Change in sense of humour 'a sign of impending dementia'

[webfact]

Change in sense of humour 'a sign of impending dementia'
By Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

LONDON: -- An increasingly warped sense of humour could be an early warning sign of impending dementia, say UK experts.

The University College London study involved patients with frontotemporal dementia, with the results appearing in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Questionnaires from the friends and family of the 48 patients revealed many had noticed a change in humour years before the dementia had been diagnosed.

This included laughing inappropriately at tragic events.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34766361


-- BBC 2015-11-10

[TheCruncher]

Sounds as if quite a few members better go see a doctor.

[Gulfsailor]

I suddenly find this funny.... :-O

[zaphod reborn]

Questionnaires from the friends and family of the 48 patients revealed many had noticed a change in humour years before the dementia had been diagnosed.

And a study of 48 patients became the basis of an academic journal article on a precursor of dementia? My, the standards in academia may have just fallen to an all-time low. I don't think you can make any such conclusion given the subtle and dry nature of British humour.

A much more scientific study was recently released that shows a precursor symptom of Alzheimer's disease is a loss of smell. They are using peanut butter smell tests in clinical trials to quantify the correlation. It would be nice if scientists would stick to objective tests rather than ridiculous subjective beliefs that someone has gone "off".

[SoiBiker]

Explains some of the 'jokes' we see posted here.

[Kasset Tak]

Questionnaires from the friends and family of the 48 patients revealed many had noticed a change in humour years before the dementia had been diagnosed.

And a study of 48 patients became the basis of an academic journal article on a precursor of dementia? My, the standards in academia may have just fallen to an all-time low. I don't think you can make any such conclusion given the subtle and dry nature of British humour.

A much more scientific study was recently released that shows a precursor symptom of Alzheimer's disease is a loss of smell. They are using peanut butter smell tests in clinical trials to quantify the correlation. It would be nice if scientists would stick to objective tests rather than ridiculous subjective beliefs that someone has gone "off".

Now you got me thinking, maybe it's not a cold I have but Alzheimer's as I can't smell anything...

And yes 48 is a low number. We did a study on 1250 slaughtered pigs to see if we could find a common DNA marker for intramuscular fat and it was deemed inconclusive as it was ONLY done on 1250 pigs of 5 different breeds.

Edited November 10, 2015 by Kasset Tak

[catterwell]

So my dementia set in when I was about 5 years old. A doctor once if any in my family suffered from insanity, to which I replied "no, we all quite enjoy it".

[BuaBS]

This included laughing inappropriately at tragic events.

As you grow older , you get a bigger perspective on life and tragic events....and you can laugh with it, it doesn't mean you are demented.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

that is hilarious!!!

[HerbalEd]

This included laughing inappropriately at tragic events.

As you grow older , you get a bigger perspective on life and tragic events....and you can laugh with it, it doesn't mean you are demented.

Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that.

[ggt]

This could help explain why so many ex-pats living in Thailand have a change in sense of humour after being scammed out of their life's savings...

[bangon04]

Does Thaivisa have a resident psychologist? Maybe it should.......

[billd766]

How about this one?

It appeals to my sense of humour. Perhaps it is a sign of impending dementia.

After all I am 71 and I have enjoyed "Peanuts" by Charles M Schultz for years.

Edited November 10, 2015 by billd766

[canuckamuck]

Cetainly then I was born with dementia.

[KIWIBATCH]

My sister has dementia....I haven't.

I asked her one day to go to the ice-cream shop and buy me a chocolate dipped ice-cream.

She came back 2 hours later......I looked at what she was holding in her hands...

Lo and behold...she had forgotten to buy the tomato sauce

[VillageIdiot]

This could help explain why so many ex-pats living in Thailand have a change in sense of humour after being scammed out of their life's savings...

If my fellow idiots had any sense to begin with - humourous or otherwise - they would still have their life's savings.

I lost mine years ago... sense, humour, and life's savings.

TIT. Live with it.

[Steely Dan]

I remember having to ring in 'sick' the Monday following Lady Diana's death knowing full well I'd likely say something inappropriate. Now how soon is 'impending' supposed to be?

Edited November 11, 2015 by Steely Dan

[SoiBiker]

People who insist on telling you how wacky their sense of humour is are generally about as funny as this guy.