Lifetime trauma linked to dementia and memory problems in older Australians, study

by Australian Catholic University

edited by Swati Mestri, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

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The study of more than 1,800 older Australians found that people who had experienced lifetime trauma were more likely to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia and performed worse on working memory and executive function tests.

However, stressful events experienced in the previous six months were not associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.

Lead author Dr. Yvonne Leung from ACU's School of Behavioural and Health Sciences said the findings suggest the effects of traumatic experiences could extend well into later life.

"Traumatic experiences across a lifetime, not just recent stress, matter for cognitive health in older age," Leung said.

"Life's hardest experiences can leave a lasting mark on the brain, but our findings suggest that psychological resilience may help and that men and women draw on it in different ways."

Published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, the research found people with higher psychological resilience—the ability to withstand or recover from adversity—performed better on tests of executive function.

It also found associations between trauma, resilience and cognitive function were generally stronger in men than in women.

Leung said men and women can experience and respond to trauma differently, but few studies have explored whether resilience protects cognitive health after adversity or whether its effects differ by sex.

"Resilience is not fixed. It may grow over time through personal experience and social support, which makes it a promising target for supporting healthy cognitive aging," she said.

Further research was needed to examine whether traumatic experiences, including combat among veterans and domestic violence, have different effects on cognitive health.

"We need to understand which social and individual factors build resilience and whether strengthening it could protect the aging brain, especially for people with a history of trauma," Leung said.

More information

Yvonne Leung et al., Adverse life events and cognition in older adults: the role of gender and psychological resilience, The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbag100

Key medical concepts

DementiaMild Cognitive ImpairmentResilience, PsychologicalExecutive Function

Clinical categories

NeurologyPsychology & Mental healthPsychiatryHealthy agingCommon illnesses & Prevention Provided by Australian Catholic University Who's behind this story?

Swati Mestri

Swati Mestri holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space. Full profile →

Andrew Zinin

Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →

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