Lack of Interest Linked to Dementia Risk

Older adults with a lack of interest or severe apathy have an increased chance of developing dementia than people with few symptoms of apathy, stated a study published in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Apathy can be very distressing for family members, when people no longer want to get together with family or friends or don't seem interested in what they used to enjoy," said study author Meredith Bock, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco. "More research is needed, but it's possible that these are signs that people may be at risk for Alzheimer's disease and could benefit from early interventions and efforts to reduce other risk factors."

2,018 adults with an average age of 74 were involved in the study. None of the study participants had dementia.

At the start of the study, researchers measured apathy using a survey with simple questions. Based on the survey results, the participants were divided into three groups: those with low, moderate, and severe apathy.

After nine years, researchers determined who had dementia by looking at medication use, hospital records, and cognitive test results.

Study Findings

• 381 participants, or almost 19%, developed dementia.
• In the low apathy group, 111 out of 768 people, or 14%, developed dementia.
• In the moderate apathy group, 143 out of 742 people, or 19% developed dementia.
• In the severe apathy group, 127 out of 508 people, or 25%, developed dementia.
• Greater apathy is linked to worse cognitive scores.

"While depression has been studied more extensively as a predictor of dementia, our study adds to the research showing that apathy also deserves attention as an independent predictor of the disease," Bock said. "In fact, we believe that apathy may be a very early sign of dementia and it can be evaluated with a brief questionnaire."

Source-Medindia