Is There a Link between Life Satisfaction and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Description

Neurological and psychological issues are two of the most common health problems negatively affecting the quality of life as well as the longevity of the global population. Furthermore, it is reported that depression and dementia are closely linked, and having depression symptoms is a risk factor for developing dementia. On the other hand, the lack of life satisfaction is one of the important factors that induce mental problems. In this study, we investigated the relationship between life satisfaction and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This cohort study included 11,004 participants from the UK Biobank consisting of two groups: 10,040 individuals in the control group who were not diagnosed with AD and did not have any member of the family who was diagnosed with AD and 964 individuals in the dementia diagnosis group. We performed regression analyses to explore the potential link between the AD diagnosis and the total life satisfaction of an individual, as indicated by self-reported work/job, health, friendship, and financial satisfaction. As a result, we observed that the AD diagnosis was statistically significantly associated with total life satisfaction. In particular, the satisfaction related to work/job, health, and financial situation, strongly differentiated people with or without AD.. We conclude that total life satisfaction may be related to AD risk and that improving life satisfaction may help minimize age-related cognitive decline. However, further studies are necessary for the definitive establishment of a causal relationship.

Period	29 Mar 2023
Event title	RSU Research week 2023: Society. Health. Welfare
Event type	Conference
Conference number	9
Organiser	Rīga Stradiņš University
Location	Riga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International