Research results show that sex has a positive effect on cognitive function in elderly people
Sex enriches life, but little is known about how sex affects the human brain and aging. A new study conducted by researchers
Is Sex Good for Your Brain? A National Longitudinal Study on Sexuality and Cognitive Function among Older Adults in the United States: The Journal of Sex Research: Vol 0, No 0
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2023.2238257
Sexual activity predicts enhanced cognitive function in older adults, study finds
https://www.psypost.org/2023/10/sexual-activity-predicts-enhanced-cognitive-function-in-older-adults-study-finds-213954
Sex Appears to Protect Brain Health in Older Adults, Scientists Say : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/sex-appears-to-protect-brain-health-in-older-adults-scientists-say
It is generally thought that the frequency of sex decreases as you get older, but an American study reported that 53% of elderly people aged 65 to 74 continue to have sex. It has also been found that older people who have decreased sexual desire and frequency of sex are more likely to report poor health and have lower levels of happiness.
'I focus on sexual relationships because they are a form of intimate social relationship that is often overlooked in the elderly population,' said Shannon Shen, a sociologist at Hope College. Although there are many studies on functional decline, there are very few studies that consider how physical relationships are beneficial for cognitive function.
Therefore, Shen and his team analyzed data collected from older adults living in the United States by the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) , a longitudinal research project, to examine the effects of sex on older adults' cognitive function. I did.
To analyze changes in the data over time, the researchers surveyed 2,409 respondents who completed at least both Round 1, conducted in 2005-2006, and Round 2, conducted in 2010-2011. Extract. They further narrowed the search by items such as ``age 62 or older,'' ``cognitive function,'' and ``married or living with a partner, or whether or not they have a sexual partner.'' In the end, data from 1,683 respondents was analyzed. thing.
Subjects' cognitive function was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment , and their sexual activity was assessed in terms of how often they had sex, how much physical pleasure they derived from sex, and their emotional satisfaction.
An analysis of the data found that older adults aged 75 to 90 who had sex at least once a week had better cognitive function five years later compared to those who had no sex in the past year. A trend was observed. This suggests that the frequency of sex may improve cognitive function in older adults.
Furthermore, in the case of relatively young elderly people aged 62 to 74, the relationship between sex and cognitive function was found to be related to the quality of sex. Elderly people in this age group who reported having ``very enjoyable and satisfying sex'' had higher cognitive function five years later than those who did not enjoy sex.
Both men and women showed an association between sex frequency and cognitive function, but for men the physical pleasure of sex was associated with cognitive function 5 years later, whereas for women a similar trend was observed. It is reported that it was not possible.
In this study, while it was possible to predict later cognitive function from the frequency of sex at a certain point in time, it was not possible to predict later sex frequency from cognitive function at a certain point in time. 'We were surprised to find no significant results regarding the association between cognitive function and sexual activity or sexual quality five years later,' said Shen.
The research team explains why the frequency of sex affects later cognitive function: ``Physical activity associated with sex improves cardiovascular health, which in turn increases blood flow to the brain and improves cognitive function.'' ``Stress is known to impede the growth of some neurons associated with memory, and sex reduces this stress, leading to improved cognitive function.'' ``Sex improves dopamine , which is associated with memory. He proposed a hypothesis that 'it improves cognitive function by promoting release.'
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