A study from Yale University linked cognitive decline to genetics for the first time ever.
A team from Yale University has identified genes associated with brain aging in a study of over 1,100 people between the ages of 18 and 83. Researchers said that white matter plays a role in how a person’s brain learns and operates, and genetic material shared in biological relatives seemingly foretold the brain-function changes observed with age. They said they demonstrated a heritable basis for neurocognitive deterioration with age that could be attributed to genetic factors. So decreasing white matter integrity with age was influenced by genes.