One of the keys to successful aging is staying curious. According to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, seniors who continue to be curious are more motivated and engaged than their less inquisitive peers, and that can mean good things for their brains, too.

The researchers looked at two types of curiosity: general and state curiosity. General or trait curiosity refers to the basic trait of being curious. State curiosity is the brief feeling of curiosity people get when asked about something that piques their interest.

General curiosity is more related to personality. Some people are more naturally inquisitive than others. Seniors who had more trait curiosity tended to have more state curiosity and vice versa.

Maybe a person enjoys hiking and becomes interested in the types of trees they see or the birds that are there. These details become a scaffold for building curiosity for things they might have taken for granted before.

Some studies have reported that trait curiosity tends to decline with age, but this contradicted what the researchers noticed among some of the older participants in their studies. These seniors were often very interested in learning about memory and enjoyed types of trivia.

They found that, unlike trait curiosity, state curiosity declined in young adulthood, then began to increase sharply after middle age and well into old age. One reason for this discrepancy may be that until middle age, most people are interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in school and at work.

“Young people, such as college students, may be curious about things that lead to a reward such as doing well in classes, rather than what genuinely interests them,” said Castel.

As people age and acquire the skills and knowledge needed for success, they dedicate fewer resources to trait curiosity. An empty nest and extra time after retirement allows retirees to pursue their own interests and state curiosity will increase. “As we get older, maybe we want to focus on the things that are important, and we forget the things that are less relevant,” Castel said.

“If you find something you think is interesting, being around other people who share similar interests can be a way to keep your brain sharp.”

Over 1400 people, ranging from 20 to 84 years of age who responded to an online questionnaire designed to test their trait curiosity, participated in the study. To test their state curiosity, the researchers asked them to guess the answers to trivia questions most people would be unable to answer. Once the participants tried to guess, they were asked how interested they were in learning the correct answer.

Castel suggested people find something they want to learn more about, and cultivate that interest. Maybe you enjoy hiking and become interested in the types of trees you see or the birds that are there. These details become a scaffold for building curiosity for things you might have taken for granted before, which can be very rewarding, said Castel, a professor of psychology at UCLA.

An important question going forward is how engagement and curiosity may benefit the brain. Castel said engaging in high-level state curiosity may combat brain pathology, such as preventing or slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. “If you find something you think is interesting, being around other people who share similar interests can be a way to keep your brain sharp,” he said.

The study is published in PLOS One.