New Research Identifies 3 Changes That Happen To Your Brain In Midlife by mindbodygreen

 

Have your competent? doctor translate this INTO EXACT PROTOCOLS! Not being able to do that IS PURE INCOMPETENCE! Not even knowing about this is even worse, suggesting your hospital and board of directors are incompetent also!

New Research Identifies 3 Changes That Happen To Your Brain In Midlife

Helping Men Build an Action Plan for a Better Midlife, Starting with Fun by Super Age

 

Well, at age 50 I had my stroke and the result of that is making me happy for the rest of my life.  Got divorced at age 58, fired at age 56. All leading to moving to Michigan and finding lots of new friendships.

Why my stroke was the best thing to ever happen to me

(Life is definitely better as I age, I got divorced enhancing my happiness immeasurably. I'm retired and comfortably well off. And healthy as I can be post stroke. I'm going to live a long time yet.)

People really need to start listening to and repeating the Ani DeFranco song. I'm happy.
"If Yr Not"
If you’re not, if you’re not
If you’re not, if you’re not
If you’re not getting happier as you get older
Then you’re fuckin’ up

And of course this!

Men must drink with male friends twice a week to stay healthy, study finds

 Do not bring this to your doctor's attention, you don't want to be responsible for an exploding head.

Helping Men Build an Action Plan for a Better Midlife, Starting with Fun

Midlife Vitamin D Levels Linked to Later Tau-PET Deposition

 I just exited midlife at age 70, so my stuff is already baked in. But then I have way more than 16 years to go, so maybe still time.

Midlife Vitamin D Levels Linked to Later Tau-PET Deposition

 Higher circulating vitamin D levels in early midlife are associated with lower tau deposition on brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in later midlife among adults without dementia, according to a study published in Neurology Open Access. In a prospective cohort study of adults without dementia from the Framingham Heart Study Generation 3 cohort, researchers evaluated whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D measured in early midlife is associated with later tau and amyloid burden on brain PET imaging.Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were assessed at examination cycle 1 between 2002 and 2005. Participants subsequently underwent amyloid PET and/or tau PET imaging between 2016 and 2019. [H]igher vitamin D levels in midlife may offer protection against pathologic tau deposition in the brain, while low vitamin D may represent a potentially modifiable risk factor for healthy middle-aged individuals seeking to reduce dementia risk. A total of 793 participants were included, of whom 53% were women, and the mean [SD] age was 39 [8] years. Of the participants, 424 underwent amyloid PET imaging, and 369 underwent tau PET. The mean (SD) interval between vitamin D measurement and PET imaging was 16.2 (2.4) years. Outcomes included global and composite tau-PET burden and amyloid-PET burden. In fully adjusted models, higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were associated with lower global tau-PET burden (β=−0.022; 95% CI, −0.040 to −0.004;P=.010) and lower composite tau-PET burden (β=−0.023; 95% CI, −0.043 to −0.003;P=.016). In contrast, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were not associated with amyloid-PET burden (β=0.001; 95% CI, −0.024 to 0.024;P=.987). When analyzed using a clinical cutoff (<30 vs ≥30 ng/mL), serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were not significantly associated with tau or amyloid PET outcomes in fully adjusted models. Baseline mean (SD) serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was 38 (15) ng/mL, with 34% of participants below 30 ng/mL. Sensitivity analyses excluding individuals taking vitamin D supplements yielded similar findings, with persistent associations between higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and lower tau burden. Study limitations include a lack of repeated vitamin D measurements over time, and the long interval between vitamin D assessment and PET imaging, which may introduce exposure misclassification. This study suggests that higher vitamin D levels in midlife may offer protection against pathologic tau deposition in the brain, while low vitamin D may represent a potentially modifiable risk factor for healthy middle-aged individuals seeking to reduce dementia risk,” concluded the authors.

