A recent analysis conducted by researchers from the University of California, Davis, and Northwestern University reveals a correlation between specific personality traits and a reduced risk of dementia. The study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, suggests that individuals with traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion, and positive affect are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia compared to those with neuroticism and negative affect. Interestingly, the observed difference was not attributed to physical brain tissue damage found in dementia patients, but rather to how certain personality traits may aid individuals in navigating dementia-related impairments.
Emorie Beck, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Davis and the first author of the paper, highlighted the importance of leveraging new technology to synthesize and test the strength of associations between personality traits and dementia risk. The study aimed to explore whether targeting personality traits for change through interventions earlier in life could be a potential strategy to reduce dementia risk in the long term.
The researchers analyzed data from eight published studies encompassing over 44,000 participants, with 1,703 developing dementia. The examination focused on the “big five” personality traits (conscientiousness, extraversion, openness to experience, neuroticism, and agreeableness) and subjective well-being (positive and negative affect, and life satisfaction) in relation to clinical symptoms of dementia and brain pathology at autopsy.
The study indicated that individuals with higher scores in negative traits, such as neuroticism and negative affect, were at a higher risk of dementia diagnosis. Conversely, those with lower scores in positive traits, including conscientiousness, extraversion, and positive affect, were associated with an increased risk. Notably, high scores in openness to experience, agreeableness, and life satisfaction had a protective effect in a subset of studies.
Despite the personality traits’ predictive power concerning cognitive tests, the researchers found no direct link between these traits and neuropathology in the brains of individuals post-mortem. This unexpected finding led researchers to consider the possibility that certain personality traits might enhance resilience to damage caused by diseases like Alzheimer’s, allowing individuals to cope with and work around impairments.
The study’s insights, while surprising, contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between personality traits and dementia risk. The researchers plan to expand their work, including examining individuals who display little impairment despite significant pathology, and investigating other everyday factors that may contribute to the development of dementia.
