Human Brains Getting Bigger, And It's Good News For Some: Study

The size of human brain is increasing, a new study has revealed. It added that this gradual increase could reduce the risk of dementia in younger generations. The research, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, is based on the image analysis of more than 3,000 participants in the US who were between the ages of 55 and 65. The team from University of California (UC) Davis Health concluded that those born in the 1970s (Generation X) have a 6.6 per cent greater overall brain volume than those born in the 1930s.

The study also found that Generation X has 8 per cent greater volume of white matter and 15 per cent more gray matter than the member of the previous generation.

The hippocampus, which plays a major role in memory in learning, expanded by 5.7 per cent in volume compared to previous generation.

The change was perceptible even after considering other factors like height, age and sex.

The research was led by Charles DeCarli from the University of California Davis, who said, "The decade someone is born appears to impact brain size and potentially long-term brain health."

"Genetics plays a major role in determining brain size, but our findings indicate external influences - such as health, social, cultural and educational factors - may also play a role," he told Science Alert.

The researcher said the increased size of the brain will lead to increased reserve against the diseases of aging, "consequently reducing overall risk of dementia".

The disease affects millions of people across the world, especially due to increase in ageing population in many countries.

But this study seems to be in line with the recent trends that show incidence of dementia decreasing in every decade. The risk of disease is also considerably low in younger generations because of their healthier lifestyles and upbringing.