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posted by martyb on Wednesday July 15 2020, @09:35AM   Printer-friendly
from the tl;dr dept.

Cambridge study finds apathy, not depression, is an early sign of dementia :

A new study, led by neuroscientists from the University of Cambridge, has identified apathy as an important early sign of dementia. The research finds apathy is distinct from depression, and offers a more accurate longitudinal association with the onset of dementia.

[...] To study this particular distinction between apathy and depression, and their relationship with dementia, the researchers looked at two independent cohorts with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), totaling more than 450 subjects. SVD is a common age-related condition and it's the leading cause of vascular dementia, so following SVD patients for several years before dementia develops offers a good insight into the earliest pre-clinical signs of cognitive decline.

Affirming the hypothesis that apathy is an early sign of cognitive decline, the researchers reference recent MRI studies finding SVD damages specific white matter networks relating to motivation and healthy cognitive functions. This suggests as SVD progresses, an early stage of pre-dementia neurodegeneration can manifest in apathetic behavior.

"This implies that apathy is not a risk factor for dementia per se, but rather an early symptom of white matter network damage," the researchers write in the study. "Indeed, recent theoretical work proposed that certain symptoms of apathy are synonymous with defined cognitive deficits. If this is the case, then apathy may manifest early as a reduction in attention towards reward stimuli, then later, as an inability to learn or remember rewarding behaviours."

Journal Reference:
Jonathan Tay, Robin G Morris, Anil M Tuladhar, et al. Apathy, but not depression, predicts all-cause dementia in cerebral small vessel disease [open], Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-323092)

If you really don't care about this study, you might be in trouble...


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday July 16 2020, @11:23AM (3 children)

    by Bot (3902) on Thursday July 16 2020, @11:23AM (#1022356) Journal

    About things I can change, a better version of such prayer would begin with "Lord" instead of God, or at least say please. As you wrote it, looks like a demand/request.

    Christians can also note the reaction to the disciples' request "Make our faith stronger", in luke 17. You take merits for your good qualities, therefore you don't ask god to supply them, it's your responsibility.

    The wisdom, finally, looks like a good candidate for a prayer.

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  • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Thursday July 16 2020, @02:25PM (2 children)

    by RS3 (6367) on Thursday July 16 2020, @02:25PM (#1022405)

    Please be clear- I used quotation marks because "The Serenity Prayer" is a thing, from a very standard source. I did not author it. Maybe "the serenity prayer" is more common in predominantly-English speaking countries. It's pretty commonly known, and is used widely in many recovery programs. Many leave off "God" altogether- it becomes a prayer to whoever or whatever at that point. I hear you re: demand/request; it's somewhat English idiomatic. It can be interpreted as a demand, or just a stated wish, plea, hope, etc.

    English is quite idiomatic and contextual. IMHO it's the cause of a LOT of the world's (including certainly here on SN) fighting. Someone makes a statement, the context isn't clear, but the reader/listener interprets the context (in whatever way their imagination is inclined to), is 100% sure of what the speaker/writer meant (because huge ego), and takes action.

    Being generally more curious than most, I rarely assume people's context. But I can't tell you how many times I've had to correct incorrect interpretations of what I've written. Recently on a particular green site a guy actually put quotes around something HE conjured up as if I wrote it, then he disputed it. I went off on him because the concept of it was mind-numbingly absurd, and, what he put in quotes was completely different from what I wrote. You only use quotes when you're copy-pasting an actual thing, not something you made up. Shows you how much people's egos are raging out of control.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Bot on Wednesday July 22 2020, @01:36PM (1 child)

      by Bot (3902) on Wednesday July 22 2020, @01:36PM (#1024932) Journal

      My remarks are generic. I know about the serenity prayer, heard it in my language too. If you like it I have no problem with it, it's a morally nice thing to ask for.

      Theologically though, note that Jesus does not grant the request of the disciples in that passage of Luke's gospel. Make our faith stronger. Quite interesting, right? because a god which alters your personality and makes you a supergood guy, also takes away all responsibility for the good things you do. This is a mere subtext, as Jesus focuses on the amount of faith. Yet he does not grant the request.

      The serenity prayer and many other personal prayers, ask god to change us. Humanly acceptable, theologically unacceptable.

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      • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Wednesday July 22 2020, @02:07PM

        by RS3 (6367) on Wednesday July 22 2020, @02:07PM (#1024944)

        Thank you for such an excellent reply. I'll have to think about it a bit. I'm too busy for a couple of days but I'll think about it here and there...

        It might be an English idiomatic / passive thing, but I don't quite see the Serenity Prayer as asking God to change us. I see it as asking for wisdom (I hate to use the word "enlightenment" but that too.)

        It reminds me of asking a teacher to teach you something. You have to be willing to be open-minded to the information, and willing to consider that the new information may prompt change, and by that I mean you may want to change something about how you think and act based on the new information and the new perspective it illuminates.

        But I certainly understand your point and it opens up questions about what is okay to ask God for. (Personally I say ask for anything- I can't imagine it's wrong or sin to ask for something He's not going to give us. But I have many more thoughts but no time...)

        Thanks!