Study identifies intriguing personality factors that raise dementia risk - do you have any of them?
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Scientists claim to have pinpointed the key factors putting people at higher risk of developing dementia — and some could lie in our personality. US researchers analysed over 20,000 adults over 50 to estimate their likelihood of developing the memory-robbing condition.
Including unavoidable factors, like the onset of ageing people's genetic makeup, experts said there were 12 key variables that impacted risk. Suffering a stroke, having poor physical health, diabetes or a BMI over 35 — classed as obese — were among the signs. Studies have long suggested this is the case.
But three, all linked to personality, were also identified by the economists at Californian-based thinktank RAND. These included not being career driven — 'never having worked or only having worked for a few years' — being less conscientious and having low engagement in hobbies.
Other risks included rarely drinking alcohol or drinking excessively, never exercising, scoring low on physical tests, having lower cognitive abilities or having functional limitations — being restricted from fully performing daily activities. However, they cautioned their findings merely showed a link between the factors and dementia. They did not cause the condition.
US researchers analysed over 20,000 adults over 50, to estimate their likelihood of the memory-robbing condition. Being unable to learn new tasks and struggling to stay focused on a single task can be a sign of dementia — the memory-robbing condition plaguing nearly 1million Brits and seven million Americans.