Feeling as if you’re wandering aimlessly through life or like you’ve done all there is to do may carry harms more serious than unfulfilling days — it could be hurting your brain.
People who developed mild cognitive impairment had lower levels of purpose in life and of personal growth starting three and six years, respectively, before their diagnosis, compared with participants who remained cognitively intact, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Mild cognitive impairment, in which a person goes through an early stage of loss of memory or other cognitive abilities but still maintains the ability to independently do most activities of daily living, is often a precursor to dementia.
The study “is a strong test of the changes in psychological well-being that may occur during the earliest stages of the development of cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Angelina Sutin, professor of behavioural sciences and social medicine at the Florida State University College of Medicine, via email. Sutin wasn’t involved in the study.
More than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, which is a leading cause of death and is expected to affect nearly three times that many people by 2050. There is no cure for the disease, but the authors think the long period between when the disease biologically begins and when symptoms appear “may provide a critical time window for implementing (interventions) to prevent or delay its onset,” they wrote.
Poorer psychological well-being has been previously associated with higher risk of dementia, but both how wellness changes along the course of disease and which aspects of well-being are most influential haven’t been clear, according to the authors. And knowing these answers could be helpful for managing risk or symptoms after diagnosis.
The research team used data from 910 cognitively intact older adults from the Illinois-based Rush Memory and Aging Project, or MAP, an ongoing study that began in 1997. For up to 14 years starting in 2008, participants — most of whom were women and White — underwent annual assessments regarding neurological, cognitive, medical and psychological health. Psychological well-being was based on six components: self-acceptance, autonomy, purpose in life, personal growth, positive relation with others and ability to manage one’s immediate environment.
Compared with participants who remained cognitively intact, psychological well-being declined faster in older adults who ultimately developed cognitive impairment, and their well-being was lower two years before diagnosis — indicating poorer wellness, especially purpose and personal growth, could be a predictor for future cognitive impairment, the authors said.
Positive relations with others declined rapidly after diagnosis, while the rate of decline for other well-being components remained the same before and after diagnosis.
Though “not surprising,” the study “highlights the importance of wellness potentially both as a way to stave off dementia but also, when worsening, as a possible warning sign of dementia,” said Dr. Glen R. Finney, director of the Geisinger Memory and Cognition Program in Pennsylvania, via email. Finney wasn’t involved in the study.
More research is needed due to the lack of diversity in this study, which also includes the fact that participants were volunteers from communities with higher levels of education, the study authors said.
But “given that the findings are broadly similar to the few other studies that have used more diverse samples, I am not that concerned about these limitations,” Sutin said.
It’s possible that poor well-being may lead to cognitive impairment and vice versa. On one hand, greater well-being may lower risk for cognitive impairment and dementia by mitigating the effects of Alzheimer’s disease processes on cognition, the authors said. Positive well-being has been associated with lower levels of inflammatory cytokines and lower cardiovascular risk, which can reduce risk of cognitive impairments.
But on the other, there may be “a vicious cycle where neurodegenerative disease in the brain like Alzheimer’s disease, some of which starts years or even decades before cognitive symptoms and signs, could decrease function in the brain networks that help you maintain your wellness and initiative causing apathy a lack of drive to do or achieve,” Finney said. “This study suggests that could be happening even before some of the cognitive changes are picked up even when being actively monitored for cognitive changes.”
Participants’ social lives declined after being diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, and the study authors said that could be because the condition can make it harder to stay socially engaged.
Compared with participants who remained cognitively intact, those who developed cognitive impairment were more likely to be older and have lower body mass index (BMI) and lower psychological well-being. Those diagnosed with dementia were more likely to be older and have the APOE ε4 allele, a gene that makes people more at risk for Alzheimer’s.
Maintaining wellness, seeking purpose and continuing personal growth are always important and make life better in general, but in older age, in some ways these endeavours are more critical than ever, Finney said.
“Seek out socialization to keep your brain healthy and to support your wellness (and) find things that are meaningful to you to participate in, but also seek out new ways to learn and grow as a person,” he added.
Those activities can be everyday things, Sutin said — they don’t have to be new or complicated to be helpful or meaningful. They can include strategy games, high-level reading material or learning how to approach a typical task more effectively, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, which has resources on ways to preserve brain health. Formal education is another way to stay cognitively and socially adept, and some schools offer scholarships for older students.
You can also make new friends (or keep up with old ones) by participating in clubs, volunteering or joining a fitness group in your community.
If you’re finding it’s hard to stay socially or mentally active, talk with your doctor about whether that could be a sign of neurodegenerative disease, Finney recommended.
