There is a direct correlation between memory-related regions of the brain shrinking with age, and the tendency to develop neurodegenerative disease.
Researchers studied brain data collected from 848 people across their adult lifespan and found reduced brain volumes in memory-associated regions were related to declines in cognitive ability and the presence of known biological markers for Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers noted the greatest decline in volume was in Alzheimer’s patients and in those who progressed from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.
Read more at Cornell University