Dementia risk reduced in adults with a sense of purpose, study finds

A sense of purpose in life sounds like it might be its own reward, but scientists have discovered that older adults who reported such feelings also had a reduced chance of developing dementia as they aged.

The study by researchers at the University of California Davis , and reported in the latest edition of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, is based on data collected from 13,765 participants aged 45 and older. They were surveyed between 2006 and 2020 as part of a long-term U.S.-based study, the Health and Retirement Study . All had normal cognitive functioning at the start of the study.

The team found that people who reported a higher sense of purpose in life were about 28 per cent less likely to develop cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia, over the length of the study. Even among those who did experience cognitive decline, the onset was delayed by about 1.4 months, a difference the researchers described as “meaningful when compared to current treatments.”

The team found that the so-called “protective effect” of having a sense of purpose was seen in both sexes and across multiple racial and ethnic groups. It also remained significant even after accounting for education, depression and the APOE4 gene, the last of which is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Our findings show that having a sense of purpose helps the brain stay resilient with age,” said Aliza Wingo, the study’s lead author and a professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Even for people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, sense of purpose was linked to a later onset and lower likelihood of developing dementia.”

The participants were not asked what specific activities or beliefs gave their lives a sense of purpose, but the researchers noted a variety of possibilities. These included:

— Relationships, such as caring for family, spending time with grandchildren or supporting a friend.

— Work or volunteering, including mentoring or contributing to community causes.

— Spirituality or faith, including beliefs and involvement in faith-based communities.

— Personal goals, such as pursuing hobbies, learning new skills or achieving personal milestones.

— Helping others, whether acts of kindness, caregiving, philanthropy or advocacy.

These types of activities are sometimes summed up with the word “ikigai,” a Japanese term meaning “ that which brings value and joy to life.”

The study echoed findings of earlier, similar studies , but the researchers noted that the number of participants and the length of this study made these results more meaningful. However, they noted that while the study found an association, it did not definitively prove higher levels of purpose caused the lowered rates of dementia.

Even so, the findings support the idea that psychological well-being plays a key role in healthy ageing.

“What’s exciting about this study is that people may be able to ‘think’ themselves into better health,” said Thomas Wingo, a co-author of the study and a professor and neurologist at UC Davis Health. “Purpose in life is something we can nurture. It’s never too early — or too late — to start thinking about what gives your life meaning.”

• Lack of deep sleep could lead to dementia but there's an easy remedy, study finds
• Canadian icon Robert Munsch has chosen to die by MAID