Depression and anxiety can cause the brain to age faster. Photo: File
London: A study has shown that constant depression and anxiety make the brain older than its actual age.
The biggest difference that experts have discovered is the difference of two years between actual age and mental age. This shows that stress, depression and anxiety can cause the brain to age faster. But this condition can be overcome with proper diet, exercise and staying optimistic.
Scientists at King’s College London examined a total of 110,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, a British database. According to the head of the team, Dr. Julian Mewes, in this, they have examined the state and mind of people suffering from bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.
They have closely observed biomarkers and other factors that indicate mental aging in people. It was later found that the brains of persistent bipolar disorder sufferers age faster. Thus, depression and bipolar condition in particular severely affect the neurological health of the brain.
Thus, bipolar condition can age the brain by two years, depression by one year and anxiety by 8 months. Experts have said that such people should make exercise a habit, spend time with friends and loved ones and not let loneliness dominate. In this way, their mind can stay young.
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