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Meaning in life: resilience beyond reserve

Wednesday 30 May 2018
"Meaning in Life" is related to better perceived mental health (less stress and less depressive symptoms) and better cognitive functioning. The first results of the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) have been published in Alzherimer’s Research & Therapy magazine. Today we know that people who live life fully, feeling that they have a purpose, goals and a directionality are less likely to develop a dementia in old age and a better cognitive function. "When we study the cognitive reserve * we cannot forget to include factors such as meaning in life as it contributes to this reserve," says David Bartrés-Faz, principal investigator of the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) and author of the study. The recently published article is based on the subjective perception of 1,081 volunteers from the BBHI project who answered the questionnaires about the life plan. Link to the CaixaCiència blog on Purpose in Life: Link to a tip on vital plan:  
*The different response capacities that the brain of each person has in front ot the same neurological disease and that contributes to delay the possible cognitive deterioration.
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ABSTRACT

 

Background

The contribution of psychological factors to brain health and resilience remains poorly investigated. Furthermore, their possible interaction with ‘classical’ cognitive reserve (CR) estimates in predicting perceived mental health and cognitive status has not been specifically addressed.

Methods

We obtained data from 1081 adults responding to questionnaires on the three meaning in life (MiL) dimensions: purpose in life (PiL), sense of coherence (SoC), and engagement with life (EwL). A questionnaire on CR variables was also administered. The outcome measures were self-reported cognitive function and affective status (depression, stress, and anxiety). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between sociodemographic variables, MiL dimensions, and CR with the two selected outcomes. Mediation analyses, adjusted for age and gender, were applied to determine whether the MiL dimensions mediated the putative effects of CR on self-reported mental and cognitive health.

Results

All three MiL components, but not CR estimates, correlated with the self-reported affective status of the participants. Higher CR, PiL, and SoC (but not EwL) scores significantly correlated with higher perceived cognitive function. Notably, the observed association between the CR measures and self-reported cognitive function was mediated by PiL and SoC.

Conclusions

Psychological MiL dimensions mediate the association between classic CR estimates and self-perceived cognitive function. Further studies on CR could consider including formal measures of such psychological factors to better understand their unique or synergistic contributions, as well as investigate the associated mechanisms maintaining brain function at older ages.
 
Link to the article: