As people age, they display a bias in recognizing emotions as positive—to the point of improperly labeling neutral or negative emotions as positive. Some researchers theorize this bias is an adaptive mechanism to support mental and emotional wellness, but new evidence suggests it may be a sign of cognitive decline. In a new JNeurosci paper, Noham Wolpe, from Tel Aviv University, and colleagues, from the University of Cambridge, advance understanding on what this positive emotion bias that elders exhibit signifies about their brains’ health.
A large pool of participants (665) viewed faces in an emotion recognition task. Age-related positivity bias correlated with poorer cognitive performance in two assessments, but not necessarily emotional decline as measured by examining nonclinical depressive symptoms. The researchers also observed structural changes in brain areas associated with emotional processing and changes in how these areas communicate to another brain region involved in social decisions. Thus, positivity bias from aging impacts the brain in observable ways that could be leveraged clinically to detect early rising signs of age-related neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
Says Wolpe of the group’s next steps, “We are exploring how these findings relate to older adults with early cognitive decline, particularly those showing signs of apathy, which is often another early sign of dementia.”
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About JNeurosci
JNeurosci was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today, the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact, while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship.
About The Society for Neuroscience
The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries.
JNeurosci
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0386-25.2025
People
Age-Related Positivity Bias in Emotion Recognition is Linked to Lower Cognitive Performance and Altered Amygdala–Orbitofrontal Connectivity
25-Aug-2025
The authors declare no competing financial interests.