By Victoria Bekiempis
Over the years, the definition
of cynicism has shifted dramatically—from an ascetic school of philosophy in
ancient Greece (spelled with a capital “C”) to, today, a distrust of others for
being selfishly motivated. What hasn’t changed so much about cynicism is its
association with mental decline.
For example, the best-known
Cynic of the Classical Greece era, one Diogenes of Sinope, slept in an empty
wine barrel, masturbated in public and urinated on critics. (Diogenes syndrome
now refers to “an older adult living in squalor,” according to the British
Medical Journal.) And then there’s philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who at 44 had
a nervous breakdown that eventually led to his dementia and death. While deeply
influenced by the Cynics, much of Nietzsche’s writing is arguably closer to
today’s concept of cynicism—distrust in social systems and, by extension, the
people who partake in them.
Researchers now think there
might be a direct link between this attitude and mental decline, beyond these
historical examples: People with high levels of “cynical distrust,” which they
define as “the belief that others are mainly motivated by selfish concerns,”
are more likely to develop dementia, according to a study published Wednesday
in the online issue of Neurology.
Over the course of eight years,
researchers examined 1,449 people, whose average age was 71, to determine
whether they had dementia. They also gave study participants a questionnaire
“to measure their level of cynicism,” according to the study’s authors. (Per
the questionnaire, participants were asked to say how much they agreed with
statements such as “I think most people would lie to get ahead.”)
They found that “people with
high levels of cynical distrust were three times more likely to develop
dementia than people with low levels of cynicism,” even when adjusted for other
dementia risk factors, such as smoking, according to a statement on the study.
“This is not explained by the
lifestyle choices or other factors like age or sex,” study author Anna-Maija
Tolppanen, Ph.D., of the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, tells
Newsweek. “Personality might actually affect brain health.”
The study does not explain
whether the cynicism causes the dementia or whether bodily and mental decline
in the elderly enables a bleak opinion of others. The study detected a
correlation, the cynicism-dementia link, not causation.
However, Tolppanen says, social
interaction is key to cognitive health—so any worldview that might deter
socialization could plausibly have an impact.
“We know that people who engage
in social activities are more likely to preserve their cognitive function as
they age,” she says.
Tolppanen’s advice for cynics?
“Even if you are reserved
toward others, it is really important to be socially active,” she says. “That
has been shown to be good for your brain.”
Cynicism has also been linked
to other health problems, such as heart disease. According to this study,
however, extreme cynics do not die any earlier than those who are more
trusting.