Your vitamin D levels in midlife could shape your brain decades later

 Since I just exited midlife at 70, I'll just have to use coffee as dementia prevention. Hopefully I did enough outside activities to build a substantial base.

Your vitamin D levels in midlife could shape your brain decades later

Date:

April 7, 2026

Source:

American Academy of Neurology

Summary:

Vitamin D levels in midlife may play a bigger role in long-term brain health than previously thought. In a study following nearly 800 people over 16 years, those with higher vitamin D levels in their 30s and 40s had lower levels of tau protein later on, a key marker linked to dementia.

People with higher levels of vitamin D in midlife may have lower levels of tau protein in the brain years later, according to a study published April 1, 2026, in Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Tau is a protein closely linked to dementia.

The researchers note that the findings show a relationship, not proof that vitamin D directly reduces tau levels or lowers the risk of dementia.

"These results suggests that higher vitamin D levels in midlife may offer protection against developing these tau deposits in the brain and that low vitamin D levels could potentially be a risk factor that could be modified and treated to reduce the risk of dementia," said study author Martin David Mulligan, MB BCh BAO, of the University of Galway in Ireland. "Of course, these results need to be further tested with additional studies."

The study followed 793 adults who were an average of 39 years old and free of dementia at the beginning. Researchers measured each participant's blood vitamin D level at the start of the study.

About 16 years later, participants underwent brain scans to evaluate levels of tau and amyloid beta proteins, both of which are considered biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. A vitamin D level above 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) was classified as high, while levels below that threshold were considered low.

Overall, 34% of participants had low vitamin D levels, and only 5% reported taking vitamin D supplements.

Higher Vitamin D Linked to Lower Tau Protein

After accounting for factors such as age, sex and symptoms of depression, the researchers found that higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower levels of tau protein years later.

However, vitamin D levels were not linked to the amount of amyloid beta protein in the brain.

"These results are promising, as they suggest an association between higher Vitamin D levels in early middle-age and lower tau burden on average 16 years later," Mulligan said. "Mid-life is a time where risk factor modification can have a greater impact."

Study Limitations and Need for Further Research

One limitation of the study is that vitamin D levels were measured only once rather than tracked over time.

Highlights:

• People with higher vitamin D levels in midlife had lower levels of tau protein later on, a key marker linked to Alzheimer's disease
• The study shows a link, but it does not prove that vitamin D directly reduces dementia risk
• Researchers found no connection between vitamin D levels and amyloid beta, another Alzheimer's biomarker
• Further research is needed to confirm these findings and better understand the role of vitamin D in brain health

 Long-Term Study Tracks Vitamin D and Brain Biomarkers

The study followed 793 adults who were an average of 39 years old and free of dementia at the beginning. Researchers measured each participant's blood vitamin D level at the start of the study.

About 16 years later, participants underwent brain scans to evaluate levels of tau and amyloid beta proteins, both of which are considered biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. A vitamin D level above 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) was classified as high, while levels below that threshold were considered low.

Overall, 34% of participants had low vitamin D levels, and only 5% reported taking vitamin D supplements.

Higher Vitamin D Linked to Lower Tau Protein

After accounting for factors such as age, sex and symptoms of depression, the researchers found that higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower levels of tau protein years later.

However, vitamin D levels were not linked to the amount of amyloid beta protein in the brain.

"These results are promising, as they suggest an association between higher Vitamin D levels in early middle-age and lower tau burden on average 16 years later," Mulligan said. "Mid-life is a time where risk factor modification can have a greater impact."

Study Limitations and Need for Further Research

One limitation of the study is that vitamin D levels were measured only once rather than tracked over time.

Highlights:

• People with higher vitamin D levels in midlife had lower levels of tau protein later on, a key marker linked to Alzheimer's disease
• The study shows a link, but it does not prove that vitamin D directly reduces dementia risk
• Researchers found no connection between vitamin D levels and amyloid beta, another Alzheimer's biomarker
• Further research is needed to confirm these findings and better understand the role of vitamin D in brain health

Study Explores Whether Midlife Vitamin D Levels May Protect Against Early Alzheimer's Risk

 

You'll want to read all these vitamin D posts for warnings and benefits!

