Mental Health - Dont Worry, Be Happy: Delay Dementia | Health News
Don't Worry, Be Happy: Delay Dementia
By: Neomi Heroux
Published: Saturday, 24 January 2009
“Chill” or “chill out,” a common comment when an associate is overreacting to stress, could just be the key to keeping demenita at bay. Being in control and not overreacting to situation is beneficial in many ways, such as keeping blood pressure in check, and now it may have the long-term benefit of delaying age-related memory disorders.
A new Swedish study found that people who were sociable, self-controlled, and not easily stressed were among those least likely to develop dementia. Other studies have already shown that highly neurotic people are at higher risk of dementia. The purpose of the study was to show if extroversion (a socially active lifestyle) and neuroticism (continually stressed) were separately or in combination responsible for a greater or lesser risk of dementia.
Dr. Hui-Xin Wang, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues performed the work on this study. A total of 506 older people without dementia took part in the study. They began by filling out questionnaires about their personality traits and lifestyles. From the first questionnaire the researchers were able to determine participants with varying degrees of neuroticism who were easily distressed as well as those with extraversion or openness. People who are highly neurotic are emotionally unstable, usually have negative attitudes, and are nervous. Those with low neuroticism are largely self satisfied and tend to be calm and stable. Individuals with high extraversion are outgoing, optimistic, and socially active where people with low extraversion are reserved and introspective.
The second questionnaire asked what people did in their lives and this revealed each participant’s social network and how regularly he or she took part in social or organized activities. Comparing these two results can lead to some unexpected combinations. An easily distressed person, not particularly outgoing, might have an active life with a rich social network. The resulting comparisons showed that neither high neuroticism nor low extraversion alone was related to higher rates of dementia. The lowest dementia risk was for a combination of low neuroticism and high extraversion, but only if they were among the inactive or socially isolated. If the patient was inactive or socially isolated not even low neuroticism seemed to decrease dementia risk. People with a calm, outgoing and optimistic outlook are less likely to develop dementia, but being calm also reduces dementia risk among the socially isolated.
Chronic distress has been shown to affect parts of the brain, notably the hippocampus, and shrinkage of the hippocampus has been shown to occur in dementia. The participants of the study were followed for approximately 6 years and in that time 144 of the study group developed dementia. The conclusion of that study determined that the calm less stressed group were 50% less apt to suffer from dementia. So maybe we should all “chill out” and we may lead longer more satisfactory lives.
Don't Worry, Be Happy: Delay Dementia
By: Neomi Heroux
Published: Saturday, 24 January 2009
“Chill” or “chill out,” a common comment when an associate is overreacting to stress, could just be the key to keeping demenita at bay. Being in control and not overreacting to situation is beneficial in many ways, such as keeping blood pressure in check, and now it may have the long-term benefit of delaying age-related memory disorders.
A new Swedish study found that people who were sociable, self-controlled, and not easily stressed were among those least likely to develop dementia. Other studies have already shown that highly neurotic people are at higher risk of dementia. The purpose of the study was to show if extroversion (a socially active lifestyle) and neuroticism (continually stressed) were separately or in combination responsible for a greater or lesser risk of dementia.
Dr. Hui-Xin Wang, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues performed the work on this study. A total of 506 older people without dementia took part in the study. They began by filling out questionnaires about their personality traits and lifestyles. From the first questionnaire the researchers were able to determine participants with varying degrees of neuroticism who were easily distressed as well as those with extraversion or openness. People who are highly neurotic are emotionally unstable, usually have negative attitudes, and are nervous. Those with low neuroticism are largely self satisfied and tend to be calm and stable. Individuals with high extraversion are outgoing, optimistic, and socially active where people with low extraversion are reserved and introspective.
The second questionnaire asked what people did in their lives and this revealed each participant’s social network and how regularly he or she took part in social or organized activities. Comparing these two results can lead to some unexpected combinations. An easily distressed person, not particularly outgoing, might have an active life with a rich social network. The resulting comparisons showed that neither high neuroticism nor low extraversion alone was related to higher rates of dementia. The lowest dementia risk was for a combination of low neuroticism and high extraversion, but only if they were among the inactive or socially isolated. If the patient was inactive or socially isolated not even low neuroticism seemed to decrease dementia risk. People with a calm, outgoing and optimistic outlook are less likely to develop dementia, but being calm also reduces dementia risk among the socially isolated.
Chronic distress has been shown to affect parts of the brain, notably the hippocampus, and shrinkage of the hippocampus has been shown to occur in dementia. The participants of the study were followed for approximately 6 years and in that time 144 of the study group developed dementia. The conclusion of that study determined that the calm less stressed group were 50% less apt to suffer from dementia. So maybe we should all “chill out” and we may lead longer more satisfactory lives.
