Cognitive decline generally appears around age 45according to’National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). As a reminder, we speak of cognitive decline when we designate “an alteration of one or more cognitive functions“, as the High Authority of Health (HAS). This degradation can concern language, memory, the ability to concentrate or even learning. Among the multiple factors, we find genetic inheritance, social isolation, certain chronic illnesses, alcohol and tobacco, among others.
If we know that cognitive decline can be a first step towards Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it would also be closely linked to mental well-being. American scientists took an interest in elderly people and questioned them about their determination in life, then observed their response before and after the onset of their cognitive disorders. Concretely, the study aimed to understand whether cognitive impairment impacts feelings of purpose in life.
Lack of purpose in life more common in people with cognitive decline
First of all, let’s look at the meaning of the expression “have a purpose in life” in this study. Angelina Sutin, main author, wanted to clarify this: “Life purpose is the feeling that a person’s life is goal-oriented and has direction. It is an important component of well-being“. Led by scientists at Florida State University, this study was based on two large pre-existing cohorts: the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). In total, they analyzed data from more than 30,000 participants. The study was published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
Participants were assessed repeatedly over more than a decade, both on their cognitive impairment and their sense of purpose. Once the analysis was completed, the researchers found that having a purpose in life decreased significantly before the onset of cognitive impairment. But it also decreased even more rapidly after the onset of cognitive disorders. The study authors commented on this observation: “The most pronounced decline in life purpose occurred after the onset of cognitive impairment. This more marked change may be due in part to the neurodegeneration that causes cognitive impairment. In other words, the decline of the motivation may be an additional consequence of neurodegenerationin addition to cognitive deficits“, they declared in a communicated.
Providing a sense of purpose to older adults to slow cognitive decline
In an interview given to CNNAngelina Sutin, professor of behavioral sciences and social medicine at Florida State University College of Medicine, wanted to warn about the lack of purpose in life, also called apathy: “People with dementia lose their desire to engage in life. It is critically important for individuals to maintain a purpose in life in order to prevent or at least delay this apathy, which can reduce quality of life.“
In the released statement, the researchers suggest that certain interventions designed to increase feelings of purpose and reduce apathy in older adults may help slow cognitive decline and the onset of dementia.
Source : Change in Purpose in Life Before and After Onset of Cognitive Impairment – JAMA Network Open
Read also :
⋙ Cognitive decline: this activity would reduce the risks, according to a study
⋙ Cognitive decline: this gentle method would increase cognitive abilities by 226%
⋙ Cognitive health: this type of nap could help preserve brain volume, according to a study