Posted on 05/29/2014 1:34:42 PM PDT by BBell
Cynics are three times more likely to develop dementia than those who have faith in humanity, a study has shown.
Believing that others are motivated by selfishness, or that they lie to get what they want, appears to radically increase the risk of cognitive decline in later life.
It could mean that grumpy old men and women should be screened more closely for diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Cynicism has previously been linked to health problems such as heart disease, but this is the first time it has been associated with dementia.
“These results add to the evidence that people’s view on life and personality may have an impact on their health,” said Dr. Anna-Maija Tolppanen, the lead researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, whose study is published online in the journal Neurology.
Academics asked nearly 1,500 people with an average age of 71 to fill out a questionnaire to measure their levels of cynicism.
They were asked how much they agreed with statements such as “I think most people would lie to get ahead”, “it is safer to trust nobody” and “most people will use somewhat unfair reasons to gain profit or an advantage rather than lose it.”
Those taking part were monitored for eight years, during which time 46 of them were diagnosed with dementia. The academics discovered that those who had scored highly for cynicism were three times more likely to have developed dementia than those with low scores.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...
Its a choice. I choose optimism.
I’m thinking I’m pretty much doomed then.
I’m screwed.
Merry Christmas, everyone. Hello, Ma?
I will give up my cynicism when the world (and especially Washington D.C.) stops giving me reasons to be cynical.
/johnny
Who paid for this study? Studies just show what the funder wants them to show.
Not me...I'm more of a skeptic than a cynic. My 12 YO son & 3 YO grandson have turned me away from the dark side.
Not that one would ascertain it from most of my posts.
I’m in trouble.
Wait, what were we talking about?
So cynics are three times more likely to live to old age. /cynicism
Bah. Humbug.
I question the findings of this study. ;)
So you either live longer and get suckered out of your money by scam artists because you don't believe people are greedy and lie, or you get dementia and get suckered out of your money anyway. Great.
(That doesn't sound cynical, does it?)
Your approach makes sense in a trust but verify sort of way.
I just look at all the rabidly angry psychotic liberals and I know that pessimism is unhealthy.
She embraced the 'hardened cynical bastards' mindset, and hot chicks who play tuba are cool.
Murphy doesn’t take very many vacation days.
*********
A colleague used to remind me that “Murphy was an optimist” meaning of course that even he didn’t know how bad things could get. lol
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