The Power of Personality: Preventing Dementia with a Positive Outlook
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Daily Mail
A new analysis of eight studies involving over 44,000 people has found that individuals with conscientious, outgoing, and positive personality traits are less likely to develop dementia. The research revealed that those who were more conscientious, extroverted, and had a positive outlook had a lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia. Additionally, participants who scored highly on openness to new experiences, agreeableness, and life satisfaction also appeared to have some protection against the disease. Surprisingly, there was no link found between these personality traits and actual changes in the brains of deceased individuals. The findings suggest that personality traits may influence dementia risk through behavior and resilience to disease damage. The researchers recommend incorporating psychological trait measures into clinical screening for dementia.