• (vitamin D 35 posts to May 2012)

Study Explores Whether Midlife Vitamin D Levels May Protect Against Early Alzheimer's Risk

They talk about early midlife so since I just exited midlife by turning 70 I guess I'm too late.

 You'll want to read all these vitamin D posts for warnings and benefits!

• (vitamin D 35 posts to May 2012)

Study Explores Whether Midlife Vitamin D Levels May Protect Against Early Alzheimer's Risk

They talk about early midlife so since I just exited midlife by turning 70 I guess I'm too late.

Midlife Reflections Lead to Greater Happiness and Fulfillment

 I reflect on my life with a stroke at age 50 being the best thing to happen to me.

 My story: I would still be leading a life of quiet desperation if still married.

Why my stroke was the best thing to ever happen to me

(Life is definitely better as I age, I got divorced enhancing my happiness immeasurably. I'm retired and comfortably well off. And healthy as I can be post stroke. I'm going to live a long time yet.)

People really need to start listening to and repeating the Ani DeFranco song. I'm happy.
"If Yr Not"
If you’re not, if you’re not
If you’re not, if you’re not
If you’re not getting happier as you get older
Then you’re fuckin’ up

Midlife Reflections Lead to Greater Happiness and Fulfillment

Summary: Late midlife can be a powerful period of personal growth, marked by increasing self-transcendence through life storytelling. Researchers observed that people who actively reflect on and reinterpret their life experiences experience greater self-acceptance, well-being, and optimism.

Unlike the old myth of the midlife crisis, these findings suggest that aging often promotes healthier, more adaptive views of the self. The research highlights how the way we narrate our lives may shape emotional resilience and fulfillment as we grow older.

Key Facts:

• Narrative Self-Transcendence: Life story reflections in late midlife promote self-acceptance, growth, and optimism.
• Beyond the Midlife Crisis: The study challenges the myth of the midlife crisis, suggesting midlife transitions are opportunities for personal flourishing.
• Power of Interpretation: How individuals interpret and narrate their lives is more impactful than the experiences themselves.

Source: University at Buffalo

We get better as we age.

That’s the general theme of a novel study by a UB psychologist who examined narrative self-transcendence in the life stories of a group of late-midlife adults shared over eight years.

“This research supports the idea that late midlife is a time of possible positive change and that one has the power to work toward personal growth, fulfillment, understanding and acceptance,” says Hollen Reischer, visiting assistant professor of psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, and corresponding author of a new study published in the Journal of Personality.

Self-transcendence is a term psychologists use for the experience of connection beyond the self. It can have spiritual implications, but self-transcendence also relates to personal connections. Credit: Neuroscience News

“Late midlife is an opportunity for increased self-transcendence, especially acceptance of oneself and one’s life — and it’s associated with many positive effects,” says Reischer, an expert in narrative identity and self-transcendence.

“Self-acceptance isn’t an endorsement for the bad things that have happened, nor is it ‘just’ an attitude. It’s an active understanding of how one’s life experiences have contributed to an understanding of oneself in the present.”

Self-transcendence is a term psychologists use for the experience of connection beyond the self. It can have spiritual implications, but self-transcendence also relates to personal connections.

It’s a multifaceted process, evolving over the life course, that involves greater attention to the meaning of one’s own life and to the perspectives of and connections with others.

High self-transcendence is associated with increased well-being, better mental health, coping skills and optimism.

Narrative self-transcendence refers to the indicators or the aspects of self-transcendence that surface when people talk about their lives.

Unlike self-report measures that rely on fixed questions, narrative self-transcendence shows up in the open-ended articulation of a life story.

