Tough caring responsibilities reduce brain function in people over 50, but light caring responsibilities may actually benefit mental performance in middle age, new research from UCL has found.
Regarding this research, age and aging, The researchers used data from the UK Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA) from 2004-05 to 2021-23. ELSA is a long-term, nationally representative survey led by UCL that collects a wide range of information from around 20,000 people aged 50 and over in the UK who are re-interviewed every two years.
The survey consists of 12 topics and includes information about participants’ caregiving responsibilities and physical and mental health.
In this study, researchers used information about caregiving responsibilities and responses under the topic of cognitive function.
Cognitive functions relate to mental processes in general, including basic functions such as paying attention and retaining information.
To measure the rate at which brain function changes over time, the researchers focused on questions designed to assess an individual’s “executive function,” or the higher-order ability to juggle competing tasks and make decisions, as well as memory.
Executive function was measured using study participants’ scores (from 0 to 63) when asked to name as many different animals as possible in one minute. Memory was assessed using participants’ total score (from 0 to 20) when participants were given 10 common words to memorize immediately and after a short delay.
The researchers paired 2,765 caregivers and 2,765 non-caregivers, all over the age of 50, using a statistical method known as propensity score matching, which reduces selection bias by simulating randomization.
They found that people who provided highly intensive care (more than 50 hours a week), cared for in the home, or cared for a spouse/partner had a faster decline in brain function than those who did not provide care.
Conversely, those who took on low-intensity caregiving responsibilities (5 to 9 hours per week), cared for outside the home, or cared for parents or in-laws experienced a slower decline in brain function than non-caregivers.
Building on previous research from UCL, we found that heavy carers experience additional levels of cognitive decline, equivalent to around a third of the normal decline associated with age. In contrast, light caregivers had a slower decline, effectively offsetting about one-third of the normal annual decline in brain function.
Changes in memory followed a similar pattern, but were much weaker than changes in executive function. These effects were not influenced by caregiver gender or wealth.
Our research shows that the caring responsibilities that many people take on later in life can be a double-edged sword.
On the other hand, while a lighter level of caregiving responsibilities can be good because people can get mental stimulation from interacting with their loved ones and those they are helping, giving them a sense of purpose and usefulness, being overloaded with caregiving tasks can have the exact opposite effect and accelerate people’s mental decline in that they are no longer as mentally sharp and quick-thinking as they once were.
Because caring for a loved one at home often involves long hours of care, we found that in-home care, caring for a spouse or partner, and even long hours of care can also have these negative effects. ”
Dr Baowen Xue, UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Healthcare Lead Author
Researchers are calling on the government to give “intensive” carers, or those with a heavy caregiving workload, better access to funded formal and alternative care.
Dr Xue added: “By 2040, around 20% of adults in the UK will be living with a serious illness. With the NHS struggling to cope and social care in crisis, much of this increased demand for care will fall on family members and friends who step in as unpaid carers.”
“Our findings show that this change is having a significant impact. Carer wellbeing is often overlooked and there is a real risk that many people overburdened with caregiving responsibilities will suffer the consequences.
“Intensive carers are most at risk and need stronger support, including better access to funded formal care and alternative care, to prevent overload. Low-intensity carers, who may benefit cognitively, should be supported to make their caregiving roles more manageable.”
“For policymakers, understanding the impact on caregiver health, as revealed by our findings, will be essential in designing policies and interventions that protect both care providers and care recipients.”
In this study, caring status was measured using responses to the question, “Did you care for someone last week?” If you answered yes, please also tell us how many hours you cared for someone in the past week.
Researchers also looked at survey participants’ responses about whether their caregiver lived with them and their relationship with that person.
Research limitations
The first survey in 2002 did not collect data on caregiving responsibilities, so researchers aggregated data from surveys two (2004-5) through 10 (2021-23), excluding partners under 50.
Similarly, executive function was not measured in six studies from 2009 to 2011 (Wave 6). To address this, the researchers used the average of each participant’s score at Waves 5 and 7.
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university college london
Reference magazines:
Xue, B. Others. (2026) Associations between becoming a carer in later life and changes in cognitive functioning trajectories: Results from the British Longitudinal Study of Aging. age and aging. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afag132. https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/55/5/afag132/8676595
