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Health See other Health Articles Title: Changes in sense of humor may be early sign of dementia Preferences for slapstick, satirical, absurdist and nonexistent comedy were seen to indicate the development of dementia years before a diagnosis in a new study. Nearly all patients in a study on comedy preferences in dementia patients were not fans of satirical or aburdist comedy such as "Monty Python," the cast of which is seen above in a 2005 curtain call for the Broadway musical "Spamalot." LONDON, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Already aware that dementia-related diseases cause changes in sense of humor, researchers at University College London found changes to what people find funny may indicate specific types of dementia years before other symptoms become apparent. Alzheimer's disease is the most well-known and leading cause of dementia, bringing with it behavioral changes and memory problems. In patients with Alzheimer's, shifts in what patients laugh at are known to happen, as is typical in most diseases that cause dementia. UCL researchers found differences in the complexity of comedy -- think Jim Carrey's slapstick humor compared to the more information- and language-based comedy of George Carlin -- appreciated by patients indicates differences between Alzheimer's disease and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, or FTD. Researchers said the findings could eventually factor into methods of diagnosis, but already should "ring alarm bells" among family and clinicians who observe similar personality changes. "As sense of humor defines us and is used to build relationships with those around us, changes in what we find funny has impacts far beyond picking a new favorite TV show," said Dr. Camilla Clark, a researcher at University College London, in a press release. "Subtle differences in what we find funny could help differentiate between the different diseases that cause dementia. Humor could be a particularly sensitive way of detecting dementia because it puts demands on so many different aspects of brain function, such as puzzle solving, emotion and social awareness." The researchers used surveys of friends and family to compare 21 healthy people with 48 who had one of four types of dementia: 15 had behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD); 7 had semantic dementia (SD); 10 had progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA), and 16 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The series of questionnaires given to friends and family asked them to rate the participants' appreciation for different types of comedy, specifically referring to popular British television shows such as the slapstick "Mr. Bean," satirical comedy shows like "Yes, Minister," and absurdist comedy such as "Monty Python." Researchers also asked about current comedy preferences, instances of inappropriate humor, and shifts in preference during the previous 15 years. An appreciation for slapstick comedy was the same among all groups of participants, although all the patient groups liked satirical and absurdist comedy significantly less than the healthy participants. For many bvFTD, PNFA, and AD patients, the pattern of disliking satirical comedy was reported to have been seen before receiving a dementia diagnosis. All of the patients with bvFTD and SD laughed at inappropriate times such as funerals, tragedy on the news or the weather, while about 40 percent of PNFA and AD patients laughed at the wrong time. "While memory loss is often the first thing that springs to mind when we hear the word dementia, this study highlights the importance of looking at the myriad different symptoms that impact on daily life and relationships," said Dr. Simon Ridley, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK. "We need to see larger studies, following people for extended periods of time, to understand how and when changes in humor could act as a red flag for underlying brain changes." The study is published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Like Us on Facebook for more stories from UPI.com Related UPI Stories Dementia-related healthcare more expensive than other diseases Three-minute test can detect hard to diagnose form of dementia Stem cell treatment may reduce impairment caused by dement Poster Comment: So if we had a humor section we might know who's dementia bound. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 1.
#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
Robin Williams was at the early stages of dementia when he took his own life. Here's what it does ..
#2. To: HAPPY2BME-4UM (#1)
If dementia were the same thing as beihg demented, the ironies would be piled even higher than they are :-7 But is the study simply calling an obvious fact -- as you lose your mind you don't understand more layered humor anymore? Not that I would ever accuse science or medicine of justifying itself, ahem.......
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