Older people who feel their life lacks purpose appear more prone to memory problems

Research finds that people with anhedonic tendencies, or lack of sense of fulfilment in one’s life, more likely suffer from memory decline and other aspects of cognitive impairment as compared to the elderly who are not anhedonic. 
 
Funded by National Institute on Aging, the study followed over 900 pensioners from the US for an aveage of 14 years, with the assessment of their wellbeing being made once every year. 
 
A lower level of psychological wellbeing was discovered to be associated with a later developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that can be the early stage of dementia. 
 
There were also general observations that purpose in life was found to be reduced three years prior to MCI diagnosis, and “personal growth,” 6 years before. 
 
The paper, which appeared in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, used long term data from over 400 older patients in Illinois in the US. 
 
Annual wellbeing assessment 
 
In this study, 910 participants were followed for about 14 years to determine the onset of either MCI or dementia. 
 
Participants in the study received an annual organisational psychological wellbeing check. 
 
These assessments collected data on purpose in life, positive relation with others, personal growth, self-acceptance, autonomy, and ‘environmental mastery’. 
 
At follow-up 29 percent were screen positive, indicative clinical signs of definite mild cognitive impairment such as memory failures or disturbances in other higher mental processes. 
 
Of this cohort, 34 per cent had a dementia diagnosis. 
 
A study established that individuals who were at risk of MCI had no sense of purpose in life before about three years to the development of the condition. They also had lower level of personal growth six years preceding the study. 
 
The research was conducted by a team of Chinese researchers with participation of scientists from Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago. 
 
The work was cross sectional and did not demonstrate that the loss of a sense of purpose led to mental deterioration. 
 
Some scholars suggested that worse performance on different cognitive tests can result in lower psychological wellbeing, and not the opposite way round. 
 
They said: “Concerning psychological wellbeing, it became significantly lower in purpose in life and personal growth before diagnosis of MCI Reduced psychological wellbeing may play a role of predictor of changed cognitive function. ” 
 
The scientists also said prescriptions of more psychological support should be given to people who have diseases like dementia. 

Based on our results we suggest that personal growth and purpose in life may be even more sensitive measures of cognitive aging than other aspects of wellbeing as they can be more cognitively complex. 
 
“Furthermore, we noted that positive other relations quite steeply declined after MCI diagnosis,” they noted, adding: “Impaired cognitive functioning may make the subjects less willing or able to engage in social and leisure activities as in the past which may lead to deteriorated relationship s with friends or others”.