Having a ‘Purpose in Life’ May Help Shield You From Dementia

Having a ‘Purpose in Life’ May Help Shield You From Dementia

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A new study suggests you can keep dementia at bay by developing a firm purpose in life. The findings don’t prove that having a purpose will make a difference, and it’s possible that the researchers missed another important factor that’s at play. Still, the study, published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, found that people who had more purpose — as defined by the researchers — seemed to be less affected by the brain-clogging gunk that’s considered to be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers defined a purpose in life as “the tendency to find meaning from life experience, to be intentional and focused.”