Health

Researchers Uncover Health and Personality Factors that May Elevate Dementia Risk

December, 25, 2024-02:11

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Researchers Uncover Health and Personality Factors that May Elevate Dementia Risk

Researchers have identified critical factors that may elevate the risk of developing dementia, with some potentially linked to individual personality traits.

A study conducted by US researchers examined over 20,000 adults aged 50 and above to assess their likelihood of experiencing this memory-impairing condition.
In addition to unavoidable elements such as aging and genetic predisposition, experts identified 12 significant variables that influence risk.
Among these were health-related issues such as experiencing a stroke, having poor physical health, diabetes, or a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 35, which is categorized as obese. Previous studies have consistently supported these findings.

Notably, three personality-related factors were also recognized by economists at the RAND Corporation, a think tank based in California. These factors included a lack of career ambition—defined as never having worked or having only worked for a limited time—lower levels of conscientiousness, and minimal engagement in hobbies.
Additional risk factors encompassed infrequent alcohol consumption or excessive drinking, a lack of physical activity, low scores on physical fitness assessments, diminished cognitive abilities, and functional limitations that hinder daily activities.

However, the researchers emphasized that their findings indicate a correlation between these factors and dementia rather than a direct causative relationship. Difficulty in learning new tasks and challenges in maintaining focus on a single task may signal the onset of dementia, a condition affecting nearly one million individuals in the UK and seven million in the US.
In their report, the researchers noted, "Older adults aiming to preserve cognitive function for an extended period may benefit from early lifestyle changes, such as engaging in physical exercise, extending their working years, participating in hobbies, and pursuing new informational activities post-retirement, along with maintaining good physical health."

Nevertheless, they cautioned that "the estimated impacts of psychosocial factors vary significantly across the models evaluated, and no clear pattern emerged. For instance, involvement in hobbies and new informational activities appears to offer some protection against the incidence of dementia."