Divorce, bereavement and financial hardship age people’s brains by around four months, new research suggests.
A single ‘fateful life event’ (FLE), which may also include miscarriages, causes the regions of older men’s brains linked to memory, attention and thought to become thinner, a study found.
Study author Dr Sean Hatton, from the University of California, San Diego, said: ‘Having more midlife FLEs, particularly relating to divorce/separation or a family death, was associated with advanced predicted brain ageing.’
This is thought to be due to such incidents causing ‘internal’ stress, which leads to cell damage, reduced immunity and genetic changes, according to the researchers.
It is unclear whether such ‘older’ brains increase people’s risk of conditions like dementia or mental-health disorders.
Previous figures show between 40 and 50 percent of marriages in the US end in divorce.
Divorce and financial hardship age people’s brains by around four months (stock)
How the research was carried out
The researchers analysed 359 men aged between 57 and 66 years old who were participating in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging.
The men were asked to record life-changing events that took place over the the past two years.
These were then compared against a similar list collected five years before the participants joined the study.
Within a month of completing the latter list, the men underwent MRI scans and other health assessments.
The researchers note the study was carried out on a snapshot of people, adding it is unclear if women or younger people are similarly affected by FLEs.
They add their findings may help people understand their brain health relative to their age.
The findings were published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
Marriage boosts the survival of heart disease patients by 52%
This comes after research released last December suggested married people with heart disease are up to 52 percent less likely to die from the condition.
They also have a 24 percent reduced risk of dying prematurely from any cause compared to those who are divorced, separated, widowed or never wed, the first study of its kind found.
Lead author Dr Arshed Quyyumi from Emory University, said: ‘I was somewhat surprised by the magnitude of the influence of being married has.
‘Social support provided by marriage, and perhaps many other benefits of companionship, are important for people with heart disease.’
The researchers believe the social-support networks that come with marriage, along with dodging the emotional and financial stress of divorce, may boost heart disease patients’ survival.
Previous studies found heart disease patients benefit from having husbands and wives who nag them to lead healthy lifestyles.