Rather than being limited to the choices presented to them, as with self-reporting, participants in this case provide researchers with a richer account of experiences and reflections.

Most of the time, participants are narrating stories from their lives that have little to do with self-transcendence — at least on the surface.

“The increases in narrative self-transcendence we observed suggest one path for healthier and happier aging,” says Reischer.

“What’s interesting about this narrative approach is that how people interpret their lives may be more impactful than what they experienced in life.”

Reischer’s longitudinal study is the first to investigate changes in self-transcendence in adults using life story narrative techniques.

“Aging is fraught, on individual and societal levels, so it’s important to uplift the positive aspects that are within people’s reach and understand that we have some control when it comes to well-being,” says Reischer.

“There are certain ways of interpreting and narrating our lived experiences that are associated with flourishing and making meaning.”

Reischer’s research uses data from a Northwestern University-based longitudinal study where three extensive interviews were conducted with 163 participants as each of them moved from age 56 to 65.

Reischer’s team then coded those interviews for closure (low regret) and self-actualization (realizing your full potential) based on predictive narrative themes for self-transcendence that she had identified in previous research.

Self-transcendence in late midlife is not to be confused with the myth of the midlife crisis, which arises from the uncertainty about identity and roles as people age.

“The midlife crisis myth is that people can’t cope with aging and act out in maladaptive ways,” says Reischer.

“But this research suggests that these transitions, typical of midlife, are in fact opportunities to examine one’s own identity and to shift toward adaptive perspectives that provide psychological support as one continues in life’s journey.”

About this aging and psychology research news

Author: BERT GAMBINI
Source: University at Buffalo
Contact: BERT GAMBINI – University at Buffalo
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“Narrative Self-Transcendence: Decreased Regret and Increased Acceptance Over Late Midlife” by Hollen Reischer et al. Journal of Personality. 

Midlife Omega-3 Levels Tied to Brain Structure, Cognition

Well, I'm still in midlife according to my definition, age 66, living to 100. I've been doing pretty good on this for the last 10 years, since moving to Michigan and living by myself. 

Midlife Omega-3 Levels Tied to Brain Structure, Cognition

Larger hippocampal volume, better abstract reasoning for people in their 40s

by Judy George, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today October 5, 2022

Omega-3 fatty acid concentrations in red blood cells were linked with brain structure and cognitive function in midlife, an exploratory cross-sectional study showed.

In about 2,200 people with an average age of 46, a higher omega-3 index was associated with a larger hippocampal volume and better abstract reasoning, according to Claudia Satizabal, PhD, of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and colleagues.

In addition, APOE4 carriers with a higher omega-3 index had a lower white matter hyperintensity burden, they reported in Neurologyopens in a new tab or window.

The omega-3 index combined docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentrations measured by gas chromatography.

The study is one of the first to identify relationships between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), like DHA and EPA, and brain health in a younger population.

"The new contribution here is that, even at younger ages, if you have a diet that includes some omega-3 fatty acids, you are already protecting your brain for most of the indicators of brain aging that we see at middle age," Satizabal said in a statement.

Omega-3 fatty acids are obtained largely from dietary sources like cold-water, oily fish or omega-3 fortified foods, or through nutritional supplements. In the brain, DHA is incorporated into neuronal and glial cell membranes. Both DHA and EPA are metabolized into bioactive molecules involved in neurogenesis, neurotransmission, and inflammation resolution.

In older adults, observational studies have suggested that higher DHA and EPA intake may be protective for Alzheimer'sopens in a new tab or window disease. Omega-3 fatty acid levels also may protect older brainsopens in a new tab or window from environmental exposures like air pollution. Studies have linked pro-inflammatory diets, which are low in omega-3s, to brain volume and other markers of brain agingopens in a new tab or window in older people.

"Despite the beneficial associations observed for brain outcomes in population-based and experimental studies, results from dietary intervention studies using omega-3 PUFA supplementation have been inconsistent," Satizabal and colleagues pointed out.

