Developing a warped sense of humour in middle age could be an early warning sign of dementia according to new research. Scientists say that relatives of those with dementia have said their loved one’s sense of humour altered in the years before their diagnosis.
This can include laughing at tragic events in the media or in their everyday lives. Researchers in the University College London studied 48 families who had a relative with frontotemporal dementia and revealed that changes in humour could be a warning sign of this form of dementia. Frontotemporal dementia is a rarer form of the disease and is most common in those under the age of 65. This part of the brain controls humour, personality and behaviour.
Dr Camilla Clark, who lead the research said: “As sense of humour 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 favourite TV show. We’ve highlighted the need to shift the emphasis from dementia being solely about memory loss. These findings have implications for diagnosis – not only should personality and behaviour changes ring alarm bells, but clinicians themselves need to be more aware of these symptoms as an early sign of dementia.”