Summarised by Centrist
Raising children might keep parents’ brains younger. A new study analysing brain scans from nearly 38,000 UK adults found that parents showed stronger brain connectivity in regions that typically decline with age.
Lead researcher Avram Holmes from Rutgers University found that parts of the brain usually slow down with ageing. Yet, those same brain areas stay more active and connected in parents with multiple children.
The effect was seen in both mothers and fathers, suggesting that caregiving itself—not just pregnancy—provides cognitive benefits. Notably, men with more children also showed stronger grip strength—another marker of cognitive resilience.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that parents of more children had better connectivity in networks responsible for movement and sensation.
These findings align with broader research on aging, where greater social connectivity and physical engagement predict better long-term brain health.
Parenting may be a form of mental exercise, requiring heightened sensory awareness, problem-solving, and social engagement. “The caregiving environment, rather than pregnancy alone, appears important since we see these effects in both mothers and fathers,” Holmes said.
The study does not imply that child-free adults are at a disadvantage, but challenges the common view that raising children simply adds stress.
