Not having a sense of purpose in life may lead to dementia: Study

Having a greater sense of purpose in life can keep diseases like Alzheimer’s and other dementias away, researchers have found in a new study.

The study has also revealed that following a diagnosis of dementia, a person’s sense of purpose experiences a steady decline.

“Purpose in life is the feeling that one’s life is goal-oriented and has direction. It is an important component of well-being,” Angelina Sutin, lead author of the study published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Network Open, was quoted as saying by CNN.

“Previous studies have found that individuals with more purpose are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,” she said in an email.

“Here we look at the relation between purpose and cognitive impairment in the other direction: does impairment have an impact on feeling purposeful?”, she added.

Data from 30,000 individuals analysed

To establish the results, researchers examined data from over 30,000 individuals across two distinct studies: the Health and Retirement Study spanning from 2006 to 2021, and the National Health and Aging Trends Study covering the period from 2011 to 2021.

During the study, participants underwent multiple evaluations spanning several years to assess both cognitive impairment and their sense of purpose.

Watch:Scientists reveal how to detect signs of Dementia 9 years before diagnosis

While there were indications of declining feelings of purpose leading up to cognitive impairment, the decline became notably swifter once impairment was detected, as pointed out by Sutin.

These findings align with existing knowledge about deteriorations in mental well-being following a diagnosis, as noted by Dr Sam Fazio, senior director of quality care and psychosocial research at the Alzheimer’s Association.

It's worth noting that the identification of impairment was based on cognitive tasks rather than a diagnosis from a healthcare professional.

Nevertheless, the results hold strong credibility due to the utilisation of assessments spanning over a decade, with consistent trends observed in both study groups.

Importance of purpose in life

Experts believe it is critically important for an individual to have a strong sense of purpose in life.

“The opposite of purpose in life — apathy — is a significant problem in dementia. Individuals with dementia lose their drive to engage in life,” Sutin said.

“It is critically important for individuals to maintain their purpose in life to prevent or at least delay this apathy, which can reduce quality of life,” she added.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE