ATLANTA — A positive attitude may play a role in lowering the risk of dementia, according to a new study.
Correspondent Michael George reports that research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found people with an optimistic outlook had about a 15% lower risk of developing dementia.
Researchers say the findings add to growing evidence that mental health can influence physical health and may support healthy aging.
According to the study, individuals with higher levels of optimism were less likely to develop dementia over a follow-up period of up to 14 years in a large, nationally representative group.
Researchers also found the link remained consistent even after accounting for other factors, suggesting the results were not explained by pre-existing mental health conditions or other variables.
The study comes as dementia continues to affect millions of people worldwide. According to researchers, an estimated 57 million people globally are living with the condition.