Summary: A recent study found that older adults who engage in sexual activity more frequently tend to score higher on certain cognitive tests.
Source: Coventry University.
Frequent sexual activity is associated with better performance on specific cognitive tests in older adults, according to research by Coventry and Oxford universities.
In the study, researchers observed that participants who reported more regular sexual activity performed better on tests measuring verbal fluency and visuospatial ability — two cognitive domains important for everyday thinking and problem solving.
The research, published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological and Social Sciences, involved 73 adults aged 50 to 83. Participants completed a questionnaire about their average sexual activity over the previous year (categorized as never, monthly or weekly) and provided information about their general health and lifestyle.
The sample included 28 men and 45 women who also completed the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III), a widely used assessment that evaluates attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial skills in older adults.
Verbal fluency tasks in the ACE-III required participants to name as many animals as possible in 60 seconds and to list as many words as they could beginning with the letter F. These timed tasks measure higher-level abilities such as executive control and working memory. Visuospatial tasks required participants to copy a complex design and draw a clock face from memory, assessing visual perception and spatial organization.
Study results showed the strongest association between weekly sexual activity and higher scores on verbal fluency and visuospatial subtests. Participants who reported weekly sexual activity achieved the highest scores on these measures, while frequency of sexual activity did not appear to influence attention, memory or language test scores—where participants performed similarly regardless of reported sexual activity levels.
This work extends earlier findings from 2016 that reported a positive association between sexual activity and cognitive performance in older adults. The current study broadened the investigation by examining how varying frequencies of sexual activity relate to a wider range of cognitive domains.
The authors suggest that further research should explore biological pathways that might explain the link between sexual activity and cognitive function, including the potential roles of neurochemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin. Understanding these mechanisms could clarify whether sexual activity contributes directly to cognitive health or whether other factors underlie the observed relationship.
Lead researcher Dr Hayley Wright, from Coventry University’s Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, commented on the findings:
“We can only speculate whether this is driven by social or physical elements – but an area we would like to research further is the biological mechanisms that may influence this.
“Every time we do another piece of research we are getting a little bit closer to understanding why this association exists at all, what the underlying mechanisms are, and whether there is a ‘cause and effect’ relationship between sexual activity and cognitive function in older people.
“People don’t like to think that older people have sex – but we need to challenge this conception at a societal level and look at what impact sexual activity can have on those aged 50 and over, beyond the known effects on sexual health and general wellbeing.”
Source: Coventry University
Image Source: Public domain
Original Research: Wright H., Jenks R. A., & Demeyere N. (2017). “Frequent sexual activity predicts specific cognitive abilities in older adults.” The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological and Social Sciences. Published online June 21, 2017. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbx065
Suggested citation formats (no external links included):
MLA: Coventry University. “Frequent Sexual Activity Can Boost Brain Power in Older Adults.” Neuroscience News, 22 June 2017.
APA: Coventry University (2017, June 22). Frequent Sexual Activity Can Boost Brain Power in Older Adults. Neuroscience News.
Chicago: Coventry University. “Frequent Sexual Activity Can Boost Brain Power in Older Adults.” Neuroscience News. Accessed June 22, 2017.
Abstract
Frequent sexual activity predicts specific cognitive abilities in older adults
Objectives:
This study replicates and extends previous research that identified an association between sexual activity and cognitive function in older age. The aim was to determine whether increasing frequency of sexual activity corresponds with higher performance across a range of cognitive domains.
Methods:
Seventy-three participants aged 50–83 (38.4% male, 61.6% female) completed the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) and a questionnaire reporting sexual activity frequency (never, monthly, or weekly), along with general health and lifestyle information.
Results:
Regression analyses controlling for age, gender, education and cardiovascular health showed weekly sexual activity significantly predicted higher total ACE-III scores, and specifically higher fluency and visuospatial subtest scores.
Discussion:
Greater frequency of sexual activity was associated with improved overall cognitive performance on the ACE-III and particularly with tasks relying on working memory and executive function, such as verbal fluency and visuospatial ability. The authors discuss potential links between sexual behavior, memory and dopamine, and note implications for maintaining intimate relationships and cognitive health in later life.
Reference: Wright H., Jenks R. A., & Demeyere N. (2017). “Frequent sexual activity predicts specific cognitive abilities in older adults.” The Journals of Gerontology, Series B. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbx065