Dementia: Scientists Reveal Possible New Early-Warning Sign [Video]

Feeling a lack of purpose and personal growth in older ages may be a very early warning sign of dementia later in life, new research suggests. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that psychological well-being and memory decline are intimately linked.

More than 5 million Americans over 65 live with dementia, according to 2014 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dementia comes in different forms—the most common form is Alzheimer’s disease—and is characterized by an impaired ability to remember, think and make decisions.

Exactly what causes dementia isn’t entirely clear, but a range of genetic and environmental risk factors have been associated with the condition.

Previous research has identified links between depression, poor psychological well-being and memory decline, suggesting that each might affect the others. Now, scientists from China Agricultural University, Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center have explored how psychological well-being changes over the course of cognitive …