"These studies may be hampered in part by interventions that are deemed too late in the course of the disease, when individuals may have already experienced significant neuronal damage," they noted.

The researchers evaluated 2,183 predominantly middle-aged people in the Framingham Heart Study Third-Generation and Omni 2 cohorts who were dementia-free and stroke-free at baseline. Overall, 53% were women and 22% were APOE4 carriers.

Participants had brain MRI and cognitive function tests for episodic memory, processing speed, executive function, and abstract reasoning.

Higher levels of all omega-3 predictors -- EPA, DHA, and the omega-3 index -- were linked with larger hippocampal volumes when modeled continuously. Every standard deviation unit increase of log-transformed omega-3 index was related to 0.003 cm³ larger hippocampal volume relative to intracranial volume. Associations between higher omega-3 PUFA and larger hippocampal volumes remained significant after accounting for vascular risk factors.

All three omega-3 predictors were tied to better abstract reasoning test scores. Participants in the top three quartiles of EPA levels had better abstract reasoning performance than those in the bottom EPA quartile. Again, associations remained after adjusting for vascular risk factors.

Higher levels of all omega-3 predictors also were linked with reduced white matter hyperintensity volume in APOE4 carriers. Increasing EPA levels were tied to better performance in abstract reasoning tests in APOE4 carriers, but not in non-carriers.

The findings suggest that modest omega-3 consumption may be enough to preserve brain function, the researchers noted. "This is in line with the current American Heart Associationopens in a new tab or window dietary guidelines to consume at least two servings of fish per week to improve cardiovascular health," Satizabal said.

"These results need to be confirmed with additional research, but it's exciting that omega-3 levels could play a role in improving cognitive resilience, even in middle-aged people," she added.

Limitations include a largely white population in the study cohort and the cross-sectional design of the study, which provided only a snapshot in time, the researchers acknowledged.

• Judy George covers neurology and neuroscience news for MedPage Today, writing about brain aging, Alzheimer’s, dementia, MS, rare diseases, epilepsy, autism, headache, stroke, Parkinson’s, ALS, concussion, CTE, sleep, pain, and more. Follow

Disclosures

The study was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute on Aging, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Satizabal disclosed no relationships with industry. Co-authors disclosed relationships with Novartis Pharmaceuticals, OmegaQuant Analytics, Brainspan, Eisai, and Biogen.

Primary Source

Neurology

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowSatizabal CL, et al "Association of red blood cell omega-3 fatty acids with MRI markers and cognitive function in midlife: The Framingham Heart Study" Neurology 2022; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201296.

Healthy habits in midlife may help delay onset of cognitive decline

Well, I assume I'm in midlife right now at age 66 since I'm going for 100+.

Healthy habits in midlife may help delay onset of cognitive decline 

LAS VEGAS — To slow or stave off symptoms relating to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, individuals should make healthy habits a priority early in life, according to a presenter at BRAINWeek 2022.

Gary Small

“How can we forestall the effects of Alzheimer’s disease?” Gary Small, MD, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center, asked during his presentation. “This is something that is affecting all of us — our own aging and memory concerns and also those of relatives and friends.”

Source: Adobe Stock.

Small used the example of Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 in France at the age of 122, as well as the discovery of “blue zones” in Italy, Costa Rica and Japan — regions with a higher rate of older adults living beyond their 80s and 90s — to address the question of how to age well with as much cognitive faculties as possible.

It begins, Small, said with nongenetic factors, which include healthy behaviors with respect to exercise(daily walks up to 10,000 steps), diet(Yep, lots of coffee and wine.), mental activities
(Sudoku and ken-ken)and social interactions(I have lots of these.). Older adults who have “done their living” and are more motivated to make better, healthier choices are in turn likely to have fewer memory concerns and better cognitive function.

