Having children may keep your brain younger and fitter, says new study

The research suggests that despite the challenges of parenting, such as exhaustion and stress, having children can benefit the brain in the long run

A new study has found that having children might help keep the brain fitter and younger. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), is the largest of its kind, involving 37,000 adults.

 

The study by Rutgers Health and Yale University suggests that despite the challenges of parenting, such as exhaustion and stress, having children can benefit the brain in the long run. It provides cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and social interaction, which help in maintaining brain health.

 

"We find parenting more children is associated with higher brain-wide functional connectivity, especially in networks associated with movement and sensation," the study stated.

 

 

Fathers also benefit

 

Most studies on parenthood focus mainly on mothers, as they physically carry and give birth to children. However, this research included over 17,000 men. The findings revealed that even though fathers do not experience pregnancy, raising children significantly impacts their brain health.

 

"These same networks showed lower functional connectivity associated with higher age, suggesting that parenthood might protect against functional brain ageing. This effect is observed in both females and males, implicating the caregiving environment, rather than pregnancy alone," the report states.

 

More children, better brain health

 

The study also found that the positive effects on brain health increase with the number of children.

 

“We're seeing a widespread pattern of functional alterations, where a higher number of children parented is associated with increased functional connectivity, especially in parts of the brain related to movement, sensation and social connection,” said Avram Holmes, a psychiatry professor at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Human Brain Imageing Research and the lead author of the study.

 

More research needed

 

The study challenges the belief that raising children leads to mental exhaustion and negatively affects the brain. However, researchers cautioned that since the study focused on participants from the UK, more global studies are needed to confirm these findings.

 

They also emphasised that further research is necessary to understand how parenting can help prevent brain ageing. These findings could be important in fighting issues like loneliness and dementia, especially as fewer people are choosing to have children.

 

Other studies also suggest similar insights

 

Several studies also suggest that parenting can help keep the brain younger and healthier. For example, a 2016 study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that parents, especially mothers, had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, according to a New York Post report.

 

Similarly, a 2022 study in Psychology and ageing showed that parents had better memory and cognitive function in old age due to increased social interaction and mental stimulation.

 

Further, research from the University of Southern California (2020) found that parenthood increases gray matter in areas linked to empathy, problem-solving, and social skills.

 

Fatherhood also plays a key role in brain health. A 2019 study from the University of Denver found that first-time fathers showed increased brain activity in areas related to motivation and emotional connection, helping with stress management and emotional intelligence, according to a report by The Times.