Memory loss is often associated with older age, but new research from Binghamton University suggests that changes in memory may begin much earlier—potentially during middle age.

Researchers Ian McDonough and Destaw Mekbib studied around 60 adults between the ages of 18 and 74. Participants were shown faces paired with objects and scenes and later asked to recall the correct associations while their brain activity was monitored using MRI.

The study found a notable decline in memory accuracy between people in their 20s and 30s and those in their 50s, indicating that some hippocampal processes may begin changing during midlife. Middle-aged and older participants were more likely to recognize that they had seen an image before but struggle to remember the specific object or scene associated with it.

Interestingly, older adults who made memory errors showed strong reactivation of the hippocampus—the brain region involved in forming and retrieving memories. Unlike younger adults, stronger reactivation in older participants was linked to incorrect memories rather than better recall.

The findings suggest that memory changes are not limited to later life and that middle age may represent an important transition period for brain and memory function. Researchers say more long-term studies of people during midlife are needed to better understand when these changes begin and what factors may influence them.

Source: https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/6436/memory-decline-starts-earlier-than-you-think-new-research-suggests