Increased attention to and reliance on technology, Small reasoned, doesn’t necessarily lead to poorer memory and decreased cognitive abilities. Although there is a clear generational divide with the use of digital devices such as iPads, Small cited several online games(What are they? Ask your doctor.) that can train a 70-year-old mind to perform like a 20-year-old’s with repetition over a period of several weeks.

Strategic interventions relating to learning, visualization and memory, as well as simultaneous and sequential exercises combined with physical movement such as stationary cycling, lead to improvements in visual memory and executive function, Small stated.

In addition, getting better sleep, making social connections and performing focused exercise such as tai chi can boost immune response and cognitive strength. However, according to Small, a variety of stress mitigation techniques are especially crucial, as increased stress levels lead to a twofold greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Weight and BMI also have negative correlations with memory development, Small said. Healthy eating habits are likely to boost one’s attitude and self-perception, which in turn can provide motivation to continue making better health decisions.

“If you know broccoli is a better side dish than French fries, you’re more inclined to choose broccoli,” Small said.

Timing for these changes, he continued, is key. An individual should begin during the period of midlife when the normal course of aging begins to give way to mild cognitive impairment. To help guide patients to make positive lifestyle changes, physicians should focus on education, creating fun and easy programs to follow, and emphasizing results to encourage healthy behaviors.

“Brain healthy habits can improve our quality of life right now and possibly stave off future symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s,” Small said.

Moderately vigorous physical activity in midlife linked to better cognition at old age

I took up whitewater canoeing at age 40, biked to work 9 months out of the year, did lots of cross country skiing. I was in shape until the stroke kicked me to the curb at age 50. I plan on being cognitively sharp until age 100 and will continue to harass the stroke medical world until they listen to me.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160909/Moderately-vigorous-physical-activity-in-midlife-linked-to-better-cognition-at-old-age.aspx

A new study of 3050 twins finds moderately vigorous physical activity - i.e., more strenuous than walking - to be associated with better cognition in a 25-year follow-up.
A long-term follow-up study of 3050 twins from the Finnish Twin Cohort has shown that midlife, moderately vigorous physical activity is associated with better cognition at old age. The association was statistically independent of midlife hypertension, smoking, education level, sex, obesity and binge drinking. "This suggests that the beneficial influence of physical activity on the brain and cognition is not solely based on decreasing vascular risk factors", says researcher Paula Iso-Markku from the University of Helsinki.
The association was studied first in all individuals of the cohort, and then by comparing later cognition in pairs where one twin was more physically active than the other.
Increasing the volume of physical activity was not, however, associated with increased memory-protecting benefits. Instead, quite a moderate amount of physical activity was found to be sufficient for memory-protecting benefits, and only the most inactive group of twins stood out with a significantly higher risk for cognitive impairment.

"Overall, the study shows that moderately vigorous physical activity, meaning more strenuous than walking, is associated with better cognition after an average of 25 years", states Professor Urho Kujala from the University of Jyväskylä.
This finding is in accordance with earlier animal model studies, which have shown that physical activity increases the amount of growth factors in the brain and improves synaptic plasticity.
The prevalence of dementia has increased with aging populations both in Finland and globally. Although the incidence of dementia seems to have decreased in less senior generations, the total prevalence of dementia is still expected to rise. No cure for dementia exists, but during the last decade research has produced an abundance of new information on dementia prevention. The traditional vascular risk factors (elevated blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, diabetes and lack of exercise) have also been associated with dementia risk. "However, few long-term, high-quality, follow-up studies on physical activity and cognition have been published, and it has remained unclear what type and amount of exercise is needed to safeguard cognition", Iso-Markku says.
The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, was conducted by scientists at the universities of Helsinki, Jyväskylä and Turku. The twins provided information on physical activity through questionnaire surveys from 1975 and 1981 (mean age in 1981: 49 years), while cognition was assessed by validated telephone interviews conducted between 1999 and 2015.

Source:

Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki)