How does personality affect Alzheimer's disease risk?

A study by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that those who see themselves as self-disciplined, organized achievers have a lower risk for developing Alzheimer's disease than people who are less conscientious. A purposeful personality protects the brain, increasing neural connections that can act as a reserve against mental decline, said study co-author Robert Wilson. The brains of the people in the study were examined after their deaths and were found to have lesions associated with Alzheimer's but showed no outward signs of the disease or dementia.

"This adds to our knowledge that lifestyle, personality, how we think, feel and behave are very importantly tied up with risk for this terrible illness," Wilson said. Nearly 1,000 older adults participated in the study. At the start of the study, none of the participants showed signs of dementia.

The average age was 75. Everyone took tests. The researchers tracked them for 12 years, testing yearly for cognitive decline and dementia.

During the 12 years, 176 people developed Alzheimer's disease. Those with the highest scores for a personality trait called "conscientiousness" at the start of the study had an 89 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's. The conscientiousness scores were based on how people rated themselves on how much they agreed with statements such as: "I work hard to accomplish my goals," "I strive for excellence in everything I do," "I keep my belongings clean and neat" and "I'm pretty good about pacing myself so as to get things done on time.

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