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Anthea Rowan

This is the 89th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope
A recent study published by researchers at Harvard University found that people with higher optimism scores were less likely to develop dementia.
The cheerfully named study – “The Bright Side of Life: Optimism and Risk of Dementia” – followed 9,000 older adults over 14 years from 2006 to 2020, conducting assessments every four years.
Researchers found that a higher level of optimism – roughly the jump from an average outlook to a notably positive one – was linked to a 15 per cent lower risk of dementia.
Optimism is defined as the ability or inclination to put a positive spin on actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.
Someone who is optimistic is often referred to as a “glass half-full” person, as opposed to being “glass half-empty”. Being optimistic is usually accompanied by a “can-do” attitude, which is valuable as we get older.

Despite the definitions, Hong Kong clinical psychologist Dr Adrian Wong says that optimism “is a very abstract concept”.
What really matters is how we generate a more optimistic outlook, he explains, because its opposite – pessimism – comes with a greater risk of dementia.
How control affects optimism
Irrespective of how old we are, we need to feel positive about the future to be optimistic, Wong says, and to do that, we need to feel as if we have some control over what is happening in our lives. Feeling out of control makes you feel panicked and anxious.
There are factors in our lives over which it seems we have little control, including illness, bereavement and lack of finances. In those situations, we are robbed of control even further.
“It’s very hard to feel like you have control over your life when you lose good health and the people you love,” Wong says.
These conditions are especially prevalent among vulnerable older populations.
Combine a loss of control – over health, our partners, a role in life – with the natural decline in hope that often accompanies old age and it is no surprise that many elderly people begin to overfocus on all the things they cannot control.
“And then, of course, the future outlook doesn’t look great,” Wong says.

The key is to focus on what you can control, especially as we get older. It brings to mind the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”
The reason for this is that “ruminating” on the things we have no control over can be detrimental to mood. Rumination is a driver of depression, which leads to a lack of motivation and “anhedonia” – the word psychologists use to describe a reduced ability to experience pleasure, or a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed.
The benefits of optimism
Experts are increasingly understanding that dementia risk is never tied to just one factor; it is the consequence of a constellation of risks. It is not only a lack of optimism that creates risk, but everything that compromises optimism and everything that is lost with it.
Optimism is linked to many benefits. Optimists tend to manage stress better, which matters because stress leads to chronically elevated levels of cortisol, which is known to damage the hippocampus – our brain’s memory centre and one of the first parts of the brain to be damaged in dementia.
Optimists also have lower levels of chronic inflammation and stress hormones, and are more likely to exercise, eat well, avoid smoking, sleep better and maintain strong social networks.
They have been found to have better heart health – and remember what doctors say: look after your heart, and you will look after your brain. A meta-analysis of more than 200,000 people found that more optimistic individuals had about a 35 per cent lower risk of major cardiovascular events and a lower risk of dying from any cause.

How to cultivate optimism
Encouragingly, the researchers in the heart study pointed out that optimism is not necessarily an inborn trait. Older studies have found genes are responsible in only about 25 per cent of cases; optimism can be learned and nurtured, even later in life, through simple practices like keeping a gratitude journal.
Every day, jot down one or two things you are grateful for. That simple habit can focus your attention on the positives and throw your whole day into brighter light.
The researchers believe their findings could help drive dementia prevention initiatives that help people develop a greater sense of optimism.
Wong’s top advice is to “get into groups, see people”.
Even in primitive tribes, he says, the collective nature of the group, of community, sparks healing from trauma and depression.
Many elderly people in his care who have depression – by definition, the abandonment of optimism – are isolated and without direction, motivation and meaning in their lives. So they ruminate on their own all day.
Hong Kong has many care centres for older people, he says, and they are conveniently located. When you – or an elderly loved one – arrive and are surrounded by like-minded people, you will feel better and less alone. You can get involved in activities, become aware of opportunities to keep busy, and develop new friends and a new community.

Those who are stuck at home alone can be overwhelmed with negative thoughts.
“Get out and see people who are more active and doing things,” Wong says. “It changes the way you think about yourself, your ability and your circumstances.”
That fresh outlook can raise your optimism – and lower your risk for dementia.
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Author Anthea Rowan (right) with her mother.

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Professor Timothy Kwok is professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. 

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Dr Cyrus Raji, assistant professor of radiology and neurology at Washington University School of Medicine. Photo: Washington University School of Medicine 

David Merrill, director of the Pacific Brain Health Centre. Photo: Pacific Brain Health Centre

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A Buddha bowl containing vegetables and other healthy ingredients, recommended by Corse of Fizz Fitness in Tanzania. Photo: Instagram/@fizz.fitness

Being optimistic can lower dementia risk by 15%, Harvard study finds

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Experts explain why optimism is beneficial for brain health and how to cultivate a more positive mindset

Experts explain why optimism is beneficial for brain health and how to cultivate a more positive mindset