Life satisfaction

9 papers9 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

7 independent labs in 4 countries

Funders: Canadian Institutes of Health Research and 5 more

Humans9

Outcomes

Cognitive function

upin humans1

1 study

Life satisfaction improves cognitive function in humans (β = 0.014, 95% CI [0.009, 0.019], p < .001).
“higher levels of life satisfaction ( β = 0.014, 95% CI [0.009, 0.019], p < .001) were associated with better cognitive performance”
Humans
The buffering effect of structural support and life satisfaction on cognition is independent of adverse events at older ages: Findings from the ELSI‐Brazil study
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025

Successful aging

upin humans1

1 study

Life satisfaction improves successful aging in humans (b=0.094; SE=0.019; p< 0.001).
“prior life satisfaction has a positive direct effect (b=0.094; SE=0.019; p< 0.001) on SA; also, this effect is bidirectional.”
Humansn = 2,040
DO LIFE SATISFACTION AND LEVEL OF OPTIMISM IMPACT SUCCESSFUL AGING IN MID AND LATE LIFE?
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Associations

Cognitive function

upin humans1

1 study

Life satisfaction is associated with cognitive function in humans (0.014, 95% CI [0.008, 0.019]).
“life satisfaction (0.014, 95% CI [0.008, 0.019]) were strongly associated with better cognitive function”
Humans
Cognition in later life: The role of structural support and life satisfaction in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil)
Neuropsychology12 Jan 2026

Memory

upin humans1

1 study

Life satisfaction is associated with memory in humans.
“Higher life satisfaction level was associated with better self- and informant-reported memory”
Humans
Wellbeing Trajectories and Dementia Risk Among Mexican-Origin Adults Living in the U.S.
GSA 2025 abstract31 Dec 2025

Chronic disease

downin humans1

1 study

Life satisfaction lowers the risk of chronic disease in humans (IRR = 0.87; 95 % CI: 0.85-0.88; p < 0.001).
“life satisfaction was significantly associated with a reduced prevalence of chronic diseases in middle-aged and older adults (IRR = 0.87; 95 % CI: 0.85-0.88; p < 0.001)”
Humansn = 7,809
Impact of life satisfaction on chronic diseases in aging populations: Exploring the mediating effects of depressive symptoms and frailty
Journal of affective disorders7 Dec 2025