Greater Sense of Purpose May Protect the Aging Brain

Having a purpose in life — the sense that life has meaning and direction — may help guard against cerebral infarcts in older individuals, suggest new findings from the Rush Memory and Aging Project.

Participants who reported a greater sense of purpose in life had a lower risk of having cerebral infarcts on neuropathologic examination.

“Mental health, in particular positive psychological factors such as having a purpose in life, are emerging as very potent determinants of health outcomes,” Patricia Boyle, PhD, study coauthor and associate professor of behavioral sciences at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, notes in a statement.

“Clinicians need to be aware of patients’ mental state and encourage behaviors that will increase purpose and other positive emotional states,” she advised.

“Purpose in life differs for everyone, and it is important to be thoughtful about what motivates you (such as volunteering, learning new things, or being part of the community) so you can engage in rewarding behaviors,” added Lei Yu, PhD, study lead author and assistant professor of neurological sciences at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center.