Sense of purpose can stave off dementia, study claims

Having a sense of purpose can reduce people's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found.

Research conducted at the Rush University Medical Center in the US and detailed in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that setting life goals can help stave off the condition.

Over the course of the study, 951 older adults without dementia were assessed, with researchers measuring their sense of purpose using a series of questions. A follow-up exercise was then carried out four years later, by which time 155 participants had developed Alzheimer's.

It was found that greater purpose in life was associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, as well as a slower rate of cognitive decline.

Commenting on the findings, Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: "We can surely gain a lot from setting positive goals in life, though how helpful this can be in combating dementia is not conclusive. Studies like this can often be difficult to interpret, as there are many factors that could influence the results and these findings need to be verified in other groups of people."

Recent research carried out as part of the new Living Well campaign, found that 53 per cent of people feel they do not know enough about dementia to help someone who has it.