Psychological well-being and risk of dementia.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Well-being is a psychological resource that buffers against age-related disease. We test whether this protective effect extends to dementia and whether it is independent of distress.

Methods

Participants (N = 10,099) were from the Health and Retirement Study. Five aspects of positive psychological functioning (life satisfaction, optimism, mastery, purpose in life, and positive affect) were tested as predictors of incident dementia over 6 to 8 years.

Results

Purpose in life was associated with a 30% decreased risk of dementia, independent of psychological distress, other clinical and behavioral risk factors, income/wealth, and genetic risk. After controlling for distress and other risk factors, the other aspects of well-being were not associated with dementia

SUBMITTER: Sutin AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5882524 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature