Excessive trust is a sign of dementia, doctors say
Rush University: excessive trust in older adults is an early sign of dementia, raising the risk by 60% with each point on the scale.
Rush University: excessive trust in older adults is an early sign of dementia, raising the risk by 60% with each point on the scale.
Rush University has determined that the development of dementia can be recognized through subtle changes in a person's thinking and behavior even before memory problems appear. Excessive trustfulness should be considered a warning sign. If an older person frequently falls victim to scammers, dementia may be developing. Their brain is losing the ability to correctly interpret the intentions and emotions of strangers.
Data from 935 older adults who underwent a special test were analyzed. The assessment made it possible to gauge how high the risk of becoming a scam victim was. It took into account willingness to answer calls from unknown numbers, communication with telemarketers and sales agents over the phone, readiness to make risky investments, and a lack of awareness that older people are often the target of financial exploitation. After testing, a six-year observation period began.
During this time, 151 people were diagnosed with dementia and 255 with mild cognitive impairment. It turned out that the more points a participant scored on the scam susceptibility scale, the higher the risk of developing cognitive impairment. Each additional point on this "scam victim" scale was associated with a 60% increase in the risk of dementia. The identified link was also confirmed by post-mortem autopsy findings (scam victims had greater accumulations of beta-amyloid protein, which is toxic to neurons).
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