The Archives of General Psychology published an
article in their May issue entitled “Effect of Purpose in Life on the Relation
Between Alzheimer Disease (AD) Pathologic Changes on Cognitive Function in
Advanced Age.”
OK. Long title. But the short of it – research
study participants who reported higher levels of purpose in life exhibited
better cognitive function despite the burden of having Alzheimer’s Disease.
Interesting.
I do a keynote I presumptuously call “The Meaning of Life” and I cover eight
points about living a quality of life that I have learned from our elders.
Particularly elders in nursing homes, which most of society associates with a
place to die, exhibit this characteristic.
PURPOSE.
Researchers essentially wanted to see if
purpose in life reduces the harmful effects of pathologic changes in
cognition in advanced age.
Two
hundred forty-six community-based older persons from the Rush Memory and Aging
Project participated. Purpose in life was assessed via structured interview,
and cognitive function was evaluated annually and close to death. Post-mortem
examinations were also performed on the brain.
Purpose
in life reduced the association of tangles with cognition. The tangles and
plaques associated with the disease, in other words, did not impact cognition
as much as it did for those who did not have purpose.
In
fact researchers said that purpose had a protective effect and higher levels of
purpose in life reduced the effect of pathologic changes on cognitive decline.
Got
purpose?
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