by A lack of meaning in life and few opportunities for personal development may increase the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a common precursor to dementia, a study suggests.
Researchers found that these aspects of mental well-being decline noticeably two to six years before the diagnosis of memory loss and thinking problems.
The study adds to growing evidence that psychological well-being is linked to brain aging, including the development of dementia.
Researchers followed 910 people in the US state of Illinois for an average of 14 years to determine whether they developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
An annual assessment of participants’ psychological well-being collected data on meaning in life, positive relationships with others, personal growth, self-acceptance and autonomy.
At follow-up, 29% were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. 34% of this group 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 mild cognitive impairment were more likely to have lower levels of psychological well-being.
A similar situation applies to people who developed dementia, compared to those who did not.
The researchers from the US, China and Sweden, whose study was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, found that people who developed MCI experienced a faster decline in mental well-being than people who were “cognitively intact”.
Experts found that they had poorer well-being scores two years before being diagnosed with MCI. Researchers also found that people who developed MCI lacked a sense of purpose in life three years before diagnosis and had lower levels of personal growth six years before diagnosis.
The researchers pointed out that this was an observational study and therefore 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 participants were also white and female, which may limit the generalizability of the results, the researchers acknowledged. They also acknowledged that poorer cognition could affect psychological well-being as well as vice versa.
The research team said: “Psychological well-being (particularly meaning in life and personal development) was significantly lower before MCI diagnosis. Reduced psychological well-being may serve as an indicator of impaired cognitive function.”
Dr Richard Oakley, deputy director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer’s Society, said there was “substantial research evidence” that looking after mental health and lifelong social activity can reduce the risk of developing MCI and dementia.
He added: “This research looked at people diagnosed with MCI, which can be an early indicator that a person will later develop a form of dementia.
“The results suggest that well-being factors such as feeling a sense of purpose in life and personal development are not necessarily an early indicator of dementia, but may be an early indicator that someone may develop mild cognitive impairment over time.”
More research is needed, Oakley said. “At this point, it’s not clear whether we can use these well-being factors as a predictor of MCI, and we need research to show whether addressing these factors could change the trajectory of memory and thinking decline.”
