Apathetic feelings may do more than just stall progress in life. They can also be an early predictor of the future onset of dementia.
Those are the recent findings by researchers at the University of Cambridge in England, who say the discovery creates an opportunity to design interventions well before symptoms arise.
The results focus on frontotemporal dementia, which typically affects people between the ages of 45 and 65. It can cause compulsive or impulsive behaviors but is also associated with a loss of motivation and interest. It’s that connection that researchers focused on.
They studied slightly more than 300 people with a defective gene that causes frontotemporal dementia and a similar number of their relatives with normal genes. After tracking their habits for several years, a clear association emerged: Those with the genetic defect had more apathy than their genetically healthy relatives. Using memory tests and brain scans, they also documented localized shrinkage in the parts of the brain that control initiative and motivation. Those brain changes appeared years before dementia symptoms would be expected.
Not only did apathy foreshadow cognitive decline, it also intensified as the participants got older.
Researchers say the findings underscore the importance of finding out why someone feels apathetic. The reasons can include psychiatric illness or a medical condition. Early warning of dementia can also provide more opportunities for treatment before symptoms worsen.
So, while no one enjoys a lack of interest in life, it may someday be an important part of identifying dementia risk.