A pioneering investigation, funded by the NIA, illuminates potential predictive connections between personality characteristics and the risk of developing dementia. Published in “Alzheimer’s and Dementia,” the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, the study reveals intriguing associations: traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion, and a general positivity in disposition appear to shield against the onset of dementia, conversely, traits marked by neuroticism and a propensity for negativity were correlated with an elevated risk. Notably, these personality facets did not align with dementia-induced neuroanatomical changes.
These insights emerged from a robust analysis by researchers at Northwestern University and the University of California, Davis. They meticulously assessed data pooled from 44,531 individuals across eight longitudinal studies, sprawling three continents and five nations. In harmonizing this wealth of data, the team probed the extent to which personality traits and self-reported well-being could serve as indicators for the neuropsychological and neuropathological markers indicative of dementia.
Findings from the study underscore the potential significance of personality traits as either risk factors or safeguards relating to dementia. Pervasive across diverse sample groups, time frames, and evaluative measures, heightened neuroticism, diminished conscientiousness, and pervasive negative affect were consistently linked to increased dementia diagnoses. On the flip side, the protective effect of certain traits was also pronounced; conscientiousness, extraversion, and positivity were allied with reduced dementia risks, painting a complex portrait of the interplay between personality and this neurodegenerative condition.
Within the aggregated dataset, autopsies were conducted for roughly half of the cases. A subset of these cases, amounting to 1,703 autopsy samples, originated from individuals who subsequently developed dementia. These particular samples furnished the researchers with the opportunity to juxtapose personality traits against neuropathological findings. However, they encountered no consistent correlations. It is worth noting that all the neuropathological specimens were procured within the U.S., and no component of the studies adequately represented racial diversity.
The authors of the study underscore the need for further investigation. Future studies should employ dementia biomarkers and should encompass a broader, more diverse demographic. This approach will determine whether there is a causal connection between personality characteristics or subjective well-being and the likelihood of developing dementia.