Brain Size Increasing over Time: A Positive Sign for Alzheimer’s Research?

Charles DeCarli, a professor of neurology at UC Davis Health and the study’s author, has revealed that people’s brains are getting larger over time. The recent research conducted by UC Davis Health Medical Center and published in the journal JAMA Neurology suggests that this could be a positive sign that conditions like Alzheimer’s are improving. The study examined data from the Framingham Heart Study, which spanned 75 years, analyzing MRI images of over 3,200 individuals born between 1925 and 1968.

The findings showed a gradual and steady increase in brain size over time, with additional mass found in the gray matter, white matter, and hippocampus. These brain regions are crucial for memory, learning, and communication between different brain areas. The researchers view these results as promising, suggesting that age-related memory decline, including Alzheimer’s, may be improving in the general population.

According to DeCarli, genetics play a significant role in determining brain size. However, external factors such as health, society, culture, and education also have some influence. The study sheds light on the importance of factors like genetics, health