Open AccessRelationships between big‐five personality factors and Alzheimer's disease pathology in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Aschenbrenner Andrew J.,
Petros Jennifer,
McDade Eric,
Wang Guoqiao,
Balota David A.,
Benzinger Tammie LS,
Cruchaga Carlos,
Goate Alison,
Xiong Chengjie,
Perrin Richard,
Fagan Anne M.,
GraffRadford Neill,
Ghetti Bernardino,
Levin Johannes,
Weidinger Endy,
Schofield Peter,
Gräber Susanne,
Lee JaeHong,
Chhatwal Jasmeer P.,
Morris John C.,
Bateman Randall,
Hassenstab Jason
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: diagnosis, assessment and disease monitoring
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.497
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2352-8729
DOI - 10.1002/dad2.12038
Subject(s) - conscientiousness , neuroticism , personality , big five personality traits , psychology , disease , clinical psychology , personality pathology , cognitive decline , alzheimer's disease , medicine , personality disorders , extraversion and introversion , dementia , social psychology
Changes in personality characteristics are associated with the onset of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may even precede clinical diagnosis. However, personality changes caused by disease progression can be difficult to separate from changes that occur with normal aging. The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) provides a unique cohort in which to relate measures of personality traits to in vivo markers of disease in a much younger sample than in typical late onset AD. Methods Personality traits measured with the International Personality Item Pool at baseline from DIAN participants were analyzed as a function of estimated years to onset of clinical symptoms and well‐established AD biomarkers. Results Both neuroticism and conscientiousness were correlated with years to symptom onset and markers of tau pathology in the cerebrospinal fluid. Self‐reported conscientiousness and both neuroticism and conscientiousness ratings from a collateral source were correlated with longitudinal rates of cognitive decline such that participants who were rated as higher on neuroticism and lower on conscientiousness exhibited accelerated rates of cognitive decline. Discussion Personality traits are correlated with the accumulation of AD pathology and time to symptom onset, suggesting that AD progression can influence an individual's personality characteristics. Together these findings suggest that measuring neuroticism and conscientiousness may hold utility in tracking disease progression in AD.