Feeling a lack of purpose and personal growth in older ages may be a very early warning sign of dementia later in life, new research suggests.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence that psychological well-being and memory decline are intimately linked.
Previous research has identified links between depression, poor psychological well-being and memory decline, suggesting that each might affect the others.
Now, scientists from China Agricultural University, Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center have explored how psychological well-being changes over the course of cognitive decline and dementia development.
The study concluded that reduced psychological well-being, even in the absence of evident cognitive impairment, may serve as an early-warning sign of future impairment in brain function.
According to recent research, feeling purposeless and lacking in personal development as one ages may be an extremely early warning sign of dementia later in life. The results add to a mounting body of research showing a close relationship between memory loss and psychological health.
According to 2014 data from the U.S., over 5 million Americans over 65 suffer from dementia. S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. An inability to remember, think clearly, or make decisions is the hallmark of dementia, which can take many different forms, the most prevalent of which is Alzheimer’s disease.
Although the exact cause of dementia is unknown, a number of genetic and environmental risk factors have been linked to the illness.
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Prior studies have established connections among depression, low psychological well-being, and memory loss, indicating that each may have an impact on the others. Researchers from China Agricultural University, Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and Rush University Medical Center in Chicago have now studied how psychological well-being varies as dementia and cognitive decline progress.
910 older adults in good cognitive health who were part of the Rush Memory and Aging Project were followed up every year for 14 years. Along with indicators of dementia and mild cognitive impairment, six factors of psychological well-being—self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, positive relationships with others, and personal growth—were assessed at each evaluation.
Researchers discovered that those who developed mild cognitive impairment experienced a quicker decline in psychological well-being than participants who maintained their cognitive capacity throughout the study period. In instance, before cognitive decline became evident, levels of life purpose and personal growth seemed to decline as early as three and six years, respectively.
Reduced psychological well-being may act as an early warning indicator of future brain function impairment even in the absence of obvious cognitive impairment, according to the study’s findings.
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The study’s authors conclude, “Our results suggest that purpose in life and personal growth may be more cognitively demanding than other aspects of wellbeing, and therefore may serve as more sensitive indicators of cognitive ageing.”.
These are, of course, associative studies, and it is still unknown what mechanisms could underlie these associations. The factors seem to be reciprocal, though, as it is well known that stress and depression can alter the structure of the brain in regions that are essential for memory formation and retrieval. Furthermore, having cognitive decline may make you feel more alone and helpless.
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It will take more research to completely comprehend these connections and create efficient interventions to help halt or even slow down cognitive decline.
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Citations.
Time-Triggered Bidirectional Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Function: Yin J, John A, Cadar D. JAMMA Network Open. 2024; 7(6).
