June 15, 2007 (Insidermedicine) People who get upset easily are more likely to develop memory problems as they age than more easygoing people, according to a study published in the journal Neurology.

Memory loss is associated with increased disability and death, but its development is not well understood.

To investigate whether emotions are involved in memory loss, researchers studied more than 1,200 people with no memory loss whose average age was 77 and followed them for 12 years. The participants were evaluated on their tendency to experience distress and negative emotions by rating their level of agreement with statements such as “I am not a worrier”, “I often feel tense and jittery”, and “I often get angry at the way people treat me”.

During the follow-up, participants had medical checkups and took mental skill tests. During that time, 38% developed mild memory loss, which is marked by memory problems that aren’t severe enough to qualify for a diagnosis of dementia.

It was found that people most prone to psychological distress were more likely to develop mild memory loss than their more positive peers. Those with the highest degree of mental distress were about 42% more likely to develop mild memory loss than those with the lowest levels.

These findings suggest that, over a lifetime, chronic psychological stress can affect the area of the brain that governs memory. Ways to counter memory loss in old age could include participating in social activities, getting regular exercise and rest, and taking time to engage in hobbies or other enjoyable activities.

Reporting for Insidermedicine, I’m Dr. Susan Sharma.