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Study: Stop Being So Cynical, You Could Give Yourself Dementia

Posted by timothy on from the yeah-right-grandma dept.

concertina226 (2447056) writes "Scientists from the University of Eastern Finland have found that people who have high levels of cynical distrust are three times as likely to suffer from dementia in later life, than those who have more faith in other people. Their study is the first of its kind to look at the relationship between cynicism and dementia. Entitled: 'Late-life cynical distrust, risk of incident dementia, and mortality in a population-based cohort', it is published in the latest issue of the journal Neurology. Over a period of eight years, the researchers studied 1,499 people, who all had an average age of 71. The participants were given tests for dementia and a questionnaire to measure their level of cynicism, based on the Cook-Medley Scale."

10 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. There's a relationship... by Morphine007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... but is it cause and effect? Or effect and effect? Could the very high levels of cynical distrust be a result of some malady that eventually causes the dementia?

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    Oh god, that woman is John Romero!
    1. Re:There's a relationship... by bluegutang · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'd guess that cynical or distrustful people end up with lesser social connections to other people, a factor which has already been linked to dementia.

    2. Re:There's a relationship... by uncqual · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You are confusing being "cynical" with having a "closed mind".

      I suspect cynical people likely think things through more than those who are very trusting.

      Those that are very trusting don't see a need to question and think deeply about things other people say, do, or offer (which is why they end up falling for various scams) until after they get screwed and then, in my experience, they don't learn much from it. Cynics, on the other hand, don't accept something to be true just because someone said it and therefore have to evaluate and think about most everything they hear -- making them think and exercise their brains. Also, when they get screwed in spite of their due caution, they tend to think back as to what they missed about the situation that would have prevented them from getting into it.

      Of course, you probably shouldn't trust my insight on this as, being a cynic, I am probably biased (but only cynics will understand that or care about that).

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      Why is there an "insightful" mod and why isn't it "-1"? If I wanted insight, I wouldn't be reading /.
  2. Meh by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just about all studies are crap anyway. Why would this one be any different?

  3. Or ... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    Maybe people who blindly trust everyone never get identified as having dementia, because they just go along with everything you say?

    Now get off my lampshade!

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    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  4. Re:Wait by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can be skeptical without being cynical.

    I doubt it. :-P

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    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  5. Re:Correlation is not causation by nospam007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "What if cynicism is just an early warning sign of dementia?"

    We used to call it a cranky old fart.

  6. I don't trust the authors of this article by freezin+fat+guy · · Score: 4, Funny

    What's their angle?

  7. To prevent fire, burn everything ahead of time by Atrox666 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you're optimistic in this world you are already delusional so how would they tell if you're suffering from dementia?

  8. Just keep drinking the Kool-Aid... by mschaffer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just keep drinking the Kool-Aid. Apparently they put anti-dementia meds in it.