John 10:10 ~ "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly
A recent recent study has shown that having a greater purpose in life can stave off alzheimers disease. So says Dr. Patricia Boyle of Rush University Medical Ctr. in Chicago, IL March issue of the journal 'Archives of General Psychiatry'. On Chicago's WVON AM 1690's, The Santita Jackon show, Dr. Boyle reported that people with purpose live longer and healthier lives. According to ABC News the panel of Doctors and Scientists delivered the following:
"The tendency to derive meaning from life's experiences and to possess a sense of intentionality and goal directedness are associated with a substantially reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and a less rapid rate of cognitive decline in older age,"
Researchers in Chicago measured purpose of life of 951 older people who did not have dementia over an average of four years. People who scored in the top 10 per cent on the purpose of life measure were found to be approximately 2.4 times less likely to develop Alzheimers disease than those in the bottom 10 per cent.
Greater purpose in life was associated with a 52 percent reduced risk of Alzheimers, and those with a high score on the purpose-in-life measurement were 2.4 times more likely to remain disease-free than low-scorers. There was a 30% reduction in the risk of heart attack, among them with purpose and a 1.5% increased likelihood of remaining heart attack free as compared to those who scored low on the purpose of life scores. The panel defined purpose as follows:
a "psychological tendency to derive meaning from life's experiences and to possess a sense of intentionality and goal directedness that guides behavior"
Similarly, those who developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were older and reported lower purpose in life scores than those who were not impaired. They also had a higher number of depressive symptoms. They found that people who agreed with statements such as, "I feel good when I think of what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future" and "I have a sense of direction and purpose in life" were less likely to develop the disease than those who did not agree.
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