Being pessimistic raises dementia risk

Pessimistic, anxious and depressed people are at a higher risk of developing dementia. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota conducted a study on 3,500 people. The findings showed that those who scored high for pessimism on a standardized personality test had a 30 per cent increased risk of developing dementia 30 to 40 years later. And those scoring very high on both anxiety and pessimism scales had a 40 per cent higher risk. The researchers looked at the medical records of 3,500 men and women who lived near the clinic between 1962 and 1965. They all took the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, a standard personality and life experience test.

In 2004 the team interviewed the participants or family members. Those who scored higher for anxiety and pessimism on the test were more likely to have developed dementia by 2004, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. This did not mean a person who is pessimistic could assume he or she has a higher risk of developing dementia. One cannot make a leap from group level data to the individual.

There is no specific way to prevent dementia, although many studies have shown that a healthy diet, exercise, keeping active in other ways, doing puzzles and other activities lower the risk.

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