Mental capacity 'can dip in 40s'

06/01/12

By Adele Forrest

Research from scientists across Europe has suggested that brain functioning can start to slow down at the age of 45, which is much earlier than previously believed.

The Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in France, and University College London, have undertaken new studies which they say show the brain's memory capacity, reasoning and comprehension can dwindle in people's mid 40s.

Previously, it had been reported that people's brains begin processing thoughts differently in their 60s.

More than 7,000 people were studied over a 10-year period. Many were civil servants, aged between 45 and 70 at the start of cognitive testing in the period between 1997 and 1999.

The results, which are published in the British Medical Journal, reveal in men, there was a 3.6 per cent drop in reasoning after 10 years among those who were aged 45 to 49 at the start of the study and 9.6 per cent among those aged 65 to 70.

In women, the decline was 3.6 per cent and 7.4 per cent in the same age groups respectively.

The authors stated: "Cognitive decline is already evident in middle age (age 45-49).

"Life expectancy continues to increase, and understanding cognitive ageing will be one of the challenges of this century.

"Poor cognitive status is perhaps the single most disabling condition in old age."