Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Having Greater Purpose in Life Associated With a
Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
May result from the positive effects purpose of
life is reported to have on immune function and blood vessel health
March 1, 2010 - Individuals who report having
greater purpose in their lives appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's
disease or its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, according to a
report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one
of the JAMA/Archives journals.
"Alzheimer's disease is one of the most dreaded
consequences of aging, and the identification of modifiable factors
associated with the risk of Alzheimer's disease is a top public health
priority for the 21st century, particularly given the large and rapidly
increasing aging population," the authors write in the article.
Relatively few of these risk factors have been
identified, but data suggest that some psychological factors - including
conscientiousness, extraversion and neuroticism - may be associated with
Alzheimer's disease risk.
"Purpose in life, the psychological tendency to
derive meaning from life's experiences and to possess a sense of
intentionality and goal directedness that guides behavior, has long been
hypothesized to protect against adverse health outcomes," write Patricia
A. Boyle, Ph.D., and colleagues at Rush University Medical Center,
Chicago.
The researchers assessed this quality in more than
900 community-dwelling older adults without dementia who were
participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project.
Participants' purpose in life was measured by their
level of agreement with statements such as, "I feel good when I think of
what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future" and "I
have a sense of direction and purpose in life."
After an average of four years and a maximum of
seven years of annual follow-up clinical evaluations, 155 of 951
participants (16.3 percent) developed Alzheimer's disease.
After controlling for other related variables,
greater purpose in life was associated with a substantially reduced risk
of developing Alzheimer's disease, as well as a reduced risk of mild
cognitive impairment and a slower rate of cognitive decline.
Specifically, individuals with a score of 4.2 out
of 5 (90th percentile) on the purpose in life measure were approximately
2.4 times more likely to remain free of Alzheimer's disease than
individuals with a score of 3.0 (10th percentile).
The biological basis of the association is unknown,
but may result from the positive effects purpose of life is reported to
have on immune function and blood vessel health, the authors suggest.
The result may have public health implications.
"In particular, these findings may provide a new
treatment target for interventions aimed at enhancing health and
well-being in older adults. Purpose in life is a potentially modifiable
factor that may be increased via specific behavioral strategies that
help older persons identify personally meaningful activities and engage
in goal-directed behaviors," the authors continue.
"Even small behavioral modifications ultimately may
translate into an increased sense of intentionality, usefulness and
relevance."
This work was supported by grants from the National
Institute on Aging, by the Illinois Department of Public Health and by
the Robert C. Borwell Endowment Fund.