“Addressing risk factors proactively helps lower risk for dementia, helps preserve function in the face of dementia and can at least in part help reverse some mild symptoms early on before dementia takes hold,” he said.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face tonight in the high-stakes debate that comes less than two months before election day.
An American presidential historian is predicting a Kamala Harris presidency as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.
The fundamental question ahead of their meeting in Philadelphia, one of the highest-stakes national debates in a generation, is whether – and how – the presidential candidates can deliver a compelling message.
Despite what the default options on the payment terminal might read, most Canadians still want to tip around 15 per cent, according to a new survey.
The Foo Fighters frontman announced that he recently became a father again, writing in a statement on his Instagram page on Tuesday that his new baby girl was born 'outside' of his marriage to his wife Jordyn Blum.
Canada’s children’s troubadour is selling his B.C. home, which is now up for grabs for $1,995,000.
As PricewaterhouseCoopers plans to enforce its back-to-office policy by tracking employees in the U.K., one employment lawyer explains whether the practice is legal in Canada.
A B.C. man has won his fight to keep a Great Dane in his condo – despite the building’s ban on pets.
An arbitrator's decision ordering two renters to cover more than $18,000 in repairs following a water leak at their landlord's home was "patently unreasonable," a B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled.
An arbitrator's decision ordering two renters to cover more than $18,000 in repairs following a water leak at their landlord's home was "patently unreasonable," a B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled.
A B.C. man has won his fight to keep a Great Dane in his condo – despite the building’s ban on pets.
The lucrative lobster fishery in Nova Scotia generates hundreds of millions of dollars for the provincial economy each year, but illegal fishing and lobster sales on the black market dominated discussions at the legislature this week.
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
Canadian National Railway Co. revised its earnings guidance for 2024 lower due to several factors including the recent labour stoppage.
Canada’s children’s troubadour is selling his B.C. home, which is now up for grabs for $1,995,000.
Iraqi security officials said an explosion targeted a site used by the U.S. military next to Baghdad airport late Tuesday, one day before an expected visit by Iran's president.
Mexico's Senate paused debate of a controversial judicial overhaul on Tuesday after protesters broke into the building, adding drama to already tense discussions of the reform, which critics fear could undermine the country's rule of law.
The fundamental question ahead of their meeting in Philadelphia, one of the highest-stakes national debates in a generation, is whether – and how – the presidential candidates can deliver a compelling message.
A city councillor in Switzerland has apologized and reportedly sought police protection against threats after she fired a sport pistol at an auction poster of a 14th-century Madonna and child painting and posted images of their bullet-ridden faces on social media.
The United States and Britain formally accused Iran on Tuesday of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine.
The Israeli military said Tuesday an American activist killed in the West Bank last week was likely shot "indirectly and unintentionally" by its soldiers, drawing a strong rebuke from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the activist's family.
Canadian-made weapons will be prohibited from reaching the Gaza Strip, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Tuesday.
Just days after demolishing his deal with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is holding a three-day strategy session with his MPs in Montreal. There, his MPs are embracing their new-found distance from what one called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 'radioactive' brand.
In his first press conference on the job, newly appointed Liberal economic growth task force chair Mark Carney said it's 'an honour' to serve in his new role, but wouldn't say whether he plans to run for political office, or whether he'll recommend changing the controversial carbon tax.
The market for weight-loss treatments is expected to see 16 new drugs vying for a slice of the lucrative business currently dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, according to estimates from analysts at Morningstar and Pitchbook.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says it asked provinces to get rid of existing COVID-19 vaccines to avoid confusion with new formulations that will have the same drug identification number.
A nine-year-old boy contracted an often-deadly disease during a in northern Ontario camping trip in July.
A daredevil billionaire rocketed back into orbit Tuesday, aiming to perform the first private spacewalk and venture farther than anyone since NASA's Apollo moonshots.
During its glossy product announcement event on Tuesday, Apple unveiled a new role for its latest AirPods Pro model: medical device.
The Australian government on Tuesday promised to legislate this year to enforce a minimum age for children to access social media, but it has yet to announce how ages will be verified.
The Foo Fighters frontman announced that he recently became a father again, writing in a statement on his Instagram page on Tuesday that his new baby girl was born 'outside' of his marriage to his wife Jordyn Blum.
The first U.S. troops to deploy after the Sept. 11 attacks are suffering from radiation exposure that the government has yet to officially recognize 23 years later.
For the first time in almost 8,000 episodes, 'Wheel of Fortune' did not open with a hello from longtime host Pat Sajak.
As PricewaterhouseCoopers plans to enforce its back-to-office policy by tracking employees in the U.K., one employment lawyer explains whether the practice is legal in Canada.
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ordered 7-Eleven Canada to pay a woman more than $900,000 in damages after she tripped on a pothole and broke her ankle in the parking lot of a convenience store.
A Canadian court has cleared the reorganization plan of Red Lobster that will see the seafood chain exit bankruptcy.
Barbara Kingsolver is this year's recipient of a National Book Award medal for literary achievement.
Givenchy has named Sarah Burton creative director for women’s and men’s collections, with immediate effect, the fashion house announced on Monday.
Do LGBTQ2S+ tourists have a green book-like system for staying safe while travelling in these politically precarious times? They don't have one. They have many.
Four of the league's last five Stanley Cup winners, and seven of the last 10 finalists, play in U.S. jurisdictions without state income tax.
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, the Olympian widely known as B-Girl Raygun who went viral after her performance at the Paris Games, is now ranked the No. 1 breaker in the world.
Tyreek Hill's teammates and coaches used words like 'triggering' and a 'shame' to describe body camera footage showing a police officer yanking the Miami Dolphins receiver out of his sports car and forcing him face-first onto the ground during a traffic stop.
Nearly two-dozen drivers were caught in a speed trap outside a Vancouver elementary school on Thursday – as students were settling back into their daily routines.
Volvo Cars said on Wednesday that plug-in hybrids would continue to be a critical part of its profit growth plans over the next few years and that it would revamp its XC90 hybrid sports utility vehicle.
An Ontario man said he couldn't believe an electric car he bought three years ago for $20,000 would need a new battery at a cost of more than $33,000.
Mansour’s Menswear in Amherst, N.S., is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month
A beautiful Labour Day weekend at the lake was interrupted by some extreme weather when a tornado touched down in northern Ontario.
Charred stumps and the remains of fire-ravaged trees still cover large tracts of land on the Jasper landscape, but life is returning quickly down below.
Winnipeggers could soon be able to kick it into four-wheel drive and let it ride down the road on Bachman Turner Overdrive Way.
Mary Grace Rico is seeking help in getting treatment for a rare spinal condition.
Swimmer Nicholas Bennett and para canoeist Brianna Hennessy have been named Canada's flag-bearers for Sunday's closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Halifax resident Tucker Bottomley started feeling the painful effects of rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 21.
Roger Barker was looking forward to exchanging a book at one of the Little Free Libraries that had been erected in his neighbourhood, until he found it vandalized.
You never know what you might find in your doorbell camera footage...
After five days of deliberations, jurors were unable to break their deadlock in the second-degree murder trial of Kane Carter, who is accused of fatally shooting a rival gang member and an innocent teen passerby in January 2018.
Telus customers living in or travelling through parts of the Fraser Canyon were unable to use their cell phones to call 911 Tuesday, after a construction accident damaged a network cable.
Canada’s children’s troubadour is selling his B.C. home, which is now up for grabs for $1,995,000.
A man has been seriously injured in a stabbing on a TTC streetcar in downtown Toronto.
The group which runs the historical Revue Cinema in Roncesvalles Village will be sticking around to manage the theatre after reaching a new agreement with the owners.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face tonight in the high-stakes debate that comes less than two months before election day.
A 14-year-old girl died in a crash north of Lethbridge on Tuesday morning. RCMP responded to the intersection of Township Road 102 and Range Road 221 in Lethbridge County around 9:40 a.m. for a two-vehicle collision.
A section of road will be closed in downtown Calgary this weekend for filming.
Alberta's premier has reaffirmed her commitment to Calgary’s Green Line LRT as long as the project matches the province’s new above-ground vision.
The City of Ottawa's automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras continue to generate millions of dollars in revenue, and while some argue the cameras are merely revenue-generating tools, city officials insist the funds are being used exclusively for infrastructure improvements to make roads safer for all users, including pedestrians and cyclists.
An Ottawa woman says a travel agent's mistake thinking they were booking a trip from Ontario, California, and not Canada's capital, will force them to take a lengthy detour with a four-and-a-half-hour drive and five flights through Georgia and California to get to Venice, Italy for vacation.
A $2.5 million lawsuit alleges Ottawa police wiretapped and surveilled five of its own Black, Somali officers, hasn't told them why and accuses the service of being an institution 'rife with racism and discrimination that over-polices the racialized communities it has pledged to protect.'
Following the announcement of the end of the NDP-Liberal confidence and supply agreement, a new national survey reveals that 47 per cent of Canadians would support calling a federal election to be called, while only 34 per cent would prefer not to.
Provincial police (SQ) discovered the body of a woman in her sixties at a residence in the municipality of Sainte-Julienne, located in Lanaudière.
The Metropolitain Expressway (A-40) westbound will be closed starting Friday night for paving work, and Transport Quebec recommends motorists avoid the area.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face tonight in the high-stakes debate that comes less than two months before election day.
Alberta's premier said Tuesday a MLA ejected from her ruling party's caucus last year over transphobic comments that surfaced during the election campaign will be given a "platform where she can explain what she meant" to potentially build rapport with her constituency's LGBTQ2S+ community.
Premier Danielle Smith is defending making a string of policy announcements at private United Conservative Party events, saying Albertans shouldn't be surprised by her agenda.
The Nova Scotia RCMP is investigating the suspicious disappearance of a 55-year-old woman.
Mansour’s Menswear in Amherst, N.S., is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month
Despite what the default options on the payment terminal might read, most Canadians still want to tip around 15 per cent, according to a new survey.
The library inside West St. Paul School doesn’t have any books in it anymore. Instead, two classes of students and their teachers have moved in because there isn’t room for them anywhere else.
The City of Winnipeg is ordering a limo company to stop operating unless it settles six years of back taxes.
Ground has officially broken for the construction of the Anne Oake Recovery Centre.
A retirement community in southwest Regina was evacuated after a small fire was reported in the facility's basement.
Another candidate has thrown their hat into the ring for the office of mayor ahead of this fall's municipal election in Regina.
The Saskatchewan NDP is promising help with high rents as it gears up for the October general election.
Health officials are urging the public to take certain precautions to reduce their risk of getting rabies.
Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services says they’ve made some key changes that have resulted in improvements, including response times.
Police have released security video from an armed robbery at a Kitchener gas station.
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
The City of Saskatoon is making its final preparations ahead of November's civic election.
With the arrival of September and more fall-like weather patterns – the likelihood of Saskatchewan seeing any more tornadoes this year is next to nothing.
A Pakistani citizen who was arrested last week in Quebec and charged with plotting a terrorist attack in New York City came to Canada on a student visa in June 2023, Immigration Minister Marc Miller has confirmed.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face tonight in the high-stakes debate that comes less than two months before election day.
As the 11th anniversary of her disappearance approaches, the family of missing Sudbury teen Meagan Pilon say they just want to know what happened to her.
Canada Life and Oak View Group have jointly submitted a proposal to London City Council to rename Budweiser Gardens, the 10,000-seat multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue, to ‘Canada Life Place.’
The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has named an interim Director of Education. The Board of Trustees has named Bill Tucker to the position, effective immediately, following the news that Mark Fisher would be taking a leave.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face tonight in the high-stakes debate that comes less than two months before election day.
Tensions hit a high on Tuesday at Berczy Park as crews continued to dismantle a homeless encampment.
Emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle collision in Bolton Tuesday morning that claimed the life of one person.
A Huntsville elementary school is locked down for the second time this week because of some bears roaming the schoolyard.
Air Canada's 5,200 pilots are poised to strike next week - and with talks stalled, the country's largest airline is planning to suspend most of its operations as soon as this Sunday.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face tonight in the high-stakes debate that comes less than two months before election day.
Windsor police are investigating the tragic drowning death of a 5-year-old girl in a backyard pool.
Renters in Esquimalt, B.C., say they are being caught in a housing conundrum—between the need to build more units and saving aging apartments that remain affordable.
Canada’s children’s troubadour is selling his B.C. home, which is now up for grabs for $1,995,000.
A B.C. man has won his fight to keep a Great Dane in his condo – despite the building’s ban on pets.
A woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed during a home invasion in Kelowna, according to authorities.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Mounties in northwestern B.C. say they have arrested the suspect in a fatal shooting almost exactly a year after it occurred.
The City of Lethbridge and its police force are looking at new ways to address substance abuse.
Two Lethbridge Police Service dogs began their retirement journeys on Tuesday, as the force welcomed its newest four-legged member.
Police in Lethbridge say a woman was left with serious injuries after being attacked with a weapon while she slept in her home.
A nine-year-old boy contracted an often-deadly disease during a in northern Ontario camping trip in July.
A beautiful Labour Day weekend at the lake was interrupted by some extreme weather when a tornado touched down in northern Ontario.
Monday marked International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Day, and experts in the field say there is a lot the public doesn’t know about the disability.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
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