Study Finds Memory Decline with Age Linked to Widespread Brain Changes

A large international study analyzing over 10,000 MRI scans and 13,000 memory tests from 3,700 healthy adults found that age-related memory decline results from widespread structural brain changes rather than damage to a single region or gene. While the hippocampus is important, multiple brain areas contribute, with memory loss accelerating as brain tissue shrinkage increases, especially in later life. The findings, published in Nature Communications, highlight complex brain aging beyond known genetic risks like APOE e4.