levels of helping behavior, whether through formal volunteering or informal assistance to friends, relatives, and neighbors.
Lead researcher Sae Hwang Han from UT Austin noted that the cognitive benefits of helping others were not just temporary boosts but accumulated over time with sustained engagement. Both formal volunteering and informal helping were found to have a positive impact on cognitive health, with even just two to four hours of engagement per week showing significant benefits.
While the study’s observational nature prevents establishing direct cause-and-effect relationships, the researchers suggest that the mental stimulation and social interaction inherent in helping others may contribute to the cognitive benefits observed. Previous studies have highlighted the detrimental effects of loneliness on brain health and the positive impact of physical activity on cognitive function.
The study also revealed that both formal volunteering and informal helping yielded cognitive benefits, with the effects accumulating over time. Informal assistance, often underestimated in terms of health benefits due to its lack of formal recognition, was found to be equally beneficial as structured volunteering.
Spending around two to four hours per week assisting others appeared to be optimal for maximizing cognitive benefits. Beyond this threshold, the mental and physical demands of helping may diminish the positive effects.
With dementia cases on the rise, identifying modifiable risk factors like volunteering could be crucial in maintaining cognitive health in later life. Supporting opportunities for older adults to give back to their communities could not only benefit society but also help preserve cognitive function.
The study emphasizes the importance of ongoing engagement in helping behaviors, as discontinuation was associated with lower cognitive scores and faster cognitive decline. Encouraging older adults, especially those in suboptimal health, to continue contributing to their communities could have significant benefits for both the individuals and society at large.
The research has been published in Social Science & Medicine.
