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Do Mom and Dad really know best? A recent study seems to suggest so.

Newresearch finds that parents tend to show higher brain connectivity later in life, connecting raising kids with long-term cognitive benefits.1

This new report, which studied 19,964 females and 17,607 males from the UK Biobank, found that parents who raised children experienced better protection against functional brain aging later in life—and that parenting a higher number of children was associated with higher levels of neuro-connectivity.

“These results are striking, but not necessarily surprising,” Edwina R. Orchard, the lead researcher on this study, told Parents. “There is a growing literature in humans and animals that is consistent with these results, suggesting benefits to the structure and function of the brain in parents with more children.”

Does this mean parents are the smartest people? Not necessarily.

Dr. Hannah Homafar, a Board-certified Neurologist, says this study does not establish causation—only a correlation between parenthood and brain function later in life. So, it’s not clear if parenthood, in particular, improves brain health, or if the benefit is found in the enriching activities that parenthood encourages.

“Engaging in meaningful relationships, staying socially connected, and continuously challenging the brain—whether through caregiving, mentorship, or other complex activities—are all factors that may contribute to cognitive longevity,” Dr. Homafar says.

Still, this study brings promising news for parents—and anyone interested in bettering their cognitive health.

“Understanding these nuances could provide valuable insights for brain health at large, including strategies for preserving cognitive function in aging populations,” she says.

Why Is Parenthood Associated With Better Brain Function?

In this study, protection against functional brain aging was seen in both females and males, suggesting the common parenting environment, rather than pregnancy alone, affects brain function.

Ryan Glatt, a Medical Exercise Specialist and Brain Health Coach, notes that this study doesn’t set out to prove how the parenting environment may help brain function, just that there is a connection. Still, experts have some hypotheses on how parenting could improve brain health.

Benefits of Parenting Challenges

For one thing, Glatt says the subjects’ higher functioning brain connectivity in old age may be thanks to the many mental challenges that come with parenting. From planning family schedules to helping kids with homework, being a parent is often mentally challenging.

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