Certain personality traits may affect risk of ‘pre-dementia’

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society examined five personality traits—neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness—and their links to pre-dementia conditions called motoric cognitive risk (MCR) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) syndromes.

Among 524 adults aged 65 years and older who were followed for a median of 3 years, 38 participants developed MCR and 69 developed MCI (some with memory loss, or amnestic MCI).

Openness was associated with a 6% reduced risk of developing MCR, whereas neuroticism was associated with a 6% increased risk of non-amnestic MCI. In non-amnestic MCI, memory remains intact, but one or more other cognitive abilities—such as language, visual-spatial skills, or executive functioning—are impaired.

None of the personality traits were associated with MCI overall or with amnestic MCI.

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