
The title
Shouldn’t the title be 'Proof America is demented'?
Australian scientists studying illnesses of the brain believe that an inability to detect when someone is being sarcastic is a symptom of dementia. In a study published today in the periodical Brain, brain brainiacs from New South Wales Uni outline their research. "Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patients present changes in …
I am very sarcastic, and find it necessary to more often than not to explain I'm only joking. They should see if toxin quantities in the food/water supply correlate with the higher amounts of FTD, becuase being an American, you're a lot more likely to be punched for being sarcastic because people get angry when they are confused and assume you're trying to make them feel stupid. And while many sarcastic people are often insulting, I like my participants to enjoy the joke too ;P Some people are just assholes though, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if FTD might be related to the number of assholes in a given population, like bored people with broken dreams vs. ADHD ;P
But what do I know, I'm off to collect mud on my mud farm with the other peasants.
"The research involved groups of FTD patients and Alzheimer's sufferers being shown skits played by actors."
If the actors involved were those on Saturday Night Live (or most comedy on TV) as of late, I would fail to see the difference. Perhaps this symptom, as apparent in those with FTD, could be named "Less Amused with Musings of Emotionless Adults using Silly Sarcasm" (LAMEASS)" deficit.
I think that the intensity of observation may have affected the results.
@AC:
"Also, don't the symptoms being described sound a little more like autism than dementia, per se?"
Dementia is the degradation of brain functions with age and infirmity, whereas autism is a life-long condition.
Deficiencies in certain parts of the brain have certain effects, and it doesn't matter whether it's a lifelong condition, a degenerative disorder or the result of sudden brain damage.
We define our disorders by both their origins and effects, and autism and FTD are significantly different in this respect. (For one thing, autism never gets worse, but FTD will do.)