A stronger sense of purpose in life may be associated with healthier brain aging, new research suggests.

A team of researchers, including Angelina R. Sutin, Ph.D., Martina Luchetti, Ph.D., Yannick Stephan, Ph.D., and Antonio Terracciano, Ph.D., analyzed data from more than 4,000 adults to examine whether a greater sense of purpose is associated with biological markers of brain health.

Participants reported on their sense of purpose and provided venous blood samples. Researchers analyzed neurobiomarkers in the plasma and serum from those samples to examine four markers associated with brain health. Of the four biomarkers, neurofilament light (NfL), a protein that can increase when nerve cells are damaged, was the only one associated with sense of purpose.

The findings showed that individuals with a greater sense of purpose had lower levels of NfL, adding to growing evidence that psychological well-being may be linked to brain health and healthy aging.