Conscientiousness Is Associated with Lower Risk of Dementia among Black and White Older Adults

Abstract

Background: While some personality traits may reduce risk of dementia, this is controversial and has not been studied as much among diverse populations. We examined associations between 2 traits – Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience – and risk of dementia among black and white older adults. Methods: We studied 875 older adults (ages 71–82, 47% black) without prevalent dementia from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study, who completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory for Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience. Incident dementia over 8 years (mean = 6.9 years) was determined by hospital records, medications, or ≥1.5 SD race-specific decline on the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination. In adjusted models, we investigated associations between each trait and risk of dementia, including for race interactions. Results: Associations between personality traits and dementia risk did not differ by race (interactions: p > 0.7). Higher Conscientiousness was associated with lower dementia risk (adjusted HR per 1SD = 0.78; 95% CI 0.65–0.94). There was no association for Openness to Experience (adjusted HR per 1SD = 0.88; 95% CI 0.71–1.08). Conclusions: Higher Conscientiousness is associated with lower dementia risk, even among diverse populations. Higher Conscientiousness may be protective, or lower Conscientiousness may be an early symptom of neurodegenerative disease.

Repetitive negative thinking is associated with subjective cognitive decline in older adults: a cross-sectional study

“…Importantly, we aimed to examine if a potential link between SCD and RNT can be detected even when accounting for other psychological risk/protective factors for dementia, namely personality traits (neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness), purpose in life, and meditation experience. Briefly, high neuroticism has been associated with increased dementia risk and cognitive impairment [ 27 – 29 ] and high conscientiousness with reduced dementia risk [ 30 , 31 ]. Although findings on the relationship between the remaining three dimensions of the big five personality framework [ 32 ] and dementia risk have been more tentative, high openness to experience [ 27 ] and high agreeableness [ 28 ] might confer protective effects, whereas extraversion has not been independently linked to dementia risk [ 27 ].…”

Personality and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome

“…18 Similarly, higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness, and lower openness are related to steeper cognitive decline 19,20 and a higher risk of cognitive impairment and incident dementia. [21][22][23] Of particular relevance to this study, personality traits are related to the individual components of the MCR syndrome. Indeed, higher neuroticism predicts cognitive complaints 20,24 and steeper declines in gait speed over time.…”

The influence of personality on memory self-report among black and white older adults

“…Certain personality traits (i.e., higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness), as well as self-reported memory problems in the absence of objective cognitive deficits, have been found to increase the risk for cognitive impairment in older adults [5,58,59]. Our findings that older adults with higher conscientiousness and extraversion reported less frequent memory problems, and that these effects were stronger than the potential influence of neuroticism, hold important implications for refining our understanding of self-reported memory.…”