Age is only a number!
"... A longitudinal study on life, sexuality, and mental sharpness in the US has now shown that sexual activity in older people, who do not live in nursing homes, is linked to better cognitive function down the road. ...
The dataset is nationally representative and includes information on how often Americans have voluntary, partnered sex (not necessarily intercourse), the level of pleasure they derive from that sex (orgasm or no), and how emotionally satisfying they find their sexual relationships. ...
Among those aged 75 to 90, the frequency of sex appeared to be key. This group was found to have significantly better cognitive function five years on if they were currently having sex at least once a week.
For adults aged 62 to 74, on the other hand, the most important factor for future brain health was the quality of sex being had, in terms of both physical and emotional aspects. ...
But while research has found that sex can have mental and physical health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, reduced distress, and improved happiness and well-being, its impact on the health of the aging brain is largely unknown. ...
Lastly, sex may improve cognitive function through the release of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter linked to improved memory. ..."
From the abstract:
"Using a life course approach, we examined how sexuality is related to cognitive function for partnered older adults. We utilized longitudinal data from two rounds of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) to analyze 1,683 respondents. Cognitive function was measured using a continuous Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. We considered both sexual frequency and sexual quality (i.e., physical pleasure, emotional satisfaction). We estimated cross-lagged models to consider the potential reciprocal relationship between sexuality and cognitive function. Results indicated that sexuality was not related to later cognitive function in the total sample, but the pattern varied by age and gender. For adults aged 62–74, better sexual quality (i.e., feelings of physical pleasure and emotional satisfaction) was related to better cognitive functioning, while for those aged 75–90, more frequent sex was related to better cognitive functioning. Feelings of physical pleasure were related to better cognitive functioning for men but not women. There was no evidence of cognitive functioning being related to later sexuality. The findings highlight the importance of age and gender in modifying the link between sexuality and cognition in later life."
Is Sex Good for Your Brain? A National Longitudinal Study on Sexuality and Cognitive Function among Older Adults in the United States (no public access)
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