Too Much Cynicism can Lead to Dementia: Study

Cynics have higher chances of developing dementia, according to a study.

Cynicism or cynical distrust is defined as a state of mind with complete lack of trust and belief that others are motivated by their selfishness. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio found a direct link between cynical attitude and memory decline in later years. Their study involved 1,449 individuals aged 71 on average who underwent tests for dementia. These participants' levels of cynicism were rated as low, moderate and high based on their answers to a questionnaire.

The answers were; '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.'

The study also considered other risk factors for dementia like age, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels and smoking habits.

Nearly 622 subjects took up two tests for dementia that had a gap of certain number of years in between. Eight years after the trial, about 46 people were diagnosed with dementia.

The analysis revealed participants with high levels of cynical distrust were thrice likely to experience severe memory loss. In 164 participants with high levels of cynical distrust, 14 had developed dementia. While only nine out of 212 people with low levels of cynicism were later affected with the condition.

The researchers also compared mortality risks in low level and high level cynicism groups. They further studied 1,146 subjects for 10 years and recorded a total of 361 deaths.  However, their analysis could not confirm association between high level cynicism and premature death.

The study results strongly point at the importance of having a positive outlook in life that can protect against decline in mental health and development of diseases. Past studies postulate cynical people have high probability for heart problems and diseases.

"These results add to the evidence that people's view on life and personality may have an impact on their health," said Anna-Maija Tolppanen, study author and researcher from the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, in a news release.

"Understanding how a personality trait like cynicism affects risk for dementia might provide us with important insights on how to reduce risks for dementia."

More information is available online in journal Neurology.