The lack of purpose in life and few opportunities for personal growth may increase the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a frequent precursor to dementia, a study suggests.
These aspects of psychological well-being decline markedly two to six years before memory loss and thinking problems are diagnosed, researchers found.
The study adds to growing evidence linking psychological well-being to brain aging, including the development of dementia.
Researchers tracked 910 people in Illinois in the US for an average of 14 years to determine whether they developed MCI or dementia.
An annual psychological well-being assessment of participants included the collection of data on purpose in life, positive relationships with others, personal growth, self-acceptance, and autonomy.
During the follow-up, 29% were diagnosed with MCI. Among this group, 34% were diagnosed with dementia.
The final analysis was based on 229 participants with complete before and after data, including 73 who developed dementia.
Compared to participants who remained “cognitively intact,” those who developed MCI were more likely to have lower levels of psychological well-being.
Similarly, compared to those who did not develop dementia, those who did were more likely to have a lower level of psychological well-being.
The researchers from the USA, China and Sweden, whose study was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatryfound that people who developed MCI had a faster decline in psychological well-being compared to people who were “cognitively intact.”
They had lower well-being scores two years before being diagnosed with MCI, experts found. The researchers also found that people who developed MCI did not have a purpose in life three years before diagnosis, and had lower levels of personal growth six years before diagnosis.
The researchers cautioned that this was an observational study, so no firm conclusions about cause and effect could be drawn. The participants were well educated, which may have introduced selection bias due to the “healthy volunteer” effect.
Most of the participants were also white and female, which may limit the generalizability of the findings, the researchers acknowledged. They also conceded that poorer cognition can affect psychological well-being as well as vice versa.
The research team said: “Psychological well-being (specifically purpose in life and personal growth) became significantly lower before MCI diagnosis. Reduced psychological well-being may serve as a predictor for impaired cognitive function.”
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer’s Association, said there was “substantial research evidence” showing that looking after your mental wellbeing and staying socially active throughout your life could help reduce the risk of the reduce development of MCI and dementia.
He added: “This research looked at individuals diagnosed with MCI, which can be an early indicator that an individual will develop a type of dementia.
“The results suggest that well-being factors, such as feeling a sense of purpose in life and personal growth, are not necessarily an early indicator of dementia, but may be an early indicator that someone may develop mild cognitive impairment.”
Further research was needed, Oakley said. “At this point, it is not clear whether we can use these well-being factors as a predictor of MCI and we need research to demonstrate whether addressing these factors can change the trajectory of a decline in memory and thinking skills.”
