Brain volume naturally shrinks with age at a rate of about five percent per decade after the age of 40. While smaller brain volume doesn’t correlate to a lower IQ, it could indicate cognitive decline. But it turns out that some factors under our control can hasten brain shrinkage.

According to a 2011 study published in Neurology, researchers collected the blood pressure, weight and cholesterol levels of 1,352 adults averaging 54 years old who did not have dementia. They also took MRI scans of their brains. Ten years later, the researchers remeasured the size of the participants’ brains, then had them complete cognitive tests to determine planning and organizational skills.

The researchers found that four factors sped up the decline in brain volume: high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette smoking and obesity. These same factors increase the risk of heart disease. The results of the study suggest that certain controllable factors can impact cognitive function as we age.

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